Walk in the Light and Twenty-Three Tales by Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Author), Louise Shanks Maude (Contributor)

ISBN: 9781570754609

Orbis Books, November 2003

351 pages, Paperback

Uncluttered by the complexities of plot and character that daunt so many readers of the longer Russian masterpieces, Tolstoy's tales illumine eternal truths with the forceful brevity. While inspired by the sense of spiritual certainty, their narrative quality, subtle humor, and visionary power lift them far above the common run of "religious" literature.
Long hailed as one of the world's greatest writers, Leo Tolstoy is best known for his novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Yet the popularity of his shorter works--including the two dozen collected here--attests to his prowess as master of the short story.

From the title work, "Walk in the Light," a parable that reflects Tolstoy's fascination with the early Christians, to beloved tales such as "Ivan the Fool," "A Prisoner in the Caucasus," and "What Men Live By," the stories in this volume have stood the test of time both as fiction and reflections on the meaning and content of Christian faith.