Henri troyat tolstoy biography

“Tolstoy” by French historian Henri Troyat is THE definitive biography of the great Russian novelist.

He was a man who, though born a nobleman, had an overriding ambition to be a peasant.

He was a man who, though born a nobleman, had an overriding ambition to be a peasant.

From his famously bad marriage to his enormously successful career, Troyat presents a brilliant portrait that reads like an epic novel written by Tolstoy.

Troyat was a French author, biographer, historian and novelist.

Tolstoy (Pelican Biographies).

In this definitive portrait of one of the greatest novelists of all time, Leo Tolstoy embodies the most extraordinary contradictions.

And I finished it! — Yes siree, all 800 pages. On the down side, took me five months and had to put it down and read entire books in between Troyat’s chapters. On the plus side, I never have to read anything about Tolstoy ever again!

There is literally nothing left to say.

Tolstoy (Pelican Biographies).

OK, what struck me. The first thing was the dichotomy between how exemplary and remarkable was Tolstoy’s talent – juxtaposed against what a failed human he was. His novels, “War and Peace” and onward through to the “Cossacks” and “Resurrection” are genius.

Brilliant.

“Tolstoy” by French historian Henri Troyat is THE definitive biography of the great Russian novelist.

Masterpieces. As a person, Tolstoy was not even a fun eccentric with maybe a drinking problem or a problem with women. He was, as my wife would say (in Spanish) “absolutamente insoportable”. He went through ideologies and “phases” so quickly nobody could