Secondary sourceBook1919
Reminiscences of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy
Maxim Gorky · 1919
Maxim Gorky's memoir of his meetings with the aged Tolstoy, published in 1919.
A firsthand memoir describing Tolstoy's appearance, thoughts and character in his final years, written by a fellow author.
About this source
What it is
A written memoir by the Russian writer Maxim Gorky, recalling his encounters with Leo Tolstoy in Crimea around 1901-02. It was published in 1919-1920.
Why it matters
Gorky, himself a major Russian writer, gives a vivid eyewitness account of Tolstoy in old age — his appearance, his hands, his preoccupation with questions of God and mortality. As a memoir by one famous author about another, it is a valuable window into how Tolstoy was seen by his contemporaries near the end of his life.
Look closer
- What details does Gorky choose to describe, and why might those details stand out to him?
- How might Gorky's own views and relationship with Tolstoy shape this portrait?
- What can a memoir reveal that a diary or letter cannot, and what might it get wrong?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Leo Tolstoy on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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