Tolstoy: A Russian Life - Hardcover

"It is difficult as a reader to take in the sheer scale and extent of Tolstoy's interest and achievement. For the biographer to put all this into less than 500 pages is an achievement in itself. But Bartlett never seems hurried and she gives herself time to paint the scene for us, bringing the scent of Russian earth and grass to the nostrils."
--"Financial Times "(UK) "The extraordinary character of the giant is captured better by Bartlett than by any previous biographer, and this is partly because she knows Russia so well... Superbly well written."
--"Spectator "(UK)

" Longlisted for the UK's BBC Samuel Johnson Prize" "[Bartlett's] deep and easy familiarity with her subject and the period permits Bartlett to touch on both the thinkers and writers who engaged Tolstoy...while getting to the essence of the spiritual power that informs his work. Bartlett is particularly adept at assessing Tolstoy's impact..."
"-Publishers Weekly, "starred "A rich, complex life told in rich, complex prose."
-"Kirkus," starred "Bartlett s book is an exemplary literary biography."
-"Library Journal, "starred "[Bartlett's]Tolstoy biography should become the first resort for everyone drawn to its titanic subject."
-"Booklist, " starred "Rosamund Bartlett's new life of Tolstoy is a splendid book -- immensely readable, full of fresh details, and often quite brilliant in its perceptiveness about the greatest of Russian writers, and one of the stars in the western firmament. This biography has the sweep and vividness of literature itself, and I strongly recommend it."
-Jay Parini, author of "The Last Station ""It is difficult as a reader to take in the sheer scale and extent of Tolstoy s interest and achievement. For the biographer to put all this into less than 500 pages is an achievement in itself. But Bartlett never seems hurried and she gives herself time to paint the scene for us, bringing the scent of Russian earth and grass to the nostrils."
-"Financial Times "(UK) "The extraordinary character of the giant is captured better by Bartlett than by any previous biographer, and this is partly because she knows Russia so well... Superbly well written."
-"Spectator "(UK)"

"Longlisted for the UK's BBC Samuel Johnson Prize""[Bartlett's] deep and easy familiarity with her subject and the period permits Bartlett to touch on both the thinkers and writers who engaged Tolstoy...while getting to the essence of the spiritual power that informs his work. Bartlett is particularly adept at assessing Tolstoy's impact..."
"-Publishers Weekly, "starred"A rich, complex life told in rich, complex prose."
-"Kirkus," starred"Bartlett s book is an exemplary literary biography."
-"Library Journal, "starred"[Bartlett's]Tolstoy biography should become the first resort for everyone drawn to its titanic subject."
-"Booklist, " starred"Rosamund Bartlett's new life of Tolstoy is a splendid book -- immensely readable, full of fresh details, and often quite brilliant in its perceptiveness about the greatest of Russian writers, and one of the stars in the western firmament. This biography has the sweep and vividness of literature itself, and I strongly recommend it."
-Jay Parini, author of "The Last Station""It is difficult as a reader to take in the sheer scale and extent of Tolstoy s interest and achievement. For the biographer to put all this into less than 500 pages is an achievement in itself. But Bartlett never seems hurried and she gives herself time to paint the scene for us, bringing the scent of Russian earth and grass to the nostrils."
-"Financial Times "(UK)"The extraordinary character of the giant is captured better by Bartlett than by any previous biographer, and this is partly because she knows Russia so well... Superbly well written."
-"Spectator "(UK)"

Longlisted for the UK's BBC Samuel Johnson Prize

"[Bartlett's] deep and easy familiarity with her subject and the period permits Bartlett to touch on both the thinkers and writers who engaged Tolstoy...while getting to the essence of the spiritual power that informs his work. Bartlett is particularly adept at assessing Tolstoy's impact..."
-Publishers Weekly, starred

"A rich, complex life told in rich, complex prose."
-Kirkus, starred

"Bartlett's book is an exemplary literary biography."
-Library Journal, starred

"[Bartlett's]Tolstoy biography should become the first resort for everyone drawn to its titanic subject."
-Booklist, starred

"Rosamund Bartlett's new life of Tolstoy is a splendid book -- immensely readable, full of fresh details, and often quite brilliant in its perceptiveness about the greatest of Russian writers, and one of the stars in the western firmament. This biography has the sweep and vividness of literature itself, and I strongly recommend it."
-Jay Parini, author of The Last Station

"It is difficult as a reader to take in the sheer scale and extent of Tolstoy's interest and achievement. For the biographer to put all this into less than 500 pages is an achievement in itself. But Bartlett never seems hurried and she gives herself time to paint the scene for us, bringing the scent of Russian earth and grass to the nostrils."
-Financial Times (UK)

"The extraordinary character of the giant is captured better by Bartlett than by any previous biographer, and this is partly because she knows Russia so well... Superbly well written."
-Spectator (UK)