Bethink Yourselves!

Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 81K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today."Bethink Yourselves!" by graf Leo TolstoyAuthor: Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910,Language: English, Class: JX: Political science: International law, Release Date: Nov 7, 2008

Editor's review

This is a political tract from Tolstoy's late years, centering on war, state violence, and individual conscience. The tone is direct and admonitory. It does not rely on plot as fiction does, but rather uses moral questioning and a stance of faith to ask readers to pause and reflect: when the state calls on you to take part in killing, how should the individual respond? The questions discussed in the book go beyond its specific era, involving the tension between obedience, conscience, and public responsibility, and it is suitable as a primary text for understanding Tolstoy's late thought. It need not be read as a systematic work of political science; it is better read alongside the humanitarian concern in his literary works. It is not long, but the arguments are dense, suited to slow reading in a quiet environment, with notes jotted down on points you disagree with in order to form a dialogic reading. The electronic edition comes from public-domain resources and is convenient for searching and citation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Tolstoy's late thought and moral philosophy
Students studying the ethics of war, conscience, and obedience
Readers who enjoy political essays and are willing to annotate as they read

Not a good fit for

Tolstoy readers expecting a complete autobiography or literary story
Readers hoping for a systematic textbook on international law or political science
People who prefer light entertainment reading and are unwilling to encounter a preachy tone

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the overall position, then excerpt key arguments section by section, marking what you agree and disagree with.
Read alongside other late Tolstoy texts to observe how his moral concerns run through different genres.
After reading, write a short response sorting out the boundary between personal conscience and public demands.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a political tract?

It is political and admonitory writing, not a novel. The text is dominated by moral questioning and a stance of faith, lacking plot and character development; it should be approached as a thought essay.

Can I understand it without a philosophy background?

Yes. The text itself does not rely on specialized terminology, but the arguments are dense and the tone direct. It is advisable to slow down, note paragraphs you disagree with before continuing, and review them after finishing for greater clarity.

Is the electronic edition suitable for citation?

The public-domain electronic edition is convenient for searching and excerpting, suitable for reading notes or course reference. For formal citation, it is advisable to check edition information and page numbers, and note the source as a public-domain electronic text.

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About the author

Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910 Author

Leo Tolstoy (Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910) is a highly important writer in the history of Russian literature. Public information about his nationality and exact dates of birth and death is limited; the library records only his name, the number of his works, and representative titles. The library holds 81 of his works, with representative titles including Anna Karenina and War and Peace (Sota ja rauha). These titles show that he excelled at presenting characters' fates and inner conflicts against broad social panoramas, with calm narration and a reflective quality, while questions of family, morality, and the course of history run throughout. His works have been translated into many languages and have a lasting readership and wide influence.