Tolstoy’s legacy is not the uncomplicated one that many would assume. While his place as the grandmaster of narrative is assured around the world, as celebrations for the centenary of his death last year proved, his legacy in Russia is rather more complicated. This was the focus of Rosamund Bartlett’s talk, eschewing the opportunity to read a non-contextualised extract from her book ‘Tolstoy: A Russian Life’, she instead took a look at responses to Tolstoy from the Russian media. She emphasised Lenin’s role in shaping the Soviet critical tradition, which was especially concerned with discrediting Tolstoy’s religious writings, and thoroughly explored the ambivalence that this has produced in Russia with regard to his fully body of work.
Peppers Theatre, 16 Aug, 4.00pm (5.00pm), £10.00, eibfpp16.
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Sections: by Samuel Johnston - ED2011 Book Reviews | Tags: Edinburgh International Book Festival
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