5 Books To Read By Leo Tolstoy

“We can only know that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.”

• Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy is known as one of the greatest treasures of literature. The Russian author, known for his realist style of writing gave the gift of exceptional pieces of writing that still beautifully blend with the world today. If you have heard about him, and are intrigued to find out more about his work, then we have prepared a list of the top 5 books to read by Leo Tolstoy. 

You will be able to find these books on online platforms, and for a breezy reading time, you would need a stable internet connection. For this, we recommend you go with any of the AT&T Internet plans for smooth connectivity. Once you are all sorted with the right internet connection, you can begin reading a great piece of classics online without any hassle. 

So, let’s dive into the list and find out more about the best books written by Leo Tolstoy. 

• War & Peace (1869)

This book is not suitable for all, despite it being acclaimed as one of the best pieces of writing by Tolstoy. Especially if you are a reader of light breezy storylines. Written more than a century ago, this piece is still worth a read. Every word blends with a contemporary society that would make you think if it is more than a century old. 

The novel is written on more than 1000 pages, and blankets 580 characters. Each with a personality of their own, this piece of writing is no less than art. The plotline revolves around the Russian families and their time during Napoleon’s invasion.

Anyone who attempts this seemingly impossible endeavor will undoubtedly gain the numerous benefits hidden inside its pages.

“It’s not given to people to judge what’s right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more than in what they consider right and wrong.”

• Leo Tolstoy – War & Peace

• Anna Karenina (1873)

Anna Karenina is nothing short of a masterwork. This timeless piece talks about the pressure society places on a woman, and how it has always impacted a woman’s life more than a man’s. 

Tolstoy’s main concern in this passage is the nature of both good and unpleasant family life. He discusses a variety of moral questions, such as whether abandoning a child for the benefit of a loved one is appropriate.

It seems as if only time changes, but the world and societal standards remain the same. A free woman, her need to be loved, and a happy family is nothing but a mirage.

“You’ve said nothing, of course, and I ask nothing,’ he was saying; ‘but you know that friendship’s not what I want: that there’s only one happiness in life for me, that word that you dislike so … yes, love!…”

• Leo Tolstoy – Anna Karenina

• Resurrection (1889)

This was the last novel written by Tolstoy, and in his own words, he considered it one of his best works. Resurrection is a harsh exposé of the establishment’s deceit and the various flaws in this patriarchal, and man-made judicial system. 

It tells the tale of how a formerly arrogant officer found salvation after his aunt’s naive foster daughter and abandoned her while she was pregnant and in need of money. The girl’s life is upended, but for him, it’s only a brief liaison, -a mere fling. Life would be anything but easy for her. 

Years later when life crosses their paths, the officer realizes his wrongdoings and tries to mend things. The writing takes you on a path of self-awakening, where you question not only yourself, but the surroundings, the society, and the rules made only for men. 

“It all lies in the fact that men think there are circumstances in which one may deal with human beings without love, and there are no such circumstances.”

• Leo Tolstoy – Resurrection

• The Kingdom Of God Is Within You (1894)

Tolstoy’s spiritual crisis gave us another all-time classic, The Kingdom of God is Within You. The book is filled with the discussion of Pacifism, and religion; a tough road to tread. 

“The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity by contributing to the establishment of the kingdom of God, which can only be done by the recognition and profession of the truth by every man.”

Tolstoy invites his readers to look within themselves for the solutions to morality-related concerns by making it abundantly plain to them why they must reject all forms of violence, even those authorized by the state or the church.

“The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of a doubt, what is laid before him.”

• Leo Tolstoy – The Kingdom Of God Is Within

Did you know, The Kingdom of God is Within You was banned in Russia as it was called a ‘threat to the church and state? This book was also of great inspirational value to Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi.

• A Confession (1882)

Leo Tolstoy gave away a significant share of his life in the search for the actual meaning of living and finding its true essence. A Confession is a walk-through of his troublesome life. In this autobiography, Tolstoy breaks down his journey of the spiritual awakening, and the life crises that led to several moral realizations. He shied away from hiding anything in the book. 

“I felt that what I had been standing on had collapsed and that I had nothing left under my feet. What I had lived on no longer existed, and there was nothing left.

• Leo Tolstoy – A Confession

 

So, if you would like to dig deeper into one of the greatest authors of all time; Leo Tolstoy, then this book is the one for you. 

Final Words

Leo Tolstoy is known as a great treasure of literature. With an immaculate number of writings that left a mark on the readers, this is a sign for you to embark on this journey and uncover deeper meaning to life in the words of Tolstoy.