103 years ago today (NovemÂber 20), Leo TolÂstoy, who gave us two major clasÂsics in the RussÂian traÂdiÂtion, Anna KarenÂiÂna and War & Peace, died at AstapoÂvo, a small, remote train staÂtion in the heart of RusÂsia. PneuÂmoÂnia was the offiÂcial cause. His death came just weeks after TolÂstoy, then 82 years old, made a rather draÂmatÂic deciÂsion. He left his wife, his comÂfortÂable estate and his wealth and travÂeled 26 hours to SharÂmardiÂno, where Tolstoy’s sisÂter Marya lived, and where he planned to live the remainÂder of his life in a small, rentÂed hut. (Elif BatuÂman has more on this.) But then he pushed on, boardÂing a train to the CauÂcaÂsus. And it proved to be more than his already weak conÂstiÂtuÂtion could bear. Rather amazÂingÂly, the footage above brings you back to TolÂstoy’s very last days, and right to his deathbed itself. This clip comes from a 1969 BBC series CivilÂiÂsaÂtion: A PerÂsonÂal View by KenÂneth Clark, and these days you can still find copies of Clark’s accomÂpaÂnyÂing book kickÂing around online. A big thanks to Mike S. for flagÂging the video and the anniverÂsary itself.
Note: You can find many of TolÂstoy’s major works in our Free Audio Books and Free eBooks colÂlecÂtions.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Rare RecordÂing: Leo TolÂstoy Reads From His Last Major Work in Four LanÂguages, 1909
How Leo TolÂstoy Learned to Ride a Bike at 67, and OthÂer Tales of LifeÂlong LearnÂing
How Leo TolÂstoy Learned to Ride a Bike at 67, and OthÂer Tales of LifeÂlong LearnÂing
Here is some longer footage of TolÂstoy’s last days, when the old writer became the first celebriÂty of the new RussÂian cinÂeÂma.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk4whJ2aURY
By the way, although TolÂstoy died 100 years before NovemÂber 20, 2010, he died on NovemÂber 7, 1910. (ShakeÂspeare and CerÂvantes died on the same date, 23 April 1616, but not on the same day.)
“His death came just weeks after TolÂstoy, …” This seemed wrong to me, did you realÂly mean TolÂstoy in this senÂtence? I guess you intendÂed to type anothÂer famous artist — or I shouldÂn’t write comÂments before I sleep 8 hours :)
Not only engrossÂing for the footage of the great man but also the ProÂgram that framed and preÂsentÂed it in the 60s.
How is this, copyÂrights-wise — has this use been authoÂrised? I wantÂed to send a pointÂer to this to the peoÂple from the DanÂish-RussÂian AssoÂciÂaÂtion, but not if it is just a video that someÂone decidÂed to rip and stick on Youtube.
CuriÂous slip by Clark @ 2:11—“That scene took place in 1910. WithÂin 2 years RutherÂford and EinÂstein had made their first disÂcovÂerÂies.”
RutherÂford had already been awardÂed the Nobel Prize for ChemÂistry (not Physics) in 1908: “for his invesÂtiÂgaÂtions into the disÂinÂteÂgraÂtion of the eleÂments, and the chemÂistry of radioacÂtive subÂstances.” This, then, would genÂerÂalÂly be regardÂed as his *first* disÂcovÂery; but not his most famous.
That would be the RutherÂford modÂel of the atom in 1911, which is “withÂin” the 2 years referred to by Clark, just not RutherÂford’s “first” disÂcovÂery.
EinÂstein’s first semÂiÂnal works, includÂing the speÂcial theÂoÂry of relÂaÂtivÂiÂty, appeared in 1905. It could be argued, howÂevÂer, that he made his “first” disÂcovÂery (e.g., explainÂing capÂilÂlary action), before that date. His first, forÂmal, sciÂenÂtifÂic paper on that topÂic was pubÂlished in 1901. EIther way, his “first” disÂcovÂerÂies were made well before 1910.
His magÂnum opus on the genÂerÂal theÂoÂry of relÂaÂtivÂiÂty (gravÂiÂtaÂtion), appeared in 1916; well beyond the 2 year refÂerÂence. Between 1910 and 1912 (incluÂsive) EinÂstein pubÂlished 21 sciÂenÂtifÂic papers.
“How do peasÂants die?” I read War & Peace on the train everyÂday on my way to NYC, I did it because evryÂone said it was to long and I’d nevÂer do it. I loved it, espeÂcialÂly the parts about Napolean
The Last Days of Leo TolÂstoy CapÂtured on Video, NO! CapÂtured on FILM!
TolÂstoy fled his home to get away from his wife, who was menÂtalÂly unstaÂble and harangued him ceaseÂlessÂly. I believe she manÂaged to track him down and ambushed him at the railÂway staÂtion. He probÂaÂbly was hapÂpy to give up the ghost I’ve known many hag-ridÂden men who have fled from dementÂed wives.
Fatal error – these scenes were capÂtured on FILM; video did not exist in 1910!