author
V. G. (Vladimir Grigorevich) Chertkov
1854–1936
Best known as one of Leo Tolstoy’s closest collaborators, he helped shape how Tolstoy’s writings reached readers and became a leading voice in the Tolstoyan movement. His life joined publishing, moral reform, and long-running debates about conscience, religion, and power in late imperial and Soviet Russia.
1 Audiobook
The Last Days of Tolstoy
by V. G. (Vladimir Grigorevich) Chertkov
About the author
Born into an aristocratic family in St. Petersburg in 1854, Vladimir Grigorevich Chertkov became a Russian publisher, editor, and activist whose name is closely tied to Leo Tolstoy. He is widely remembered as one of Tolstoy’s most devoted associates and as an important editor of the writer’s works.
Chertkov played a major role in spreading Tolstoy’s religious and ethical ideas, including nonviolence and moral self-discipline. He was involved in publishing projects connected with Tolstoy’s circle and spent years helping organize, preserve, and promote Tolstoy’s literary legacy.
After the revolutions of 1917, he remained active in public and religious life, including work connected with conscientious objection. He died in 1936, leaving behind a complicated reputation: admired by some for his commitment and energy, and criticized by others for the strong influence he exercised within Tolstoy’s world.