📖 The Great Tolstoy Mission

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📖 The Great Tolstoy Mission: Session 1 — The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Date: Sunday July 27th
Time: 11am
Location: 658 Homer St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2R4
Hosted by: Vancouver Classics & Philosophy Circle

Hello readers and lovers of Russian literature,

We’re launching a new long-term reading journey: The Great Tolstoy Mission — a book club dedicated to exploring the monumental works of Leo Tolstoy, starting with his most profound and accessible short stories.

For our first meeting, we’ll begin with Tolstoy’s haunting meditation on mortality and meaning:

🪦 The Death of Ivan Ilyich (approx. 60 pages)

This short but unforgettable novella is the perfect gateway into Tolstoy’s world—direct, intimate, and brutally honest about the nature of death and the search for a meaningful life. Come ready to discuss aging, regret, family, social masks, and spiritual awakening.

Why this club?
This isn’t just a one-off event—it’s a mission. We’ll begin with Tolstoy’s shorter masterpieces, then gradually build toward the Everest of Russian literature: War and Peace. You don’t have to read everything—but if you’ve always wanted to read Tolstoy and never knew where to start, this is your chance.

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### 📘 Tentative Reading Plan

1. Session 1: The Death of Ivan Ilyich
2. Session 2: Hadji Murat
3. Session 3–12: War and Peace (divided into 10 sections, see below)

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### 🧭 War and Peace Reading Breakdown (Once We Begin It)

• Part 1: Book I (Petersburg salons and war preparations)
• Part 2: Book II (War begins — Prince Andrei and Borodino)
• Part 3: Book III (Homefront — Natasha’s coming-of-age, Pierre’s marriage)
• Part 4: Book IV (War returns — Andrei, Kutuzov, and growing tension)
• Part 5: Book V (Love, scandal, and personal collapse)
• Part 6: Book VI (Napoleon’s invasion, Moscow burning)
• Part 7: Book VII (The retreat — war’s horror and Pierre’s captivity)
• Part 8: Book VIII (Deaths, rebirth, and peace)
• Part 9: Epilogues I–II (Family, philosophy, and Tolstoy’s final views)
• Part 10: Bonus session: Tolstoy the Philosopher — his letters, diary, and legacy

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Whether you’re a first-timer or a longtime Tolstoy admirer, we’d love to have you.
📩 RSVP here or message me if you have any questions.
Let’s take this journey together.

“All happy readers are alike… but every new Tolstoy reader begins in their own way.”

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