by Leo Tolstoy
ages: adult
First sentence: “On learning of Ivan Ilyich’s sudden demise and death, his former colleagues begin vying for promotion; it seems neither in life nor in death has Ivan Ilyich made any lasting impression.”

I haven’t read anything by Tolstoy in quite a long time; after finishing Anna Karenina about 12 years ago, I figured there really wasn’t much else I needed to read by him. Thankfully, I have book groups (and challenges) to knock me out of my little box, and get me to read things I normally wouldn’t have. This (obviously) was one of those times.

Ivan Ilyich leads a completely proper and ordinary life. He had a nondescript childhood, he worked his way through primary and law school, a woman fell in love with him and so he got married. He worked his way up through the bureaucracy, and when things got annoying at home, he threw himself into his work. The money wasn’t always enough, and his wife was often a pain, but he was mostly happy.

Then his side began hurting him.

The bulk of the novella is spent with Ivan Ilyich coming to terms with (eventually; he tries to deny it for quite a while) his eventual death. But, really, it’s all about the ideas (which is good, because NOBODY in the novella is even remotely likeable. Except for maybe that peasant guy whose name escapes me. He was okay. Everyone else was shallow and completely annoying). And it made me think. How am I living my life? Am I as shallow and superficial as Ivan is? What could I do differently? What will I do when faced with death? How will I handle the pain? (Thank heavens for modern medicine: they can at least diagnose things correctly, and give us pain medication that will work!) Am I ready to die? (No. Is it wrong that I go through my life as if I will never die?)

Deep thoughts, no?

In the end, I suppose, that’s why this book is a classic — I found Tolstoy’s prose rambling, but not overly long, by the way — because it addresses the basic human condition: the reasons why we do what we do in life, and the challenge that we have in facing our ultimate end. Which is always worth thinking about.