The Autobiography of Countess Sophie Tolstoi

First edition. 8vo. Pp. 126, [2 (ads.)]. Blue marbled paper-covered boards, printed paper labels to front and spine. Translated by S.S. Koteliansky and Leonard Woolf. With a Preface and Notes by Vasilii Spiridonov. Translators' Notes, Notes, Appendices I-V. Publisher's advertisements to rear. 1/1000 copies printed. Originally published in the first number of Russian Review, Начала (Nachala).

Backstrip partially detached, joints firm, spine label browned, boards rubbed, edges worn, else a very good copy. Contents crisp and clean. Scarce, early Hogarth Press issue.

Countess Sophie Tolstoy's full account of the circumstances that led to Count Tolstoy's 'going away'. From Countess Sophia Tolstaya's initial response to her publisher, S. A. Vengerov, asking her to write and send him her autobiography: "The most difficult thing for me will be to fix the moment and the cause of our 'differences'. It was not a 'difference', but a gradual 'going away' of Leo Nicolaevich from everything in his former life, and thus the harmony of all our happy previous life was broken."

As is well documented, on the night of Nov. 10, 1910, Leo Tolstoy secretly fled his Yasnaya Polyana estate at the age of 82, when living with his wife became impossible. His eccentric act soon held the country spellbound, with the press reporting his every move. Ten days later, having caught pneumonia on his circuitous train travels, Tolstoy died at the Astapovo stationmaster's house.

[Woolmer 25]