Resurrection (The World's Classics) (Paperback)

by Leo Tolstoy (Author), Louise Maude (Translator), Richard F. Gustafson (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Resurrection, the last of Tolstoy's major novels, tells the story of a nobleman's attempt to redeem himself for the suffering his youthful philandering caused a peasant girl. Tolstoy's vision of redemption achieved through loving forgiveness, and his condemnation of violence dominate the novel. An intimate, psychological tale of guilt, anger, and forgiveness, Resurrection is at the same time a panoramic description of social life in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century, reflecting Tolstoy's outrage at the social injustices of the world in which he lived.

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 7, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192831119
• ISBN-13: 978-0192831118
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,155,595 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Work by a Mature Master, July 20, 2004

By	Kat Bakhu (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I read Tolstoy?s Anna Karenina years ago, I felt that it should surely be the greatest novel ever written. In my mind, it is still a candidate for that declaration.

But having spent some time studying the life of Tolstoy and having recently read his later work, Resurrection, I like Resurrection even better. To me, it is an even greater accomplishment. Resurrection has all the vibrancy and brilliance of language, detail and characterization as does the earlier works for which Tolstoy is famous. It doesn?t drop off a scintilla in terms for the display of raw literary talent. But it also incorporates some of the deep philosophical, political and social issues that Tolstoy had been struggling with for the previous two decades.

In the end, I tired of Anna Karenina for the exact same reason that caused Tolstoy himself to scorn it. It is not about deep issues, but only the story of a woman of nobility who commits adultery, even if the story is told with a brilliance that no other writer has managed to emulate. Resurrection captures you with its rich story and social panorama, but it goes beyond that. It continues to reverberate in your mind weeks later because of the philosophical and social themes it so successfully weaves into the narrative. In this respect, Resurrection seems comparable to Ayn Rand?s Atlas Shrugged, another literary classic known for the ideas it conveys as much as the story that it tells. Though, having made the comparison, it should be added that Tolstoy is, as always, the greater of the writers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Profound!, July 14, 1999

By A Customer

Tolstoy at his best, Resurrection digs into the soul and causes the reader to consider society, the world at large, and governments in perhaps a new light. It addresses some of mankind's most gripping problems and questions, and also entertains via a well crafted story. A wonderful, unforgetable book and first rate piece of literature that will leave a mark on you, among the very best I've read.

4.0 out of 5 stars Tolstoy's best. , November 17, 2007

By	Brian Blueskye "dharmahooligan" (Desert Hot Springs, CA) - See all my reviews

While I love Tolstoy's work, I think that this novel is highly underrated, and is Tolstoy's best novel out of them all. It's a story that could easily be compared with Tolstoy's own personal life, and coming to grips with humility. This story is truly inspiring, and one that will make you rethink the position of governments worldwide, property ownership, and the Christian gospels.