The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy by Sofia Tolstoy
When Sofia Behrs married Count Leo Tolstoy, the author of "War and Peace", husband and wife regularly exchanged diaries covering the years from 1862 to 1910. Sofia's life was not an easy one: she idealized her husband, but was tormented by him; even her many children were not an unmitigated blessing. In the background of her life was one of the most turbulent periods of Russian history: the transition from old feudal Russia to the three revolutions and three major international wars. Yet it is as Sofia Tolstoy's own life story, the study of one woman's private experience, that the diaries are most valuable and moving. They are a testament to a woman of tremendous vital energy and poetic sensibility who, in the face of provocation and suffering, continued to strive for the higher things in life and to remain indomitable.
"The diary entries bear witness to a remarkable life: the life of an exceptional woman, married to one of the most exceptional men of the time, with all her passions and difficulties laid bareThis is a book that is interesting for what it says about the predicament of women in the past, and how that compares to their present circumstances." The Sunday Times "The hundreds of pages offered by Porter in this selection are testament to a great spirit, a woman who lived in terrifying proximity to one of the greatest writers of all time, and who understood exactly the high price she would have to pay for this privilege." - Jay Parini, The Guardian "an elegant, readable volume" - A.N. Wilson, The Spectator
SOFIA TOLSTOY was a talented photographer, creating evocative self-portraits long before they were artistically fashionable. Her purpose was to photograph her husband, the famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, for posterity. She beared him thirteenth children. Their marriage suffered constant instability, due to her husband's infidelities and his conception of wifely duties. She died in 1919.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781846880803 |
| ISBN 10 | 1846880807 |
| Title | The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy |
| Author | Sofia Tolstoy |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Alma Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2009-10-15 |
| Number of pages | 450 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |