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Leo Tolstoy biography provides more context and analysis of writer's life and work than its size might suggest.

Book Review: Brief Lives: Leo Tolstoy by Anthony Briggs

Despite its universal recognition as one of the greatest novels ever written, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace has become popular shorthand for works of massive length. And while there is no correlation between its size and and the size of books about Tolstoy, it seems natural that a Tolstoy biography of only about 100 pages might give a prospective reader pause. Yet with Brief Lives: Leo Tolstoy, Anthony Briggs accomplishes far more than might be expected.

Briggs, a professor of Russian and Russian Literature who has a published translation of War and Peace among his credits, does more than simply outline the basics of Tolstoy’s life. The book, the latest in a series of short biographies of notable literary figures issued by the small, London-based Hesperus Press, gives us not only a view of Tolstoy as a person and a writer but a survey of his works and influences.

Briggs undoubtedly relies extensively on those who have researched and written more in-depth biographies of Tolstoy as well as the diaries of and extensive papers preserved by Tolstoy’s wife, Sofia. But even if the basic elements of Tolstoy’s life were merely a synthesis of basic history and prior works, the assessment of Tolstoy and his work makes clear that this is more than a simple recapitulation. It is far more analytical and insightful than one would expect in a biography of this length. Whether any particular reader will agree with Briggs doesn’t detract from his cogent rationale and commentary.

While Tolstoy’s talents and literary output are, of course, a primary focus, Briggs wants to take the reader behind them. One of his main themes is recognizing, yet puzzling, over what Briggs sees as the influence of three “despicable men” with “unreasonably misanthropic and pessimistic beliefs.” They are Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a hero of a teen-aged Tolstoy, who Briggs sees as encouraging a tendency toward self-hatred and influencing Tolstoy’s work more than any other writer. In mid-life, Briggs points to “the malign presence” of pessimistic philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, including the thought that life is essentially pain that can be eliminated only by overcoming the will to live. The final influence comes near the end of Tolstoy’s life in Vladimir Chertkov, who became Tolstoy’s secretary and essentially controlled Tolstoy and encouraged his more outlandish beliefs.

As this suggests, Brief Lives: Leo Tolstoy is not a hagiography as short biographies can tend to be. Thus, while Briggs praises some of Tolstoy’s work, he also recognizes weaknesses. “It is remarkable how the same writer could so easily write with distinction and descend to the depths of inanity almost without recharging his pen,” he writes. This doesn’t mean Briggs takes a dim view of his subject. Like good biographers, he attempts to provide an objective and detached assessment and does not hesitate to commend and celebrate Tolstoy and his talents where warranted.

Ultimately, what makes this so impressive is that Briggs conveys biography and discerning analysis with clarity in such limited space. Just as some people are hesitant or may not have the time to pick up a lengthy or in-depth biography of a noted author, very short biographies run the risk of giving short shrift to the author or insufficient perspective. This concise but never terse contextual account of Tolstoy’s life not only avoids the latter risk, it satisfies readers who want to learn more than just the basics of the author’s life.

About Tim Gebhart

After 30 years of practicing law to provide shelter for his family, books and dogs. Tim Gebhart is now perfecting the art of doing little more than reading, writing and sleeping.

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