Literature Network » Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy's American mailbag: selected exchanges with his occasional correspondents. (Leo Tolstoy)

Content courtesy of

From: TriQuarterly
Date: 19951222
Author:Whittaker, Robert

Leo Tolstoy's religious, political and philosophical works inspired several Americans that they wrote him more than 1,700 letters. Tolstoy, who responded to most of the letters, also received books and money from Americans to help him support hungry peasants. The letters reveal that Tolstoy's views concerning sexual relations and the US military activity in Philippines at the turn of the century were shared by several Americans.

Americans read Leo Tolstoy's writings, embraced his ideas, and in their enthusiasm wrote him letters. His philosophical, political and religious writings affected ...