Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Treasured Book, December 23, 2005
This extraordinary volume of selections from Leo Tolstoy's writings from his final years is a treasure, and it has a spirit of love and peace that one can even feel as one holds this book in one's hands. It is a delight and inspiration to read, whether one chooses to read it through from cover to cover, or use it as one would a daily devotional; to start each day with Tolstoy's wisdom, is to start the day with a quiet joy, and fresh understanding of what lies ahead. For each day, there is a chapter of approximately 125-150 words, and many include quotes from the world's great thinkers, from Confucius to Henry David Thoreau, and from Buddhist proverbs to the Talmud.
The themes range from one's spiritual life to the mundane, to the core of all things, love, and cover all relevant topics of the human condition. Though these thoughts were written from the years 1903 through 1910, they are as relevant today as ever. "Wise Thoughts for Every Day" is truly a "guide to living a good life" in any age.
Peter Sekirin has done a monumental work in translating and selecting these passages into one volume, and it is a gift to the world and humanity in these troubled times. The translation has a lucid beauty, and also a rare simplicity, making Tolstoy's thoughts understandable and highly readable. Those who stay away from Russian literature thinking it too complex should not overlook this superb book, which will appeal to anyone seeking truth and enlightenment, young and old alike.
The layout is wonderful, and it is a sturdily constructed book, with 365 pages of wisdom, an introduction by Dr. Sekirin, and an introduction by Tolstoy. This was Tolstoy's favorite of all his works, and he would have been so proud of this volume, in its first translation into English; it is a classic that belongs on every bookshelf, to be read and re-read as the years go by.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A necessary book for anyone reflecting on what makes life meaningful, January 9, 2006
Tolstoy's Wise Thoughts for Every Day differs from his other works such as A Calendar of Wisdom written in the last ten years of his life, in that in this book nearly all of the passages are from Tolstoy himself, rather than taken from other texts or people, so we really and truly get an idea on Tolstoy's view of life and how it should be lived. Each day has a subject (such as God, Faith, Pride, One Soul in All) around which the thoughts revolve, with the subjects repeating each month.
While this book is, for all intents and purposes, a book of spiritual writing, it is also a work which anyone could easily pick up and read, as the thoughts are philosophical in nature as well, making this work first and foremost a composition on how to live a good life. That was the goal of Tolstoy in the latter part of his life when he spent copious amounts of time writing these books- to make them accessible to anyone and to help them improve their lives. He believed the only true religion is the one which all people can share.....and for this to happen it has to be simple, and not complicated by arbitrary or overly complex rules. Like all of Tolstoy's great writings, this work shows most strikingly his thorough understanding of the nuances of human character, and the flaws which lie within. Whether one agrees or disagrees with what is contained within Wise Thoughts for Every Day, one cannot help but be taken aback by Tolstoy's grasp of the deficiencies and imperfections innate in mankind.....and also the vast potential for good.
One of the great achievements of this book is the fact that Tolstoy is giving us information on how to live our lives while in the final years of his own. There is a very nice description of the last works of Tolstoy's life in the front pages of the book, allowing us to see his works chronicled in the final ten years leading up to his death, something heretofore I had not seen in such detail. Tolstoy's early years were devoted to creating timeless classics such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina. The latter part of his life was devoted to and consisted entirely of spiritual works after his religious awakening. These included both spiritual/fictional short stories and non-fiction works such as this, after his near suicide at the age of 51. The latter works of his life do not receive the notoriety they deserve, at a time when the world needs such ideas desperately.
When one has a toothache, one goes to the dentist to have it tended to. When one wants a greater understanding of life and of our place in the universe, one can pick up Wise Thoughts to read. As Tolstoy has said innumerable times, the ideas contained in this book are imprinted on our hearts if only we would listen to our soul. Speaking for myself though, from time to time it is nice to have someone make them clear for us. In this regard, Tolstoy does this most impressively, creating a book which is apposite to anyone deliberating on the meaning of life.
A must have for all lovers of Leo Tolstoy's non-fiction writing.
Highly Recommended.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recently re-discovered timeless treasure by Tolstoy , December 19, 2005
The WISE THOUGHTS was Leo Tolstoy’s final
work, the one he loved more than all others and
considered his most important contribution
to humanity. In it, Tolstoy distilled and presented
the spiritual wisdom of many nations,
cultures, and historical periods to create an
original work, unsurpassed by anything in world
literature. As his source, he drew from the
world's sacred texts, major religions, and great
philosophical systems and the literary works of
hundreds of his favorite authors.
Tolstoy kept his guide to living a good life
on his desk during his five final years. He
made a habit of reading from it to his family and
recommended it highly to his friends. Now, in
a time of growing spiritual awareness, Tolstoy’s
great self-help masterpiece is re-discovered and
translated for the first time into English.
In the preface to this volume Tolstoy wrote,
"I hope the readers of this book will experience
the same benevelent and uplifting feeling
that I experienced while working on its creation
and that I continue to feel again and again when
I reread it every day."
Peter Sekirin
Editor and transaltor
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