The Tolstoy Library

In which the tender and mournful reflections of those bereft are delicately revealed, as Natásha and Princess Mary navigate the heavy silence and solitude wrought by loss, each guarding their sorrow i...

30 Sep 10min

In which the tender bonds of sorrow and compassion draw Princess Mary and Natásha into a close and heartfelt companionship, their shared grief fostering a new understanding and affectionate solace bet...

30 Sep 7min

In which Natásha, gripped by a profound estrangement from her usual world and family, faces the tumultuous grief of her mother, whose disbelief and sorrow over a tragic loss overwhelms her mind and sp...

30 Sep 6min

In which the complexities and contradictions of the Russian campaign against Napoleon in 1812 are carefully examined, revealing that the supposed aim of cutting off and capturing the French army was n...

29 Sep 11min

In which the movements of the Russian and French armies during their retreat resemble a cautious and confused game of blindman’s buff, with rapid pursuits and elusive manoeuvres marked by exhaustion a...

29 Sep 4min

In which the chaotic flight of a grand army is observed not as a masterful strategy but as a tragic disarray, challenging the grand narratives spun by historians who cloak folly in the guise of genius...

29 Sep 4min

In which the desolation of the French retreat into the piercing cold is laid bare with a slow, merciless diminution of their numbers, as soldiers succumb to hunger, fatigue, and despair. The semblance...

28 Sep 4min

In which the arrival of high command stirs a mixture of solemnity and tense anticipation among the prisoners and soldiers, marking a moment of quiet significance amid the weary journey. Pierre’s gaze ...

28 Sep 3min