Status
Available
Call number
Description
As Leo Tolstoy's life draws to a tumultuous close, his tempestuous wife and most cunning disciple are locked in a whirlwind battle for the great man's soul. Torn between his professed doctrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth and thirteen children, Tolstoy dramatically flees his home, only to fall ill at a tiny nearby rail station. The famous (and famously troubled) writer believes he is dying alone, unaware that over a hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condition. Jay Parini moves deftly between a colorful cast of characters to create a stunning portrait of one of the world's most treasured authors. Dancing between fact and fiction, The Last Station is a brilliant and moving literary performance.… (more)
Publication
Warner Books Inc. (1991)
Genres
Subjects
ISBN
0446392952 / 9780446392952
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1990
User reviews
LibraryThing member aleahmarie
'The Last Station,' by Jay Parini, is a portrait of life at Leo Tolstoy's estate, Yasnaya Polyana, during the last year of the great man's life. Each chapter captures the perspective of one of those most familiar with Tolstoy at the time, the details of which have been painstakingly recreated from
Strife permeated life at Yasnaya Polyana and likewise finds itself the central theme in this novel. Leo Tolstoy and his wife of nearly fifty years, Sophia, found themselves on opposite sides of nearly every issue. She represented a traditional view of Russian life while Tolstoy speaks to a new era for the Russian people. Parini does an excellent job of presenting each perspective independently and on its own merits -- leaving it to the reader to decide who, if anyone, is in the right. This may come across as dry reading to some, but I found it an excellent way to represent Tolstoy's own devotion to simple, unadorned truth.
A slow read at first this novel picks up speed as it goes. Intricately written and all the more engaging because of it. For all fans of historical fiction or, of course, for those who enjoy the works of Leo Tolstoy.
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diaries, letters and biographies. The transition from one character to the next is at times disconcerting, but the overall effect is truly beautiful. This work brought to mind an impressionist painting -- each chapter a brush stroke that, from a distance, creates a vivid landscape.Strife permeated life at Yasnaya Polyana and likewise finds itself the central theme in this novel. Leo Tolstoy and his wife of nearly fifty years, Sophia, found themselves on opposite sides of nearly every issue. She represented a traditional view of Russian life while Tolstoy speaks to a new era for the Russian people. Parini does an excellent job of presenting each perspective independently and on its own merits -- leaving it to the reader to decide who, if anyone, is in the right. This may come across as dry reading to some, but I found it an excellent way to represent Tolstoy's own devotion to simple, unadorned truth.
A slow read at first this novel picks up speed as it goes. Intricately written and all the more engaging because of it. For all fans of historical fiction or, of course, for those who enjoy the works of Leo Tolstoy.
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LibraryThing member jwhenderson
A wonderful evocation of Tolstoy's last days, the people surrounding him and the aura created by the event. Just as Tolstoy was a writer, larger than life, he becomes, in death, a mythic figure.
LibraryThing member hazelk
The author has obviously been thorough in his research, digging through all the sources and letters. It must have been quite difficult to meld all this research into an interesting narrative, especially one where it's difficult to have any positive feelings for any of the main characters. By turns
And of course one knows the ending.
The strongest thread and one that kept me going was Sonya with all her unpredictability and 'bad' behaviour. But one could see how she'd be peeved by the constant presence of these acolytes and especially Chertkov. It was difficult, to say the least, in these last years of her married life to feel like a discard. Parini makes a good job of conveying all the tensions at Yasnaya Polyana.
As with all the famous Russian novels the names are sometimes a stumbling block and I had to remind myself time and again of who is who but there's not much the author can do about that.
A decent read on the whole but I can see that a good film version might heighten the atmosphere especially with outdoor scenes of 'Mother Russia'.
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one gets aggravated by all the Tolstoyans, most of Tolstoy's family and even Tolstoy himself. Bulgakov is perhaps an exception.And of course one knows the ending.
The strongest thread and one that kept me going was Sonya with all her unpredictability and 'bad' behaviour. But one could see how she'd be peeved by the constant presence of these acolytes and especially Chertkov. It was difficult, to say the least, in these last years of her married life to feel like a discard. Parini makes a good job of conveying all the tensions at Yasnaya Polyana.
As with all the famous Russian novels the names are sometimes a stumbling block and I had to remind myself time and again of who is who but there's not much the author can do about that.
A decent read on the whole but I can see that a good film version might heighten the atmosphere especially with outdoor scenes of 'Mother Russia'.
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LibraryThing member siri51
Great movie, the book added some extra details eg. Sasha's close girlfriend.
LibraryThing member lesleynicol
A most enjoyable book which tells us what the "great man" was really like to live with, no wonder his wife Sophia seemed a little unbalanced at times. I also enjoyed the movie with Helen Mirren, I give it 4 stars too.
LibraryThing member jphamilton
I first saw the excellent movie, of the same title, that was based on this book of Tolstoy's last days, yet a book almost always fleshes out so much more of a story. I'm on a bit of a Tolstoy jag and this was just what the doctor ordered ... I'm a happy man.
LibraryThing member m.belljackson
Plot sequence and coverage were good, but more character depth, notably of Count Leo, would have been welcome.
LibraryThing member scottjpearson
To understand and appreciate Russian author Leo Tolstoy, one has to understand and appreciate Russian history. Leo Tolstoy was born as a part of the aristocratic class in Russia, yet he spoke up for the serf. Russia has millions of uneducated serfs – and has had for generations. Most viewed them
Leo Tolstoy is an enigma. His life is full of contradictions. On the one hand, he spoke out for the serf and – as an ascetic – sought to renounce the luxury and pleasure he was born into; on the other, he had a wife who sought financial security and thirteen children. (Hardly a life of asceticism…) For most of his life, he maintained a troubled soul – not only about the plight of Russia’s ubiquitous serfs but also about any goodness in the world more generally. This led to personal instability. Unlike the other great Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky (who celebrated life’s inherent goodness), Tolstoy sought to escape the world in the philosophy of his writings (while living in a lavish mansion).
These contradictions and tensions came to a head in his final years. The most famous Russian in history to that point, he routinely fought with his wife over the royalties of his books. Embarrassingly, most Russians well knew of his marital spats. Eventually, he left home and died near a railway station, seemingly of pneumonia. Throughout this time, Tolstoy’s adoring fans and disciples seem embroiled in a never-ending conflict with his wife of forty-eight years.
The author of this account, the biographer Jay Parini, sketches a fictionalized account of this final year. He uses the diaries of numerous people in Tostoy’s inner circle as sources. These sources paint a picture of conflict and personalities and provide a 360-degree view of Tolstoy’s life. Parini weaves them together brilliantly into a beautiful tapestry that encases the whole of Tolstoy’s personality. Indeed, no one person, whether disciple or family member, could fully grasp Tolstoy’s insightfulness and historical impact.
Overall, this is a fun and interesting read that was made into a well-received Hollywood movie. I am planning to watch the movie and would recommend it if you do not have the time to flip through this biopic. Parini, as always, spins good yarn about an interesting topic.
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as worthless. Like Abraham Lincoln, Tolstoy saw value in their lives; he, as they say, saw their humanity. Even though many did not read Tolstoy (or anyone else) closely, his magnanimity was felt by all in Russia. His name reverberates in their ears, again, much like Lincoln’s name reverberates in African-American homes.Leo Tolstoy is an enigma. His life is full of contradictions. On the one hand, he spoke out for the serf and – as an ascetic – sought to renounce the luxury and pleasure he was born into; on the other, he had a wife who sought financial security and thirteen children. (Hardly a life of asceticism…) For most of his life, he maintained a troubled soul – not only about the plight of Russia’s ubiquitous serfs but also about any goodness in the world more generally. This led to personal instability. Unlike the other great Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky (who celebrated life’s inherent goodness), Tolstoy sought to escape the world in the philosophy of his writings (while living in a lavish mansion).
These contradictions and tensions came to a head in his final years. The most famous Russian in history to that point, he routinely fought with his wife over the royalties of his books. Embarrassingly, most Russians well knew of his marital spats. Eventually, he left home and died near a railway station, seemingly of pneumonia. Throughout this time, Tolstoy’s adoring fans and disciples seem embroiled in a never-ending conflict with his wife of forty-eight years.
The author of this account, the biographer Jay Parini, sketches a fictionalized account of this final year. He uses the diaries of numerous people in Tostoy’s inner circle as sources. These sources paint a picture of conflict and personalities and provide a 360-degree view of Tolstoy’s life. Parini weaves them together brilliantly into a beautiful tapestry that encases the whole of Tolstoy’s personality. Indeed, no one person, whether disciple or family member, could fully grasp Tolstoy’s insightfulness and historical impact.
Overall, this is a fun and interesting read that was made into a well-received Hollywood movie. I am planning to watch the movie and would recommend it if you do not have the time to flip through this biopic. Parini, as always, spins good yarn about an interesting topic.
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LibraryThing member janerawoof
A big disappointment! Forced myself to slog through this mess of family fights and polarization. Told in voices of several narrators, so we get events from their much-varied points of view. Novel was a mishmash of fact [from characters'' diaries] and fiction.
LCC
PS3566.A65 L3