Eleven Stories

by Leo Tolstoy

Genres: Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Ebooks

78 pages, ebook

About the author

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.

His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reviews

[Paakhi Srivastava · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was introduced to Leo Tolstoy by a friend as her favorite author. She bragged about Anna Karenina so I decided to download it on my kindle. I was so intimidated by its size, that I did not think that I will ever read any book by Tolstoy given that his War and Peace too is huge.

A few days back while searching through GR free e books, I stumbled upon this one and yayyie!! here was my chance to read Tolstoy :)

This book has 11 stories, mostly fables, each touching upon a different idea and theme. They have got a little religious overtone but they will have a wide appeal if you put them into the context of everyday life. Some stories would make you think that you have already heard them from your grandmother but, morals and fables find a unique and effectual application in life even though the times change.

If you are looking for something light to read that will give you a good read factor and for stories that refresh your memories of good old times then this book is for you!

[Asmaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

wisdom in its simplest form....worth reading.

[Kim Do · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally found a book that I can read again and again and still learn something new every time I read it. And this may sound funny but this will be one of the books that I read for my children every night before bed. These fables can teach my children to be human of dignity, and more importantly, happy humans.

[Kaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars.

[Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth a read. It strikes me that this would be quite an accessible introduction to Tolstoy. Not only is it free, but the short story format is a little less intimidating than starting with War and Peace or Anna Karenina (which I have started too many times to count!). The religious overtones are to be expected from Tolstoy and in many senses, the stories read like fables. Each has its own moral message. Although based in Christianity, these are messages that have a wide appeal, so lack of faith need not prevent anyone from enjoying this book. It's a great chance to get to know one of the great masters, and in just forty pages no less!

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny how I can spend a day on a book with hundreds of pages, but spent several on this. Well I've been busy anyway, getting ready to move out of my country.

Anyway, I really liked this set of stories. It's those typical old tales you hear from the elderly about real people and their experiences, and always with a moral in the story, to be kind and all that. I know we young people of today may not appreciate that, and that is reflected in here, but it is the truth, and we are well to know it.

So I really recommend these to all ages, Leo Tolstoy is a genius.

[Rishabh Chaudhary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I vacillated for a long time before rating this book. These are first-class moral stories like the ones given in schoolbooks, in fact the first one "Three Questions" was in my 8th standard book (no shame in reading it). Ah! Nostalgia.
I enjoyed them all but was uncertain how to rate the book (4/5) because at times it was too religious, for me. Anyway, these stories do make the reader feel good (for some time at least).

[Margarida · Rating 5 out of 5]

11 pequenos contos, inteligentemente bem escritos, com um desfecho moralizante no final.
São um bom pretexto para conhecer a escrita de Tolstoy e decidir embrenhar-se num dos romances de fôlego dele.

[Priya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and simple. Nice stories but we would have heard them already in one way or the other. They may not be new but good things do not change with time and so the morals still hold good value and can be put in to context with out current day lives.

[souheyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned one thing from these stories is HOW TO BE CAREFUL.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved being taken from one story to the next...

[Reemawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven Stories, of wisdom.

[Dana Al Khatib · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisdom in very simple words. beautiful

[Yukti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The short stories function as Biblical stories encapsulating several morals and teachings for the readers. They are enjoyable to read and are rich in historical context as well as mentions of diversities. Towards the end, they deeply and unsubtlely reference the Bible, gospel and Christ. Some of the stories are more well shaped than others. It reminds me of some classical Indian works like Tenali Rama, Akbar and Birbal and Bedtime stories for children that I used to read as a kid. This reawakening of nostalgia and sentimentality is one of the reasons for my rating.

[Eula Frances Bugayong · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I disagree with some lessons lol but still very well-written, ideal stories for children who still dream of a perfect world haha

[Arwa Saraireh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, simple and direct, but they are deep enough to inspire you and leave a trace .
"THE GRAIN AS BIG AS A HEN’S EGG" , "ESARHADDON, KING OF ASSYRIA" and "WHERE LOVE IS, GOD IS " made a great impact on me.

[Stevo Ilišković]

THREE QUESTIONS
'Remember that there is only one important time and it is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at your side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life.'

GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT WAITS

THE COFFEE HOUSE OF SURAT
'Therefore, let him who sees the sun's whole light filling the world, refrain from blaming or despising the superstitious man, who in his own idol sees one ray of that same light. Let him not despise even the unbeliever who is blind and cannot see the sun at all.'

LITTLE GIRLS WISER THAN MEN
'Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven'

ESARHADDON, KING OF ASSYRIA
'You can only improve life in yourself by destroying the barriers that divide your life from that of others, and by considering others as yourself, and loving them.'

[Walaa Shaaban]

"The higher man's conception of God , the better will he know him
And the better he knows God , the nearer will he draw to him " .

" Remember that there is only one important time and is now "

"The most important person is always the person with whom you are ."

Amazing eleven stories .

[Sachin Bhagat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wisdom in the garb of religion, the language people understand easily.

Its a pity how the same religion, with which Tolstoy tried to teach people love, compassion & sanity, is being used to spread hatred, fear & insanity.

[Aseel · Rating 4 out of 5]

simple & real

[infinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

i should find a copy of this :D

[Mariam Shobita]

reached 11

[Hend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every story has his own message really enjoyed .

[Suganya · Rating 3 out of 5]

saves you from a boring travelling...

[Jahnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeless tales of life and faith---each with golden lessons that are worth sharing to both children and adults.

[Suzan Yokwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

hmmmm....just wonderful each story has a silver lining,plus its for all ages! my kids have a bed time story now...

[Assala Mihoubi · Rating 3 out of 5]

11 lessons of pure wisdom.

[Ahmet Uçar · Rating 5 out of 5]

my version had 23 tales all of which were great! I became religious after reading these stories.

[Alice Harbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suppose there was great depth in these brief vignettes, but I jut couldn't hang onto them. They were good for a chuckle and a surprise nonetheless.

[Raly Dakova · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 1,5 years, finally. 11 stories to last you a