The Leo Tolstoy Complete Collection

War and Peace; Anna Karenina; Resurrection; Short Stories; Novellas; and Non-Fiction

By: Leo Tolstoy

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble, Malk Williams, Emma Gregory

“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.”

From the sweeping grandeur of War and Peace to the heartbreaking intricacies of Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy: The Complete Collection contains unabridged recordings of fiction and non-fiction by one of literature’s greatest storytellers. This anthology contains all Tolstoy’s major novels, novellas and short stories together with four renowned works of non-fiction.

The titles included in this collection are:

Novels:

War and Peace: This epic masterpiece intertwines the lives of several families against the backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812. It follows Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a count who is fighting for his inheritance and yearning for spiritual fulfilment; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, who leaves his family behind to fight in the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, the beautiful young daughter of a nobleman who intrigues both men. Balls and soirées alternate with councils of war and the machinations of statesmen and generals, scenes of violent battles with everyday human passions in a work whose extraordinary imaginative power has never been surpassed.

Anna Karenina: Widely considered to be one of Tolstoy’s finest works, Anna Karenina is both a tragic love story and an exploration of the complexities of love, infidelity, and societal expectations in 19th-century Russia.

Anna Karenina seems to have everything - beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son. But she feels that her life is empty until the moment she encounters the impetuous officer Count Vronsky. Their subsequent affair scandalises her family and the hypercritical and unforgiving society in which she lives and soon brings jealously and bitterness in its wake.

Resurrection: one of Tolstoy’s later works, Resurrection is a powerful exploration of personal morality, the possibility of redemption, and the profound impact of one’s choices on others, following the journey of privileged nobleman Dmitri Nekhlyudov, as he embarks on a transformative journey that challenges his perceptions of morality and justice.

An intimate, psychological tale of guilt, anger, and forgiveness, Resurrection is at the same time a panoramic description of social life in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century, reflecting its author's outrage at the social injustices of the world in which he lived.

Novellas:

• The Death of Ivan Ilyich
• Childhood, Boyhood, Youth
• Family Happiness
• The Cossacks
• The Kreutzer Sonata
• The Forged Coupon
• Hadji Murat
• Sevastopol Sketches

Short Stories

• The Coffee-House of Surat
• Master and Man
• How Much Land Does a Man Need?
• Alyosha the Pot
• Ivan the Fool

Non-Fiction

• The Kingdom of God Is Within You
• A Confession
• The Inevitable Revolution
• What Is Art?

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 nonviolence and compassion. Tolstoy's legacy endures not only through his literary masterpieces but also through his profound impact on literature and philosophy.

This audiobook is fully indexed. Once downloaded, each book and chapter will be listed so you can easily navigate to the individual section.

Public Domain (P)2023 SNR Audio

Excellent narrators for all especially for war and peace and Anna Karenina. Good enunciation, emphasis and no mouth clicker

Great collection. I find myself coming back to the stories from Leo Tolstoy. Sometimes it feels like he’s the only one that understands me…

Well worth the read!

Leo Tolstoy is amazing as always and is worth the read. This compilation does not diminish the maneuverability between books and the narrators are Fine. They do not have much personality but have enough to make the story seem alive. Bravo!

A Confession

This is a must read collection. A Confession, The Kingdom of Heaven is Within You and Resurrection are my favorites. These books help refine my inner search and find alignment with my understanding of human existence and experience. ACIM (All 4) and Ekhart Tolle are my favorites.

Legendary author, flawless narrations.

I really enjoy Tolstoy's straightforward storytelling. He doesn't try to hide his content with a lot of verbiage. Some of the stories have huge casts of characters, but they become more and more familiar as you read/listen over and over. Although there are some obscure novellas that didn't make the collection, it is by far the largest set I've found and a steal for the price. Considering all the wars still going on in the areas described in these stories, Tolstoy is as relevant today as ever.

Tolstoy search for the meaning of life

Tolstoy search for the meaning of life is a search for moral perfection and acting for the betterment of others. He focuses on universal principles like love thy neighbour and the Golden Rule and the unity of life. The idea of the Kingdom of God is within you is to create a paradise on Earth through nonviolence, turning the other cheek, kindness/, and sisterly and brotherly love. The first will I ever read from Leo Tolstoy was What is art? My favouring passage is:
"Art can …evoke reverence for the dignity of every [person] and for the life of every animal, can make [people] ashamed of luxury, of violence, of revenge, or of using for their pleasure that of which others are in need; can compel people freely, gladly, and without even noticing it, to sacrifice themselves in the service of [others]. The task of art … is to make that feeling of…love of one's neighbour … the customary feeling and the instinct of all [people]." It encapsulates his fiction and nonfiction especially his later work in the last three decades of his life.

I will read and reread his work many times. It’s guided me in Animal Save Movement where we bear witness to the truth of our fellow creatures and Plant Based Treaty where the idea is to promote the worldview that all life is one and “when we try to harm others we really do evil to ourselves.” (Tolstoy, Esarhaddon, King of Assyria)