The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories

In this compact anthology, the opening of the titular tale thrusts the listener onto a rattling railway car, where a nervous, solitary passenger watches strangers—a stern, talkative gentleman, a stern‑looking woman with a cigarette, and a restless, bright‑eyed man—move through a landscape of unspoken tension. Their brief exchanges hint at jealousy, moral conflict and a profound inner turmoil that will soon unfold, offering a stark meditation on the darker sides of desire and fidelity.

The companion stories broaden the scope, from the idealistic brother who dreams of a world without armies or money, to a peasant caught in a needless quarrel that could have been eased by forgiveness, and a court servant whose struggle with intoxication illustrates the harsh consequences of excess. Together they paint vivid, compassionate portraits of 19th‑century Russian life, each anchored by Tolstoy’s steady moral compass without revealing the later twists that await.