The last station
Subtitle: a novel of Tolstoy's last year
By: Jay Parini.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: H. Holt
Published: 1990
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng; tur
Number of pages: 290
Subjects: Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910 -- Last years -- Fiction.; Novelists -- Fiction.; Russia -- History -- 1904-1914 -- Fiction.
Description: As Leo Tolstoy's life draws to a tumultuous close, his tempestuous wife and most cunning disciple are locked in a whirlwind battle for the great man's soul. Torn between his professed doctrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth and thirteen children, Tolstoy dramatically flees his home, only to fall ill at a tiny nearby rail station. The famous (and famously troubled) writer believes he is dying alone, unaware that over a hundred newspapermen camp outside awaiting hourly reports on his condition. Jay Parini moves deftly between a colorful cast of characters to create a stunning portrait of one of the world's most treasured authors. Dancing between fact and fiction, The Last Station is a brilliant and moving literary performance.