The Tolstoy Library

In which the restless souls of the steppe peasants reveal a complex tapestry of hope, fear, and rebellion beneath the surface of an ancient estate, as their allegiance to distant promises stirs quietl...

21 Aug 12min

In which Princess Mary, enveloped in the sombre quiet of her grief, wrestles with the weight of loss and duty amidst the encroaching perils of war, her thoughts turning from private sorrow to the hars...

21 Aug 13min

In which the unchanging salons of Petersburg offer a stage for contrasting views on the war and its commanders, revealing the deep rifts and shifting alliances amongst the nobility. Amidst the tangled...

20 Aug 10min

In which the weary retreat from Smolénsk is marked by a scorching heat and choking dust that weigh heavily on the soldiers’ spirits, while Prince Andrew, burdened by personal loss and devotion to his ...

20 Aug 18min

In which the grand advance of the French towards Moscow is meditated upon with the complexity of fate and myriad wills weaving the course of history, whilst the great Emperor Napoleon himself encounte...

20 Aug 8min

In which the old prince, troubled and retreating into his own world of gardens and buildings, grows distant from his daughter and all who seek to engage him over the pressing matters of war. Princess ...

19 Aug 11min

In which an aged prince, burdened with memories and anxieties, attends to the meticulous preparations of his affairs whilst wrestling with the restless solitude of his nights. Amidst the flickering ca...

19 Aug 6min

In which the diligent Yakov Alpátych journeys from the serene Bald Hills estate to the tense streets of Smolénsk, bearing urgent messages amidst the stirring backdrop of an encroaching conflict, while...

19 Aug 25min