What Men Live By and Other Tales Paperback – March 3, 2013

Seventy years ago my fifth grade teacher read the story "What Men Live By" to our astounded and silenced class. It was so out of the ordinary, to bring a hard covered book with gold print and read this story about the humble cobbler who takes care of the naked man who turns out to be an angel. Could not happen now: religion? nudity? Not PC. But I have remembered this story all my life and often told it to people. It was only many years into adulthood that I discovered it was written by the great author Leo Tolstoy. The stories in this book are concerned with major life problems and choices, those which may lead to love and forgiveness, or greed and revenge. In the guise of simple folk tales they examine our human sterngths and weakensses as only a great author and philsopher can do. Stay away from this if you are bored with stories which take place in the past and in rural areas, and seem simplistic. Read away if you enjoy some serious thinking and appreciate the fine literary qualities of these remarkable tales. See if you too can connect these predicaments with any in your present life.

As in each of his writings, in these three stories (What Men Live By, The Coffee House of Surat And How Much Land Does a Man ​​Need?) Tolstoy shows his great ability to describe environments, characters, landscapes, desires, anxieties and takes advantage of any situation to generate a story less enjoyable and give the reader a moral, a lesson and a reflection process associated with ethics and Christian customs. At the time when these stories were written is clear and explicit belief (? Fanaticism?) The author by the teachings of the Catholic religion. further highlights the virtues and flaws and obsessions for which a man must fight in the course of his life. Solidarity towards others, pride, love, ambition, pride, bribery, suffering. Simple yet profound stories that have an impact and can be a cause of a process of reflection. Tolstoy certainly is one of the greatest contemporary writers.---------------------------------(Spanish)Como en cada uno de sus escritos, en estos tres cuentos ("What men live by", "The Coffee House of Surat" y "¿How Much Land Does a Man Need?") Tolstoy muestra su gran habilidad para describir ambientes, personajes, paisajes, deseos, ansiedades y se aprovecha de cualquier circunstancia menor para generar una historia amena y entregar al lector una moraleja, una enseñanza y un proceso de reflexión asociado con la ética y las costumbres cristianas. En la época en que estas historias fueron escritas es evidente y explícito el convencimiento (¿fanatismo?) del autor por las enseñanzas de la religión católica. resalta las virtudes a seguir y las obsesiones y defectos por los que el hombre debe luchar en el curso de su vida. La solidaridad hacia los demás, el orgullo, el amor, la ambición, la soberbia, el soborno, el sufrimiento. Historias sencillas pero profundas que tienen un gran impacto y pueden ser motivo de un proceso de reflexión. Tolstoy, sin duda, es uno de los mas grandes escritores contemporáneos.

If you like Tolstoy, short stories, stories that make you think, or just plain good literature, you will love this book! I won't spoil any of the content for you, but each story is different, with a different theme or moral, but each one really makes you think about life. It is a quick read, or read one story a day and savor them.

First of all, it's a moving story. I learned what to do toward less fortunate people. This was more effective preaching than abstractive ones by professionals, I mean religious leaders.

Classic stories have great values. Reading this will give you real insight into Russian culture and the Russian mind. An easy read, I would recommend this book to all of my friends. I selected it on Marvin Olasky's recommendation. He said it was his favorite short story, and I can understand why.

This book has some solid lessons. It's interesting and easy to read, and with its simple lessons it can change your life.

Life could be so simple if we would only focus on what really matters. Tolstoy’s work should be read throughout the world. If more and more people would live by the truth he wrote, there will be less and less conflicts but more and more peace.

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