5 Short Stories to read from Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy is one of the titans of literature. Some of his celebrated works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina, both of which are known for its epic size. But both of these books are worth reading. Along with its gorgeous visuals and sophisticated aura, his book captivates complex and psychological details of the characters with heartbreaks and emotions. His way of storytelling is truly remarkable.

Therefore, in the special edition of Birthday Special, BookBuzzerr brings you a recommendation of 5 amazing classics short stories to read from Leo Tolstoy that'll (probably) change the way you think. And guess what they all are available for free. So what are you waiting for.

The Death of Ivan Ilyich

Considered as the greatest creation of all time, The Death of Ivan Ilyich questions the mortality of human life. It discusses whether death has anything to do with the deeds of a person.

It explains the psychological and religious aspects of death.And if you have liked Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, then this one is surely for you.

Master and Man

The Master and Man, as the name suggests, concerns with a landowner and his peasant on their short trip to visit another landowner. But like any other classic travalogue, this short story turns out to be fateful and unforgettable. 

It's based on the famous theme of Tolstoy: that the only true happiness in life is found by living for others. This story also throws light on the moral and philosophy of life.

The Three Questions 

The Three Questions is an allegory about an emperor who wants to find out the answers of three questions. He considers these questions very important in order to lead a happy and fruitful life. These questions are:

• What is the best time to do each thing?
• Who are the most important people to work with?
• What is the most important thing to do at all times?

 He goes to a hermit so as to find out the answers to these questions. Of course, we won't give away those answers. So go ahead and find it on your own.

The Cossacks

One of the early works of Tolstoy include a striking tale of The Cossacks which is about a young idealist Olenin. He leaves Moscow and went to live in Caucasus, hoping to start a new life during Caucasian war. There he encounters a girl called Maryanka to whom he falls in love with. The rest of the story revolves around this.

Compact, yet dynamic in its views makes this story truly exceptional.

After the Dance 

In this short story, Tolstoy puts his views on aristocracy and social democracy in those times. The story begins with the statement that, "man cannot understand what's good and what's bad on his own, that it's all a matter of the environment, that he is a prey to the environment.

Tolstoy has used framing narrative to write this story. Thus the protagonist Ivan tells his own experience of falling in love and then spotting the power of human cruelty.

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All these books (except After the Dance) has also been adapted into movies. So if you are a movie junkie you might prefer to watch the movies too.

These books will surely make you feel more cultured. So Comment below which book you think does the same.