Diaries 1862-1910

The diaries of Sofia Andreyevna Tolstaya are undoubtedly interesting to fans of Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, especially since their full text has only been published once forty years ago. But first and foremost, the story of this 48-year marriage is of interest to women - like a mirror that one does not want to look into, but must; as an ideal example of so-called codependent relationships; as a manual, after all, that one must study to stop stepping on familiar rakes. With each page, the crescendo of emotions, demands, and claims of this unhappy woman, who is unaware of and does not accept her life and happiness, resonates. "Despite the pronounced impressionism of many diary entries that captured soon ephemeral moods, momentary 'explosions' of temperament, and sometimes in strong expressions, Sofia Andreyevna's diaries, not to mention their exceptional value for characterizing her and as material for the biography of Leo Tolstoy - are a significant source."