"Life and Work of Leo Tolstoy"

Presentation given by Albany-Tula Alliance board member Nina Reich and slideshow created by board member Paul Marr.
Presentation given at the Guilderland Public Library on January 29, 2012
Total Run Time: 25 minutes

[@MatCendana]

This is one of the great things about the internet and KZbin. Without these, I wouldn’t have had access to this well-researched and informative talk. For decades, I had been intimidated from reading War and Peace due to its size. But finally, at the age of 58, I’m doing so. I’m so impressed by his writing that I’m now doing research to know more about this great man. Thank you for putting up this video. - Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

[@Saad_shah77]

He was amongst the greatest writers to ever exist ❤️

[@wideawake4981]

And greatest people!

[@salvatoremonaco1169]

I am listening to My Confession presently on KZbin. I read War and Peace straight through when I was a student at the Sorbonne in Paris 1968. I have returned to Tolstoy now at age 76 because I am going thru a crisis of meaning for my life. I am happy to find that he too had the exact crisis- and gave it expression to the world in the work mentioned above. He took all the complicated intellectual mazes and the contorted religious doctrines which one still finds in our society - I will say “warring society 2019 in America” and he shattered their false edifices to pieces - in my opinion- and showed me The Truth of my Life. Peace be with all.

[@kamransamimi201]

I am amazed by Tolstoy’s work. I regret not have started reading them earlier

[@margaridavelhinho1618]

Never is too late. :)

[@theogracianicahyono75]

tx so much Albany n friends....this time being, i am learning about his short story : Where love is, God is and God sees the truth but waits.... wonderful writing...

[@JamesDavis-kc6kk]

I think Tolstoy''s biggest influence on a leader would be on M. K. Gandhi, who called himself Tolstoy's disciple, and they both influenced Martin Luther King Jr.

[@LizKate1]

Great video! Thank you for your sharing, Nina. Your presentation is superb!! I enjoyed and learnied Tolstoy's life more.

[@morp8047]

Well presented and very interesting info. Thanks for putting this up.

[@shafiulislam8427]

Excellent ♥♪♥

[@emiliayonekokumata4764]

Thanks a lot for sharing this great research about Leo Tolstoy's life and his work. I've been an admirer of his novels ever since I read the first one, and deeply impressed by his sensibility and humanity when describing the feelings of his characters. My next challenge is reading Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

[@nthperson]

Not well known is Tolstoy's deep commitment to the reform proposals contained in the writings of the American political economist Henry George. The two never met but corresponded, and George's son visited Tolstoy early in the 20th century. As director of the online education and research project, the School of Cooperative Individualism, I have compiled many of Tolstoy's writings on his philosophy of social improvement. Here is a link to the author's page that contains Tolstoy's writings: www.cooperative-individualism.org/authors_t.htm Edward J. Dodson, M.L.A.

[@draganajevtovic8002]

Thank you very much for your interesting lecture.

[@lennon_richardson]

I just discovered Tolstoy thanks to Dr. Jordan Peterson. Had I known he was such a cool guy, I would’ve gotten into him earlier.

[@mementomori8685]

Kinda sad only a few audience sitting there listening..

[@elizabethjohnson3840]

extraordinary

[@MirtaOsorio]

The NorthAmerican Economist Henry George ( 2 September 1839 -29 October 1897) influenced Tolstoy to the point that he sponsored the translation into Russian of George's books which Tolstoy gave to writers and politicians all over Rusia. They exchanged correspondence and were supposed to arrange a meeting. Unfortunately H George died. “People do not argue with the teachings of George, they simply do not know it. And it is impossible to do otherwise with his teaching, for he who becomes acquainted with it cannot but agree.” Leo Tolstoy.

[@blekberg]

interesting lecture in deed

[@kristabrenner7438]

every time i eat hot oatmeal i think of Tolstoy

[@josuekax]

The gospels were the most important influence of his life, this is why he got into a real Christianity, this is the story where he found himself: 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]” 20“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

[@TtTt-zd1ex]

I always find it strange when people leave out the next part 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” The implication being that no one can be saved, whether rich or poor except for by a miracle from God

[@josuekax]

@@TtTt-zd1ex Yes Never thought that people were telling the story in a certain way, any way, my idea here is just to point out that this story, that Jesus told, as an important story in Tolstoy's life, which I felt that was missing in this presentation. Now, if you wanna talk about what really Jesus meant, it´s that no one can be saved by their own, that is the point of the whole gospel, but in this specific topic Jesus is talking about a man who put his hopes in money and he feels secure about it. Christ himself was poor (in a materialistic way) as he mentioned in Matthew 8 20 0 "Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. Jesus has called us to trust in his providence, (see Matthew 6 19-34). All of this seems so difficult for anyone to do, but not for God. So yes, In God, all things are possible, as Jesus had said, and as you posted in your reply. God Bless you!

[@TtTt-zd1ex]

And may God bless you as well!

[@408Magenta]

Orthodox - the right faith! Very good lecture. Thank you.

[@faza553]

This was lovely. Was Tolstoy associated with the Doukhobors?

[@JamesDavis-kc6kk]

Yes, Tolstoy helped them to emigrate to Canada in 1898., and he wrote "the matrydom of Christians in Russia", with his friend Vladimir Cherrtkov about them.

[@JamesDavis-kc6kk]

Tolstoy converted to what the Orthodox labeled as a sectarian, like the Molokhani, Dukhobori, Khlysty, skoptsy, old Believers, etc..

[@mustafakandan2103]

Of all the great 19th century literary figures Tolstoy is the one I love to hate. About 30 years ago I was mesmerised by War and Peace, except for the last chapter. In that last chapter one can already have a glimpse of his later works. His eastern spirituality and idealism is what makes Tolstoy so repugnant a writer to some of us. It is interesting that War and Peace was the very last work of his that his poor wife could fully embrace as well.

[@ForAVoluntarySociety]

Christian Anarchism.

[@jwalkin5123]

Tolstoy was born in a ruch family, so he never understood the majority of Russians who suffered in poverty. And it was too pretentious of him to clsim to be a peasant; he never understood the peasants. The peasants were his slaves.