The Death of Ivan Ilych in Never too Late to Read Classics

Sep 21, 2017 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001-books, classics

I see the reviews of this one cross a broad spectrum with readers both loving it and hating it. I am among the former. I listened to this one in one sitting. I found it to be deeply resonant but still humorous. I love the book Anna Karenina and am a big fan of most russian literature, so perhaps Tolstoy's writing style speaks to me in a way that doesn't work for many other readers. Actually, I may read this one again to try to glean more from it. ...more

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Jun 24, 2014 Chrissie rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: disliked, 2014-read, soviet-union, shorts, philo-psychol, life-stages, returned, classics, audible-us

So this was a Tolstoy...... Hmph, the story doesn't say much except to reiterate how difficult and painful death can be, both physically and emotionally. The story is way too short to establish empathy for Ivan Ilyich! He was a judge. A game of bridge was his favorite amusement. All his life he conformed to proper decorum, becoming with age aloof and irascible. What was the point of life - both he and the readers may ask?! Talk about a depressing book!!!!

The narration by Walter Zimmerman was cer ...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, gutenberg, read-2014, novellas, fiction-19th-century, russian-fiction, mtbr-challenge-2014, e-books

Free download available at eBooks@Adelaide.

Opening lines:
During an interval in the Melvinski trial in the large building of the Law Courts the members and public prosecutor met in Ivan Egorovich Shebek’s private room, where the conversation turned on the celebrated Krasovski case. ...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Natalie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics

This short story is actually fairly long but very engrossing as we follow Ivan's reasoning and choices through his adult life. The piece is written in third person omniscient but deeply examines Ivan without pointing out too heavily how narrow his thinking is.
I enjoyed reading this piece because it circles and moves at a good pace but clearly reveals a man who is overly concerned with himself and his wealth to the point he rejects those who would love him and accepts a death he could possibly av ...more

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May 22, 2016 Martha rated it liked it

The choice for the book under 100 page category. I have been wanting to read this novella for some time as it is often mentioned in medical humanity class syllabi as an example of how to care and listen to dying patients (as well as what not to do). I last read about it in Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.

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Jun 09, 2018 Amanda rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2-stars, fiction, classics, exit-pursued-by-bear, ap-literature

Summer 2018, Audiobook:

I wanted to love this one more than I actually did end up loving it. It's hard to like Ivan Ilych, which I think is a large part of the point of this book. He makes a lot of not-great choices, which alienate him from everyone except coworkers, and doesn't really even engender them to have affection, so much as just genial respect for him. I don't regret picking this up at the steal of a deal sale price, but I am glad I didn't end up paying full price for it. ...more

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