The Tolstoy Library

Leo Tolstoy

In these unabridged readings, Tolstoy's stories are returned to the living voice, as they were first imagined: spoken slowly, as one might speak by firelight. They tell of human hearts in search of truth - of suffering that softens us, love that redeems us, and the unseen bonds that join one life to another. Listen patiently. Let the words pass through you. What is true will remain, and what is false will fall away.

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English

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S8 · E319
Yesterday · 6 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 15 Chapter 2
In which Natásha, gripped by a profound estrangement from her usual world and family, faces the tumultuous grief of her mother, whose disbelief and sorrow over a tragic loss overwhelms her mind and spirit. With tender devotion, Natásha becomes a quiet...
- Transcript
S8 · E320
Yesterday · 7 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 15 Chapter 3
In which the tender bonds of sorrow and compassion draw Princess Mary and Natásha into a close and heartfelt companionship, their shared grief fostering a new understanding and affectionate solace between them. As Natásha’s spirit begins to mend...
- Transcript
S8 · E318
Yesterday · 10 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 15 Chapter 1
In which the tender and mournful reflections of those bereft are delicately revealed, as Natásha and Princess Mary navigate the heavy silence and solitude wrought by loss, each guarding their sorrow in quietude. Amidst the stillness of their grief,...
- Transcript
S8 · E317
Tuesday · 11 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 19
In which the complexities and contradictions of the Russian campaign against Napoleon in 1812 are carefully examined, revealing that the supposed aim of cutting off and capturing the French army was neither sensible nor intended by those who endured...
- Transcript
S8 · E316
Tuesday · 4 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 18
In which the chaotic flight of a grand army is observed not as a masterful strategy but as a tragic disarray, challenging the grand narratives spun by historians who cloak folly in the guise of genius. Through a discerning lens, the episode reflects...
- Transcript
S8 · E315
Tuesday · 4 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 17
In which the movements of the Russian and French armies during their retreat resemble a cautious and confused game of blindman’s buff, with rapid pursuits and elusive manoeuvres marked by exhaustion and misjudged expectations. As the French forces...
- Transcript
S8 · E313
Monday · 6 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 15
In which the wearied soldiers and prisoners find momentary rest in the village of Shámševo, where dreams and memories intertwine, revealing a vision of life as a living, moving globe inspired by Pierre’s reflections on God and existence. Before dawn...
- Transcript
S8 · E312
Monday · 3 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 14
In which the arrival of high command stirs a mixture of solemnity and tense anticipation among the prisoners and soldiers, marking a moment of quiet significance amid the weary journey. Pierre’s gaze lingers on Karatáev’s serene yet sorrowful presence...
- Transcript
S8 · E314
Monday · 4 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 16
In which the desolation of the French retreat into the piercing cold is laid bare with a slow, merciless diminution of their numbers, as soldiers succumb to hunger, fatigue, and despair. The semblance of command persists only on paper, while both...
- Transcript
S8 · E310
Sunday · 7 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 12
In which a clandestine and dwindling group of prisoners endures a harsh and chaotic march through a ravaged landscape, marked by scarcity, despair, and the relentless presence of death and hardship. Amidst this grim procession, Pierre finds a profound...
- Transcript
S8 · E311
Sunday · 8 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 13
In which the relentless rain and muddy roads reflect the harshness of the soldiers’ journey, yet amidst this grim setting, the simple story told by Platón Karatáev lights up the soul with its quiet message of forgiveness and divine justice. Pierre,...
- Transcript
S8 · E309
Sunday · 7 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 11
In which the dawn finds Cossack riders, led by Denísov, poised for a spirited and fog-shrouded advance upon a French-held village, where the clash of arms and the chaos of battle unfold with vivid immediacy. Among the fervent charges and volleys, a...
- Transcript
S8 · E307
Saturday · 8 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 9
In which two disguised riders, cloaked in borrowed uniforms and shroud of night, boldly infiltrate an enemy camp, engaging with wary officers around a campfire whilst masking their true intentions beneath a veil of casual conversation and cunning. The...
- Transcript
S8 · E306
Saturday · 6 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 8
In which the young Pétya, eager to prove his mettle and undeterred by caution, insists on accompanying the seasoned and pragmatic Dólokhov to reconnoitre the enemy, sparking a spirited dispute with the more cautious Denísov over the fate of prisoners...
- Transcript
S8 · E308
Saturday · 10 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 10
In which young Pétya returns from a daring reconnaissance and spends the early morning in a half-dream, half-waking state among the Cossack camp, steeped in the magic and mystery of the forest and the quiet preparation for the coming day’s service....
- Transcript
S8 · E304
Friday · 5 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 6
In which Denísov converses with Tíkhon, whose bold and comical recounting of capturing a French soldier invites both amusement and mild reprimand among the Cossacks, revealing the spirited yet rough camaraderie of their company. Meanwhile, young Pétya...
- Transcript
S8 · E305
Friday · 9 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 7
In which the young and eager Pétya, newly commissioned and brimming with heroic aspirations, finds himself amidst the rustic camaraderie of Denísov’s guerrilla detachment, struggling to balance his youthful enthusiasm with the realities of military...
- Transcript
S8 · E303
Friday · 8 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 5
In which Denísov, the esaul, and Pétya stealthily observe the French from a forest edge and plan a coordinated attack, while the brave and resourceful peasant Tíkhon Shcherbáty endeavours to capture a French prisoner but is discovered. The scene...
- Transcript
S8 · E301
September 24 · 7 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 3
In which the nascent art of partisan warfare takes shape amidst the march of the French, as brave Cossacks and peasants, led by the undaunted Denís Davýdov and his comrades, learn to wield guerrilla tactics with increasing cunning and resolve. The...
- Transcript
S8 · E302
September 24 · 8 min
War and Peace Volume 4 Book 14 Chapter 4
In which a damp and dreary autumn day finds a band of Russian cavalrymen, weary and soaked, preparing with wary anticipation to seize an opportunity against the enemy’s transport, while a young officer’s unexpected arrival brings a brief spark of...
- Transcript

Showing 1–20 of 164 episodes