“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”
Today is the birthday of the great Russian author, Leo Tolstoy (9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910). Google has produced a rather nice doodle for the event and it’s worth searching out. Tolstoy was an amazing writer and also a compassionate man in many ways.
“A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite.”
Reading his “Anna Karenina” last year was an intense and wonderful experience – maybe soon I’ll be able to make my way through “War and Peace”!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Sep 09, 2014 @ 16:56:47
My fave ever opening lines of a novel are from AK …reread a few years ago and loved it all over again . The film with Keira Knightly ( who I don’t usually like) is really v good too …have you seen it ?
Sep 09, 2014 @ 17:20:27
Yes, it’s a wonderful opening. AK is a book I definitely want to revisit. As for the film, I haven’t seen it and I don’t like Keira Knightly either…. I tend to always think the book is best!!
Sep 09, 2014 @ 20:29:36
I had an English teacher as a kid who told me reading Tolstoy would simply transform my reading habits – she was right. She also told me to stick with War and Peace – get past the first few hundred pages she advised and you’ll fall in love with Natasha and Prince Andrei – she was right about that too. Still one of the best books I’ve ever read! So happy birthday from me and thank you!
Sep 09, 2014 @ 20:35:38
🙂 No probs! And thank you for the advice about War and Peace – I really do want to read it soon!