Murder and sacrifice…greed and devotion…lust and affection…vanity and love—one by one, in this volume of great stories, Tolstoy dissects the basic drives, emotions, and motives of ordinary people searching for self-knowledge and spiritual perfection. Chekhov said, “Of authors my favorite is Tolstoy.” And Turgenev “marveled at the strength of his huge talent…It sends a cold shudder even down my back…He is a master, a master.”