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The Poet of Tolstoy Park

sonny brewer

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“The more you transform your life from the material to the spiritual domain, the less you become afraid of death.” Leo Tolstoy spoke these words, and they became Henry Stuart’s raison d’etre. The Poet of Tolstoy Park is the unforgettable novel based on the true story of Henry Stuart’s life, which was reclaimed from his doctor’s belief that he would not live another year.

Henry responds to the news by slogging home barefoot in the rain. It’s 1925. The place: Canyon County, Idaho. Henry is sixty-seven, a retired professor and a widower who has been told a warmer climate would make the end more tolerable. San Diego would be a good choice.

Instead, Henry chose Fairhope, Alabama, a town with utopian ideals and a haven for strong-minded individualists. Upton Sinclair, Sherwood Anderson, and Clarence Darrow were among its inhabitants. Henry bought his own ten acres of piney woods outside Fairhope. Before dying, underscored by the writings of his beloved Tolstoy, Henry could begin to “perfect the soul awarded him” and rest in the faith that he, and all people, would succeed, “even if it took eons.” Human existence, Henry believed, continues in a perfect circle unmarred by flaws of personality, irrespective of blood and possessions and rank, and separate from organized religion. In Alabama, until his final breath, he would chase these high ideas.

But first, Henry had to answer up for leaving Idaho. Henry’s dearest friend and intellectual sparring partner, Pastor Will Webb, and Henry’s two adult sons, Thomas and Harvey, were baffled and angry that he would abandon them and move to the Deep South, living in a barn there while he built a round house of handmade concrete blocks. His new neighbors were perplexed by his eccentric behavior as well. On the coldest day of winter he was barefoot, a philosopher and poet with ideas and words to share with anyone who would listen. And, mysteriously, his “last few months” became years. He had gone looking for a place to learn lessons in dying, and, studiously advanced to claim a vigorous new life.

The Poet of Tolstoy Park is a moving and irresistible story, a guidebook of the mind and spirit that lays hold of the heart. Henry Stuart points the way through life’s puzzles for all of us, becoming in this timeless tale a character of such dimension that he seems more alive now than ever.


From the Hardcover edition.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,2005
Places
alabama, 

This edition

Format
304 pages, Paperback
Published
March 28, 2006 by Ballantine Books
ISBN
9780345476326
ASIN
0345476328
Language
English

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About the author

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sonny brewer

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Sonny Brewer is the author of four novels, including The Poet of Tolstory Park and The Widow and the Tree. He edited the anthology series Stories from the Blue Moon Café and most recently, Don't Quit Your Day Job - Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs they Quit published by MP Publishing in 2010.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
38(38%)
4 stars
31(31%)
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31(31%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
arcaneghost_
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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While I would have relished a bit more time in the company of this cantankerous old codger of a lead character, I was far from disheartened upon completing this book.

Based on a true story, the so-called "poet" indulges in spending a significant amount of time within the recesses of his own mind. He engages in a constant battle with thoughts of death, which seem to萦绕 his every waking moment.

Moreover, he frequently weaves Tolstoy quotes into the fabric of his everyday life, adding an air of intellectualism and depth to his otherwise ordinary existence.

This book is a great read for those who seek something relatively concise yet intellectually stimulating. It offers a unique perspective on life, death, and the power of the human mind.

Despite its brevity, it manages to pack a punch and leave a lasting impression on the reader.
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hoang000147
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I felt as if I were reading a true story of Henry, his family and his friends. Sonny Brewer did an outstanding job of bringing Henry back to life.

I had the opportunity to visit the little round hut that Henry had made. As I stood there, I could almost envision him laboriously working to build it.

I truly appreciate that this hut has been preserved and made accessible to the public. However, it is a bit of a shame that it is now surrounded by buildings. It would have been ideal if the preservationists could have also saved some of the adjacent land along with the hut.

After visiting the little round building, my curiosity was piqued, and I was eager to read the book that Mr Brewer had written. I sincerely hope that I will have the chance in the future to explore more of his works.

If anyone ever finds themselves in the Fairhope, AL area, I highly recommend visiting the little hut and then making a trip into Fairhope to the bookstore to purchase the book by Sonny Brewer. It is an experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
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kimgae
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is a novel that closely adheres to the true story of a man who has received a death sentence. His doctor in Idaho informed him that his tuberculosis would claim his life within a year or so, and moving to a warmer place might ease his condition. Henry Stuart selects Fairhope, Alabama. He has always had a philosophical inclination, being a retired professor. He loves Tolstoy, Thoreau, Black Elk, and Pueblo Indians. His two children are independent, he is a widower, and seemingly has only one friend, a minister who likes to remind him to pay more attention to the church and his immortal soul. He goes his own way in 1925.


He discovers that Fairhope has had progressive beginnings and has had an occasional celebrated visitor or two. With death on his mind, he begins to formulate a new philosophy of life. He divests himself of belongings, including shoes, and starts building a brick igloo-like house with homemade bricks. As another reviewer noted, the author does tend to get bogged down in the details of house building, but the book is lightened with humor throughout.


Henry is very much like Tolstoy, as he might have confessed if he were being honest. He is conscious of self-improvement and giving when he isn't completely self-absorbed. He was exasperating to those around him and often frustrating to me. He is often more self-centered than self-reliant. It is no coincidence that he thinks so much about Tolstoy. Tolstoy's last journey, as he was dying, was made in solitude to leave behind his long-suffering family.


Stuart's round house can still be seen, and I believe you would be more welcome now than during his lifetime there. He did indeed live beyond the doctor's predicted expiration date by almost 20 years.


The author resides in Fairhope, and this makes for a very natural subject for his well-written novel.
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Inferno792
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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What a truly fabulous, utterly fabulous read this is! It is an absolute five-star read that demands to be savored.

I found myself purposely slowing down my reading pace in order to fully enjoy the beautiful prose. The words seemed to dance on the page, captivating my attention and drawing me deeper into the story.

I have become so intrigued by Henry Stuart that I will most definitely seek out more books about him. There are so many rich themes in this book to ponder and explore.

It makes me reflect on various aspects of life, love, and history. This book has truly left a lasting impression on me, and I cannot wait to embark on more literary adventures related to this fascinating subject.

It is a book that I will recommend to all my friends and fellow book lovers.
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eggoist
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Another odd one for me.

It is very thoughtfully written and researched. The story is based on a man who spent the last years of his life on 10 acres in coastal Alabama, far away from his 'home' in Idaho.

The author carefully presents philosophical meanderings on faith, family, death, poetry, and Tolstoy.

Although it is not much like the last book I read, which was The Elegance of the Hedgehog, this one has also convinced me that it is way past time for me to read Anna Karenina.

I find myself intrigued by the exploration of these various themes and the unique perspective offered by the author.

The description of the man's life in Alabama and his reflections on different aspects of life make for a captivating read.

It makes me wonder about the choices we make in life and how our experiences shape us.

I look forward to delving into Anna Karenina and seeing how it compares to the ideas presented in this book.
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Twauma
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I have a profound love for the poetic philosophy that pervades this book. The circular themes it presents, such as life, water, seasons, hurricanes, bird nests, hogans, and weaving, are truly worthy of in-depth exploration. A reader can easily spend many hours contemplating the ideas within its pages.

However, the abrupt transitions and narrative tangents that lead nowhere can be rather irritating. It disrupts the flow of the reading experience and makes it a bit challenging to fully engage with the text.

Also, some of the ideas regarding god and religion are discomfiting. At first, Henry appears to be a solid and independent spirit in his view of supernatural beings. He shows little regard for organized religion and the posturing of men in deference to it. In fact, on page 202, he even contemplates that the divine presence is only a hypothesis. But his later convictions seem to conflict with his self-proclaimed "god is in everything" philosophy. This dichotomy can be confusing for the reader.

Despite these drawbacks, the reader can still have a great deal of fun allowing Henry's sometimes bizarre ideas to swirl around in their brain. I, for one, fully admit that I had an unrelenting desire to go about without shoes for weeks at a time to see what life-transforming ideas such an action might bring. Alas, my concerns about staph infection and other nasties prevented me from conducting this experiment.

I know that I will be reading this book again, if only to fantasize about living in solitude in a simple wood. There is something about the simplicity and tranquility of such a life that is truly appealing.
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Feet4lyf
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I truly liked the book to a much greater extent than I had initially anticipated. In fact, it was far more engaging than when I first embarked on reading it. However, I can't say that I completely loved it.

It does possess some really captivating psychological and philosophical insights that managed to pique my interest. But, unfortunately, the last hour or so of the audiobook seemed to drag on forever, making it feel like the longest period of my life.

The characters, especially Henry, at times gave the impression of being mere conduits for dispensing nuggets of philosophy and ideas, rather than fully developed three-dimensional individuals.

I must confess that the fact that this book is based on a true story was what initially compelled me to pick it up and kept me engaged throughout. Now, I find myself with a strong desire to make a pilgrimage to Tolstoy Park. ;)
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realbash
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Henry Stuart was given a death sentence due to TB, with only one year to live.

Taking the freedom that imminent death bestowed upon him, he left his sons and relocated from Idaho to Fairhope, Alabama, attracted by the better climate there.

He constructed a circular, concrete house (which still stands today), and this building became an all-consuming project for him.

He also delved deep into the later teachings of Tolstoy and came to feel the common mortality that all of us share.

On page 244, he wrote, “…learn to die in peace. That's what I think is important. My own lessons for that have come from how I treat other people, from what things I give value, but mostly from understanding that in every instance fear is of my own making.”

This engaging account was written by an independent bookstore owner in Fairhope, who perhaps had a unique perspective on Henry Stuart's story and was able to bring it to life in a way that captivates the reader.

It makes one reflect on the choices we make in life, especially when faced with the knowledge of our own mortality.

Henry Stuart's journey from Idaho to Fairhope and his experiences there offer valuable insights into the human condition and the importance of finding peace in the face of death.

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