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Hadji Murad
By Leo Tostoy
Set out purely as a historical retelling of the story of a Russian military hero, the book is often compared with The Iliad in its structure. The hero died in battle in 1852 after having joined his enemy to fight against a corrupt leader. In Murad, Tolstoy creates a hero who is at once mature and potent, but—much like Achilles and other Homeric heroes—without savagery or purity of heart. Published after Tolstoy's death, many still consider this work one of the finest example of Tolstoy's storytelling abilities.
What was on Leo Tolstoy's bookshelf?
