Publisher's Synopsis
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ● From the bestselling author of The Two Marias, a riveting novel about the daughter of author Leo Tolstoy, based on original letters and diary entries ● A treat for lovers of historical fiction
1909, Russia. 39-year-old Tatiana has all the reasons to be happy: her father is possibly the world's greatest living author; her financial future is secure, and she is in love. Yet her father, 70-year-old Leo Tolstoy, opposes the marriage. This is not the first time-he had scared away four of Tatiana's suitors. In fact, her father does not see why she should marry and enslave herself to a man. Yet Tatiana knows that she is not getting any younger. Having dedicated her life to her father's career and to the raising of her ten siblings, she feels now is her time to spread her wings. The only question is whether she has any?
With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Dear Tolstoy, Yours Gandhi captures the epic panorama of pre-revolution Russia and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the daughter's struggle. A heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women.
"Jonathan Kis-Lev skillfully weaves Tolstoy's daughter's tale with the correspondence of a yet-to-be-known shy Indian lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi. Through Gandhi's eyes, the daughter is to learn a valuable lesson in forgiveness."
"A gem... Entirely original, Innocence is a book you set aside like a fine wine and wait for the chance to reopen and savor it."
"Historical fiction at its best."
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BOOK EXCERPT (c) All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission:
CHAPTER ONE
ROME,
DECEMBER 1931
Tatiana Tolstoy-Sukhotin stood near the window, waiting.
The 67-year-old countess stared at the street below thinking, 'When will he arrive? The telegram said he'd arrive at three...'
She sat down on the couch in her little apartment. A moment later she got up and walked back to the window, thinking wistfully of the snow she loved in her childhood. She missed the snow.
The newspaper on her coffee table showed his photograph on the front page: those odd round spectacles, the brown skin, the smile with several teeth missing.
She wanted to be upset with this man for not arriving on time, but she found herself instead smiling back at the face covering the newspaper's front page.
She leaned forward and looked at the article again: "Gandhi Arrivando questa mattina a Roma."
She read the title again. Though she had only lived in Italy for a few years, she could understand Italian fairly well. It was very similar to Latin, of which she had an adequate knowledge. Her father had taught her well.
"Gandhi Arriving in Rome This Morning," she translated to herself, "The Indian leader to visit Prime Minister Benito Mussolini in the evening. In the morning he will be greeted by the naval cadets, and then taken to meet with government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dino Grandi. In the afternoon, prior to visiting Il Duce, Gandhi will be visiting the Tolstoy Museum in Rome."
She was glad the address was not mentioned. The last thing she wanted was a throng of people and the hideous reporters with their cameras. She had suffered because of them throughout her life, always chasing her father.
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END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature!)
