Leo+Tolstoy

Durden Shivers 1

Ciera Durden and Brooke Shivers

Ms. Karen Chase

ENG 322

13 April 2009

Leo Tolstoy: An Annotated Bibliography

//Leo Tolstoy was one of many writers who let their life experiences affect their work. The moral philosopher and novelist was born in the Russian Tula Province on August 28, 1828. He entered the military to join his brother around 1848 and first began writing during his years of service and in 1852 sent his autobiographical __Childhood__ to one of the most popular journals of the time, quickly becoming a well-liked writer of the public. His military life greatly influenced his pieces which brought him to fame, making him an icon in the literary community. In 1862, he found not only publicity but a wife, Sofya Andreyevna Bers, who with him had thirteen children. The first ten years of this marriage proved to be the highlight of Tolstoy's life and career//— //inspired and filled with a sense of happiness, he wrote his celebrated __War and Peace,__ a novel again imbued with happenings and people from his own life, and __Anna Karenina,__ which was likewise filled with biographical pieces. However, his later years turned to inner turmoil as Tolstoy continually struggled with religion, seeking the meaning and reason behind life. Also, despite the positive view the public gave him for his works and his beliefs, his closer ties became tense as Tolstoy desired to give his riches away, much to the distress of his wife who in 1884 gained the copyright to all his writings created before 1881. Tolstoy continued on, unable to come to terms with and find balance between the three spheres of his life//— //those consisting of his beliefs, fans, and family. In 1910 he was kicked out of the church and, incapable of standing the likewise difficult situations at home, Tolstoy left on a final religious journey with his doctor and youngest daughter. Alas, the pilgrimage proved to be too much for the Russian author and he passed away on the ninth of November of that same year in Astapovo, Russia. However, Tolstoy's novels and other pieces live on, continuing to affect multitudes of people even today with vivid descriptions and powerful words wrought forth from his very life's occurrences.// “Leo Tolstoy Biography." __Encyclopedia of World Biography__. 11 Apr. 2009 < [] >.

Leo Tostoy's overall life is described within this website which gives light to not only his renowned works, including //War and Peace// and //Anna Karenina,// but also to his individual self. Beginning with his childhood years and following through to his last day, the website shows how his own experiences, such as entering the military and even his personal relationships with family and other people create inspirations for his writings. “Overview of Leo (Nikolaevich) Tolstoy.” __DISCovering Authors.__ Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. __Discovering Collection__. Gale. COLUMBIA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. 12 Apr. 2009 <[] >. This source is in the form of a critical essay, and it not only relates facts of Leo Tolstoy’s life, but it also weaves critiques of his literary works into the biographical information. In consequence of the style of this reference, facts about Tolstoy aren’t the only information given; the reader is also informed of how his works relate to him and help to depict him as a person of depth, not just a figure of mere facts.

“Tolstoy, Leo (Nikolaevich) (1828-1910).” __DISCovering Authors.__ Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. __Discovering Collection.__ Gale. COLUMBIA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION. 12 Apr. 2009 [].

This infotrac source gives the facts of Tolstoy’s life, beginning with his birth and death dates, where he was born and where he died, and his occupation. Then the source gives a brief one-paragraph summary of Tolstoy’s career before beginning a chronological description of his life. Towards the end of the page the site lists all of Tolstoy’s works, including novels, novellas, plays, non-fiction, diary entries, and other miscellaneous writings and their numerous translated versions. The site also provides a list of further reading available on Tolstoy.

Troyat, Henry, and Nancy Amphoux. __Tolstoy__. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1967.

This biography first outlines the circumstances in and around Russia before and during Tolstoy’s time. Then the author introduces Leo Tolstoy and his place among the increasingly troubled events in his homeland. The author continues to incorporate Tolstoy’s story with the history of Russia, which gives the biography context and relevance, not simply facts and dates.