The Tolstoy that emerges from this volume is a thinker who resists easy answers, explores contradictions, and seeks deeper reconciliation. This collection presents him as an open-ended conversation partner rather than a moral authority, grappling urgently with dilemmas of identity, human relationships, colonial violence, and integrity. The Tolstoy I have always sought—and hope is foregrounded here—is one whose meanings remain open, engaging in dialogue with both our present and an unknown future. From his time, he speaks to today’s most pressing issues. In an era of polarization and simplistic narratives, Tolstoy offers a methodology of dissent and independent thought. This is Tolstoy the dissenter, whose voice is extraordinarily valuable for our time.
