Top Five (+2) Leo Tolstoy Books
(I felt a little reluctance when I thought about making this list, even though Tolstoy is an essential writer for me—more important than any of the other giants of 19th Century literature. I believe I’ve read all of his fiction, along with a fair amount of his nonfiction, but no one needs me to point out the merits of War and Peace and Anna Karenina. (The only question is, which comes first? For me, it’s War and Peace.) Anyway, those two are of course at the top of my list. What follows are the five other books of his that mean the most to me.)
War and Peace
Anna Karenina
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Confession
What Is Art?
Resurrection
Family Happiness
— December 1, 2020