The Diaries of Sofia Tolstoy

Spanning 57 years, Sofia Tolstoy's diaries are an extraordinary chronicle of a woman who was her husband's secretary, proofreader, editor, housekeeper, agent, and nurse. Though she notes countless quarrels, the marriage grew from a youthful romance and had many happy moments. "Could any marriage be more... harmonious than ours?" But as the years pass, marital discord flares up more often. Spurning worldly concerns, Tolstoy leaves his wife in charge of the estate and children ("A man of genius is always so much better in his works than his life!" she laments). As she works tirelessly on his behalf, resentments accumulate and by the end of Tolstoy's life their relationship is marred by power struggles between Sofia, her children, and acolyte Vladimir Chertov over ownership of the Tolstoy's work. No doubt Sofia could be vain ("I want people to... say how pretty I am," she writes, "to my own horror"), but she was a remarkable woman, tireless worker, and an unrelenting advocate for her husband to the end of his life. She yearned for the pleasure of her own creative pursuits, often questioned her fate, and even contemplated suicide, but she never doubted Leo's genius or wavered in her commitment to his legacy. For that, generations of readers owe her a debt of gratitude. (Sept.)