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A review by theunreadshelf
The Death of Ivan Ilyich/Master and Man by Ann Pasternak Slater, Leo Tolstoy
5.0
If you’re looking for a couple of gripping short stories that deal with death, I can’t recommend Tolstoy enough.
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The Death of Ivan Ilyich has been on my radar for a while. And when I saw it at my local thrift store, I snatched it up (of course). But reading it turned out to be much more painful than I realized.
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Ivan slowly succumbs to an unknown illness, enduring all the horrors that 19th century Russian medicine could offer. We see society’s inability to face death through his eyes, as his family and friends refuse to admit his true condition. And even Ivan himself turns away from it, til the end.
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Master and Man also deals with the folly of the pursuit of riches in the face of death, as the master drives his horse and servant into a snow blizzard. He refuses to acknowledge the futility of his journey, until the only choice left to him is whether to save his servant.
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Both stories were brief but powerfully written. It left me amazed at Tolstoy’s skill and insight into human nature, just as much as after I finished Anna Karenina.
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Short stories are a genre I haven’t dove into much. What are some you enjoyed?
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Also, this was my pick for April’s challenge for #theunreadshelfproject2019 - read the book I last acquired! It feels great to knock it off the list!
•
The Death of Ivan Ilyich has been on my radar for a while. And when I saw it at my local thrift store, I snatched it up (of course). But reading it turned out to be much more painful than I realized.
•
Ivan slowly succumbs to an unknown illness, enduring all the horrors that 19th century Russian medicine could offer. We see society’s inability to face death through his eyes, as his family and friends refuse to admit his true condition. And even Ivan himself turns away from it, til the end.
•
Master and Man also deals with the folly of the pursuit of riches in the face of death, as the master drives his horse and servant into a snow blizzard. He refuses to acknowledge the futility of his journey, until the only choice left to him is whether to save his servant.
•
Both stories were brief but powerfully written. It left me amazed at Tolstoy’s skill and insight into human nature, just as much as after I finished Anna Karenina.
•
Short stories are a genre I haven’t dove into much. What are some you enjoyed?
•
Also, this was my pick for April’s challenge for #theunreadshelfproject2019 - read the book I last acquired! It feels great to knock it off the list!