Leo Tolstoy

The Death of Ivan Ilyich Lib/E Leo Tolstoy

Drawing on the experience of his own struggle to find enlightenment and a deeper spiritual understanding of life, Leo Tolstoy takes us on the final journey towards death with Ivan Ilyich, who, falling victim to an incurable illness, ponders his life in its shallowness and lack of compassion, ultimately wondering about the meaning of it all.

At times somber and satirical, Tolstoy's novel raises questions about the way we live and how we should strive even at the end to seek final redemption. It is a powerful masterpiece of psychological exploration and has influenced writers as diverse as Hemingway and Nabokov.

This version is translated by Aylmer and Louise Maude.