Keith enjoyed the "big themes" and enjoyed Tolstoy's descriptive writing. He was particularly taken with the idea of marriage as, in Tolstoy's words, "licensed debauchery".
In addition to 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories', Keith had also asked us to read the preface to Leo Tolstoy's 'The Kingdom Of God Is Within You'. Turning to this book, Keith described it as "powerful stuff" and, like Leo Tolstoy, Keith called for "an end to Government". Who would heed Keith's call? Keith suggested we award a score out of ten for both books as a combined package before awarding them with an impressive 9/10. Lavish.
The group then turned to Tristan for his all important verdict. Tristan praised Leo Tolstoy's "clear and concise prose style" and stated that 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich' was "great". Tristan particularly enjoyed the parallels between Ivan Ilyich playing his role as a legal professional and the role played by the doctor who was treating Ivan Ilyich once he became ill. Tristan lavished 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories' with 8 out of 10, suggesting that perhaps he hadn't got round to 'The Kingdom Of God Is Within You'. Tasty.
Hamish explained that this was the first book he'd read on a Kindle. He did not enjoy the experience as much as he'd hoped. Was this the precursor to a savage review? Don looked on with an expression of detached curiosity.
Hamish explained how he had studied the history of Russia at University and this knowledge had contributed to a sense of keen anticipation. Unlike 'War and Peace', Hamish did not get such a clear sense of Russia whilst reading 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories' and was slightly disappointed by this. That said, he dug the likeable characters in "The Devils", and he wondered what Tolstoy thought was the true nature of love. We all pondered this question, and - whilst we were pondering - Hamish awarded the book a 7 out of 10. Knowledgeable.
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| Keith |
Nigel was "very happy" with Keith's of 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich And Other Stories' having meant to read some Tolstoy "for eons". Short stories seemed like an ideal entry point and to an extent this proved to be the case.
Nigel thought that the main story - 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich' - was profound and shocking, as it takes a hard and unflinching stare into the abyss as Ivan Ilyich's realises how his material and career successes have come at such a significant moral cost. An "amazing tale" that is as relevant today as it was in late 19th-century St Petersburg as so much of what Tolstoy describes still rings true. Nigel admired the story's structure. Ivan Ilyich's death is announced at the story's inception and immediately we learn the reactions of some of his colleagues. In essence all that concerns these people is is what the death means for their career and circumstances. Part of the story's power lies in the realisation that Ivan Ilyich is a reasonable person, an everyman, and whilst not perfect, he's certain in no way a bad person. He doesn't deserve to endure his physical and mental tortures and the hellish realisation that his life has been one long succession of mis-steps.
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| Don |
Nigel wondered what this story tells us about our own lives. A number of themes emerged. The importance of living a good life. Tolstoy believed that the more simply a man lived, the better his life would be - hence the significance of the Gerasim, who offers kindness and honesty, in contrast to Ilyich's family. The other is the attack on the hypocrisy and pointlessness of many middle class lives. Like cleanliness, simplicity seems to be closest to Godliness. A literary masterpiece.
Nigel was unimpressed by 'The Kreutzer Sonata'. The novel appears to advocate sexual abstinence. Nigel thought the message was very dated and the story was far too long and rambling due to so much unnecessary detail. Nigel was curious about how the novella's message fitted in with Tolstoy's religious convictions. Tolstoy believed it was the Church - and not Jesus Christ - who promoted marriage. A true Christian's only loves God and his neighbour, and therefore carnal love (and marriage) is self-serving and so gets in the way of serving God and humankind.
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| Nigel |
By the time Nigel got onto 'The Devil' his appetite for Tolstoy was starting to wane. In this tale Tolstoy's moralism informs a couple of endings - both, unsurprisingly, show how Eugene's lustfulness brings about disastrous results. Nigel wondered what Tolstoy would have made of the way society changed in the Twentieth Century.
Nigel was surprised to discover that 'The Kingdom Of God Is Within You' is a key text of Christian Anarchism. Christian Anarchism? Who knew? Nigel confessed that he didn't read much of the book as he found the old fashioned language too distracting, however he did research the ideas which he thought were interesting.
Christian anarchists believe that there is only one source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable, the authority of God as embodied in the teachings of Jesus. Christian anarchists denounce the State as they claim it is violent, deceitful and, when glorified, a form of idolatry. Take Britain. Britain defines itself as a Christian country and yet so flagrantly and frequently ignores the commandment 'Thou Shalt Not Kill'. When it suits Britain, its citizens have been actively encouraged to go out and kill.
Nigel explained that it was the Roman Emperor Constantine who is responsible for the birth of modern Christianity. Constantine legalised and actively promoted Christianity but in doing so transformed it from a humble bottom-up sect to an authoritarian top-down organisation. Constantine ignored those teachings of Christ that did not suit his agenda and more actively promoted the idea of baby Jesus and the virgin birth. Our celebration of Christmas originates from Constantine's approach. Christian anarchists refer to this as the "Constantinian shift". The moment when Christianity became identified with the will of the ruling elite, ultimately becoming the State church of the Roman Empire, and in some cases (such as the Crusades, and the Inquisition) a religious justification for violence.
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| Robin |
Tolstoy's book argues for the principle of non-violent resistance as a response to violence. Tolstoy sought to separate Orthodox Russian Christianity (which was merged with the State) from what he believed was the true gospel of Jesus Christ - specifically the Sermon on the Mount. Tolstoy argues that all governments who wage war are an affront to Christian principles. Turning the other cheek means exactly that. Tolstoy rejects the interpretations of Roman and medieval scholars who attempted to limit the scope of this commandment. Tolstoy suggests that those who oppose a non-violent society have a vested interest in retaining power - and that the modern church is a heretical creation.
The book was an inspiration to Gandhi. The book, along with Tolstoy's 'A Letter to a Hindu', inspired the idea of passive resistance. Gandhi used the idea to organise nationwide non-violent strikes and protests between 1918-1947 which ultimately helped achieve the overthrow the colonial British Empire in India.
Nigel awarded the combined selection of short stories and 'the Kingdom of God' a 6/10. Comprehensive.
Don explained how he was "dreading" the book. However his sense of dread soon turned to "surprise" and feelings of enjoyment, positivity and delight. Don enjoyed the style and language. He said it was a contrast to "the awful Joyce" (see previous entry). Don then explained how after 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich' he started to experience a sense of predictability and, finally, he became "tired of the darkness". Overall he felt the stories warranted a 6.5 out of 10. The Don had spoken. Finality.
Finally, for the literary selections, all eyes turned to Robin. Robin took a deep breath, milking the anticipation for all it was worth, before wondering why there wasn't more discussion on the subject of death. Robin then explained that, like Ivan Ilyich, he started to experience a pain in his side whilst reading the book, and also in common with Ivan Ilych, by the end of this book Robin had come to understand the worthlessness of his life. Robin explained that, paradoxically, this realisation elevated him above "the common man" who avoids the reality of death and the effort it takes to make life worthwhile. Robin explained how "Ivan Ilyich's life had been most ordinary and therefore most terrible".....before concluding that the book "was not as good as Dostoyevsky". 7/10. Insightful.
A very respectable average score of 7 for both books from Hove's finest literary critics.
A very respectable average score of 7 for both books from Hove's finest literary critics.
For his musical selection Keith had decided to chose The Libertines: Time For Heroes - The Best Of The Libertines. Keith explained how a libertine is one devoid of most moral restraints, which are seen as unnecessary or undesirable, especially one who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour sanctified by the larger society. Libertines place value on physical pleasures, meaning those experienced through the senses. As a philosophy, libertinism gained new-found adherents in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, particularly in France and Great Britain. Notable among these were John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, and the Marquis de Sade. A "libertine" is generally defined today as "a dissolute person; usually a person who is morally unrestrained".
Keith thought it difficult to state exactly what The Libertines contributed in their mercifully short time together other than a brief military jacket fad, a handful of okay tunes and a quite tragic, boring narcissist in love with celebrity self-mythology. He was - in short - underwhelmed having not previously heard much of their oeuvre. Unmoved.
Tristan was more enthused and said he liked the music but was concerned about this material being "the best". What on earth - he wondered - was their worst stuff like?
Nigel explained how he took an interest in The Libertines back in the early 2000s when he heard they were being produced by Mick Jones of The Clash. Nigel quite liked them but was never that enthusiastic. Listening to them now, Nigel was struck by how they are even less interesting and relevant than he'd remembered. In the same way that the music of Gary Glitter is forever tainted, so is the music of The Libertines. For Nigel, Pete Doherty is a symbol of all that is wrong with youth culture. Delusions of profundity; glamourising the junkie lifestyle; fecklessness; and so on. Essentially a celebration of squalor, unreliability, and image over substance. At their best The Libertines distantly evoke the passion of The Clash, alas those moments are few and far between. Their relative prominence in the early 2000s showed the extent to which indie guitar rock was a spent force by the turn of the century. Nigel conceded that he liked 'Fuck Forever', a song by Babyshambles - Pete Doherty's post-Libertines band, and quite enjoyed a few of the other Libertines tracks: Can't Stand Me Now, Don't Look Back Into The Sun, and Time For Heroes. Overall though, he wasn't "feeling it". Dismissive.
Finally we briefly discussed the film 'Gandhi' directed by Richard Attenborough. 'The Kingdom Of God Is Within You' was an inspiration to Gandhi. The book, along with Tolstoy's 'A Letter to a Hindu', inspired the idea of passive resistance. Gandhi used the idea to organise nationwide non-violent strikes and protests between 1918-1947 which ultimately helped achieve the overthrow the colonial British Empire in India.
Keith heralded the film as an "epic interpretation" of the forces which shaped Gandhi and how these filtered into his relationship with India. He went on to state that the film depicted Gandhi as "a man of deep simplicity". Awestruck.
Nigel admired Ben Kinglsey's mesmeric performance however felt that, overall, the film was far too long; felt a bit muddled and disjointed; was too traditional; played it too safe; and was ultimately a bit boring. Nigel wondered if the real Gandhi was quite as saintly and perfect as this film suggested, and if the US journalists played by Candice Bergen and Martin Sheen even existed. If the journalists were real did they really play such a large part in Gandhi's story? Or was it just a question of getting some more American stars into the cast? And were the British really so arrogant and objectionable, and as responsible for everything that went wrong?
Nigel answered some of his questions via a bit of online research that suggested the real Gandhi could be stubborn, tyrannical, difficult to communicate with, and almost impossible to please. He was an abusive father, he demanded his wife be utterly obedient and subservient to him, was obsessed with the working of his bowels, suffered long bouts of depression, and sometimes would not talk to anyone around him, letting his associates bicker and quarrel and create problems amongst his friends and allies. Even into his 80's Gandhi slept naked with the young women who were always around him to test his ability to resist worldly pleasures. These aspects of his personality suggest the Attenborough chose to only focus on the positive stuff. Perhaps a more balanced portrait might have resulted in a more watchable and engaging film. Critical.
And so, after more crisps and ale, we bade each other another fond farewell. Before we left Hamish unveiled his choice for next time, one that sticks with the Russian theme. We will be discussing 'Snowdrops' by AD Miller.
Watch this space.
Expectant.
