Sevastopol


Read by David Wales

(4.5 stars; 34 reviews)

Sevastopol Sketches (Russian: Севастопольские рассказы, Sevastopolskiye rasskazy) are three short stories written by Leo Tolstoy and published in 1855 to record his experiences during the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) in the Crimean War (1853-1856). The name originates from Sevastopol, a city in Crimea. The book has also been released under the anglicized title The Sebastopol Sketches and is sometimes titled Sevastopol Stories. These brief "sketches" formed the basis of many of the episodes in Tolstoy's magnum opus, War and Peace.
Sevastopol in December: In Sevastopol in December, Tolstoy uses second person narrative (with the pronoun 'you') in an introductory tour of life in Sevastopol. The detailed tour is arguably similar to one Tolstoy may have been given upon arrival in Sevastopol in November, 1854…. Tolstoy also uses Sevastopol in December to introduce the reader to the settings, mannerisms, and background he uses in Sevastopol in May and Sevastopol in August. For example, when referring to the enemy, either the British or the French, but only the French are featured in the Sketches; they are referred to as " 'him', as both soldiers and sailors say".
Sevastopol in May In Sevastopol in May, Tolstoy examines the senselessness and vanity of war. The story examines many aspects of the psychology of war, heroism, and the misleading presence of humanism in truces (misleading because countries continuously go to war with one another, despite past truces). Tolstoy concludes by declaring that the only hero of his story is truth.
- Summary by Wikipedia and david wales (4 hr 55 min)

Chapters

Part 1 Sevastopol in December 1854 40:55 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 1-2 8:45 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 3-4 17:27 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 5-6 14:07 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 7-8 7:58 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 9-10 15:59 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 11-12 13:20 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 13-14 8:30 Read by David Wales
Part 2 Sevastopol in May 1855 Chapters 15-16 14:43 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 1-2 11:33 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 3-4 10:50 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 5-6 10:15 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 7-8 14:23 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 9-10 13:14 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 11-12 11:49 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 13-14 9:51 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 15-16 9:43 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 17-18 12:12 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 19-20 13:20 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 21-22 13:23 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 23-24 10:26 Read by David Wales
Part 3 Sevastopol in August 1855 Chapters 25-26 12:18 Read by David Wales

Reviews


(5 stars)

Tolstoy has a very good eye for the mundane, dull and simple bits of life.

Sevastopol


(4 stars)

The reader did a good job.