Easing my way into Tolstoy

We have been investing in classics at work, seeing us able to replace the ageing copy we had of Animal Farm, A Clockwork Orange and other famous novels of the past. One of these classics that I picked up at the beginning of this week was The Death of Ivan Ilyich. No War and Peace but still enough of an introduction to Mr. Tolstoy to open my eyes to his writing genius...

In 114 tiny pages Tolstoy has managed to paint an intricate, clever picture of a man, the life he lived thinking it were the right one and the uncertainty of reflection at your time of passing. So challenging a text, so cleverly written, you feel for the man while equally questioning what he thinks is an ideal life. Poor Ivan Ilyich and the family and friends he leaves behind...

And then! POW!!! Tolstoy follows up with Three Deaths which looks in intricate detail at death, the passing of the rich and the poor and cleverly asks what is a significant death...

I now with mind awhir turn my attention to Troll Mountain (by fast paced superstar author Matthew Reilly) expecting far less brain strain but just as much entertainment... Wish me luck!!