Sevastopol Sketches

By: Leo Tolstoy

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

“True courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to act despite it.”

In the winter of 1854 Tolstoy, then an officer in the Russian army, arranged to be transferred to the besieged town of Sevastopol in Crimea. The three Sevastopol Sketches draw upon his real life experiences during the siege to create a profound commentary on the realities of war, illustrating both the physical challenges and the emotional struggles faced by those engaged in conflict, soldiers and civilians alike.

Through a combination of vivid imagery, personal experiences, and philosophical reflection, Tolstoy challenged his audience to confront the harsh realities of conflict and the moral implications that arise from it. These works played a crucial role in shaping Tolstoy’s career, solidifying his reputation as a significant writer and a serious commentator on social issues.

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian novelist, philosopher, and social reformer, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time. He is best known for his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, both celebrated for their intricate character development and profound exploration of moral dilemmas and human nature. In his later years, Tolstoy experienced a spiritual awakening which led him to reject materialism and embrace a life of simplicity, seeking to align his life with his beliefs about non-violence and compassion. Tolstoy's legacy endures not only through his literary masterpieces but also through his profound impact on literature and philosophy.

Public Domain (P)2023 SNR Audio

Critic reviews

If life could write, it would write like Tolstoy' - Isaac Babel

Tolstoy at His Most Powerful

With his jeweler's eye for details, Tolstoy gives us a living experience of being in the Crimea campaign of the 1850s. Beautiful prose and great imagery brings us right into the action of a terrible war.

Jonathan Keeble does a fine job of narrating.

War and peace it is not

Warming up exercise for his seminal work. Tolstoy experienced the siege of Sebastopol firsthand and what we have here are fictionalized remembrances of his time in the trenches. The short work is rather episodic and unlike War and Peace, there really isn’t much effort in character development.

Good War Story

Bit hard to follow all the names for an Anglo. But a nice immersive war story. Not overly violent. Just the vibes of being there.