Sevastopol Stories

The first story, "Sevastopol in December," appeared in "Современник" (Sovremennik) in 1855. The second, "Sevastopol in May," was published in the same journal in 1855, initially under the censored title "Night in the Spring of 1855 in Sevastopol". The final piece, "Sevastopol in August 1855," details the last assault on Sevastopol and the subsequent retreat of the Russian army.

The stories - "Sevastopol in December," "Sevastopol in May," and "Sevastopol in August" - provide a poignant and realistic depiction of the horrors and heroism of war. Through the eyes of various soldiers and civilians, Tolstoy captures the chaos, tragedy, and moral dilemmas that arise in times of conflict. The collection's literary merit lies in its raw and unfiltered portrayal of war, with Tolstoy's eloquent prose conveying the emotional and psychological impact of battle on individuals and society. Some scholars have suggested that these stories influenced the development of many of the most memorable and important episodes in his later novel War and Peace. The Sketches of Sebastopol is an important and highly valued work of Russian literature, a valuable historical record, and a powerful account of the effects of war on the human spirit. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of warfare and the lives of Russian soldiers during the Crimean War. These stories also mark Tolstoy's early foray into philosophical reflections on the nature of courage, sacrifice, and the meaning of life in the face of death.

This critical reader's edition presents a modern translation of the original manuscript, crafted for the modern reader with clean, contemporary language and simplified sentence structures that clarify his complex Russian phrasing and specific antiquated references. Supplementary material enriches the text with autobiographical, historical, and linguistic context, including an afterword by the translator on Tolstoy’s personal history, impact, and intellectual legacy, an index of the philosophical concepts he employs—emphasizing Existentialism and influence by Schopenhauer—a comprehensive chronological list of his published writings, and a detailed timeline of his life, highlighting the personal relationships that shaped his philosophy.