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Summary: Who has not thought about death?
Review: Honestly, who has not contemplated their the subject of death. Religious or not, death is a part of life as much as living is. This book is a quick read, however, the ride is not only fast, but jarring. The last four pages are so moving, that Ivan's vivid psychological confrontation with death left me with a bad yet humbling taste.
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Summary: Incredibly SCARY book!
Review: I am Russian so I read this book in Russian. I won't extend much into praising Tolstoy's writing talent (because it is well-known enough), but I must say that the story scared the hell out of me. I found myself obsessively thinking about the existence of a meaning in my own life. Am I taking advantage of all opportunities? What if I have to die tomorrow and I cannot think of anything important to me? Books like that should be required for philosophy classes :)
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Summary: It's missing something.
Review: I felt that this book lacked the kind of depth it needed to properly convey its meaning. Tolstoy rambles too much to make the story truely *interesting*, and Ivan Ilyich's untimely and meaningless end left me wondering "well, then, what was the point of writing the story?" The only factor that convinced me to give this book two stars instead of one was that at least the fellow gave it a really good try. Basically, it's too flat to cater to those who enjoy poetic or "flowery" writing, any messages Tolstoy manages to put across seem obvious and clichéd, and the characters have even less depth than the story. Furthermore, Tolstoy's apparent feeling about the nature of humanity is bleaker than Poe's. So if you want to read something meaningful with a mildly religious feel, go for George MacDonald or Peter S. Beagle and at least get a little enjoyment out of it. If you absolutely must read this book, though, take my advice and keep a bottle of Prozac handy. You'll need it.
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Summary: Review of "Death of Ivan Ilyich"
Review: I highly recommend this book for a successful affluent professional who was once blessed with a nice education, nice position, nice family, nice home, nice car, blah, blah, blah, but was suddenly robbed of them all due to being stricken by an unexpected and a terminal illness. This book gives a powerful account of Ivan Ilyich and the things that go through his mind as he, towards the end of his life, has not only to give up his extremely prestigious position due to a terminal illness, but to also watch life "pass him by" by observing people around him live their lives as they always had.
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Summary: The Perfect Introduction to an Astounding Author
Review: I picked up this story by accident a few years ago, not anticipating anything special, and was completely engrossed in the slow, sad decline of this masterfully drawn character. As jaded a reader as I was at the time, I found myself in tears at the end -- partly for Ivan Ilyich, but especially that I had rediscovered (or rather, been reintroduced) to the great depths of literature. Thanks to Tolstoy.This is also an excellent introduction to Tolstoy's oeuvre, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has been wondering just what the strange man with a prophet's beard has to offer. You will be astounded.
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Summary: Very Fascinating
Review: I was fairly young when I first read the Death of Ivan Ilyich, and the man's story fascinated me. It is a book in itself, not a siderunner to Tolstoy's enormous (and more than a little tedious) and more famous works such as War and Peace. The way Ivan Ilyich's thoughts swing from hopeful to despondent is interesting and reflects fundamental human psychology. Tolstoy is indeed a great author.
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Summary: A must read for those who ponder life's priorities
Review: If you have ever asked yourself what is really important in your life--this book is a must read. In todays fast-paced, modern day society, Ivan Ilyich appeared to have it all--a high-profile job, a beautiful wife, a well-educated child, and a future son-in-law that most parents would be proud to have in the family. When Ivan Ilyich realizes that he is dying all that he thought he wanted in life is put into question. This book is descriptive, evoking powerful and provacative questions that cause the reader to reflect on one's own life. This is not a lengthy book, but Tolstoy has managed to discuss the subject of death and create a concise, philosophical piece. This is one of those works that could be read several times, at different stages of one's life, as the answers to the questions it creates will most likely change.
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Summary: from a Physician perspective
Review: Much has been said about the quality of this book, but I read it from a physician's perspective as a patient history. Certainly the physicians in Ivan's life let him down, not telling him the truth about his cancer and his imminent death. He missed such an opportunity to relate to his family. It is so masterfully written that I expect to be able to look up the chart. We as physicians need to help pave the way when we can not treat the disease, to resolve conflicts and improve relationships not hide behind a falsehood tha, "oh, you'll get better". A very thought provoking book from a patient-care perspective.
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Summary: Happily Ever After...
Review: One of the most amazing things about Tolstoy's work is its consistency -- from Anna Karenina, to War and Peace, to the Kreutzer Sonata, and now to this Penguin Classics collection of stories, all of his writing is spectacular. If you are contemplating reading one of his large works but are unsure about undertaking such a task, this collection of short stories might be all the convincing you need. It is a great glimpse into the complexity and humanity present in all of Tolstoy's work. Many have commented on "Ivan Ilyich," but I thought "Happily Ever After" also warranted attention. It is the simplest and cleanest of his short stories, and a wonderful comment on marriage and family life. I read it two times in a row, just because it was such a beautiful story of a starry-eyed girl forced to grow into a more sensible view of love and romance. It is a story about how wild young love settles in to a contented life, revealing all of the twists and temptations along the way. A note on the Penguin Classics version of Tolstoy's work: Rosemary Edmonds is a superior translator, and I believe she has translated all of Tolstoy's work for Penguin. Perhaps I'm just finicky, but Tolstoy does not flow as well for me in other translations. I suggest that if you start reading Tolstoy with one translator, you should stick with that same translator as you read more of his work. It may sound nit-picky, but it makes a difference. In this regard, I cannot recommend Rosemary Edmonds highly enough.
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Summary: The title gives it away.
Review: Sure, Tolstoy has some good ideas in the book, and he expresses them well -- but the thing is SO BORING. Here is a synopsis of the book "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, Ivan Ilyich dies." I already KNEW that. The title gave the ending away! It has some unique ideas on death and religion, but I would only suggest it to people interested in DEATH and/or RELIGION. To someone wanting to read a decent book -- DO NOT PICK THIS ONE. If you've got to do a book report or something like that, I would DEFINETLY recommend this book. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ THE TITLE AND YOU KNOW BASICALLY ABOUT THE WHOLE BOOK!
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