The Death of Ivan Ilyich

Drawing on the experience of his own struggle to find enlightenment and a deeper spiritual understanding of life, Tolstoy takes us on the final journey towards death with Ivan Ilych, who, falling victim to an incurable illness, ponders on his own life -- its shallowness and lack of compassion, wondering what is the meaning of it all. At times somber, at times satirical, Tolstoy's novel raises questions about the way we live and how we should strive even at the end to seek final redemption. It is a powerful masterpiece of psychological exploration, and has influenced writers as diverse as Hemingway and Nabokov. Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) is regarded as one of the greatest of all novelists; giving the world War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and other works of realist fiction. Please visit www.naxosaudiobooks.com for more information. Oxford Doctor of Philosophy and former Edinburgh University lecturer Oliver Ford Davies has, over the last forty years, become one of our most esteemed theatrical and television actors. He spent 12 years with the RSC performing in over 25 productions and won the Olivier Award for Best Actor for Racing Demon while at the National Theatre. His television work includes five series of Kavanagh QC, Inspector Morse, David Copperfield and Sparkling Cyanide; his films include The Mother, Johnny English, Mrs Brown and Atonement. He has also read the part of Diogenes Laertius from Ancient Greek Philosophy: An Introduction, for Naxos AudioBooks