This book of Tolstoy’s writings is truly a remarkable gift.

When one takes a step back and considers the fact that for generations, an entire nation was indoctrinated to believe that Tolstoy was bad. His profound and thought-provoking writings were unjustly banned from being read. It was only until the fall of the communist block that the truth was finally revealed.

The teaching of wisdom, as exemplified by Tolstoy’s works, serves a crucial purpose. It aims to assist an individual in becoming a better person, not only for their own sake but also for the benefit of others. When each person strives to improve themselves and treats others with kindness and respect, it creates a ripple effect that ultimately makes the world a better place for everyone.

Tolstoy’s writings have the power to inspire, educate, and transform, and we should cherish and value this precious gift.

A superb collection of thoughts from the great thinkers of our time by Leo Tolstoy has been condensed by the translator into topics covering one page per day of the year. I read this book (almost) each morning, and it was truly a remarkable experience. Although many of the quotes initially felt unfounded and at times outdated, it was easy to skim through those parts and focus more intently on the ones that were truly interesting.

Much of the content in the book was from Tolstoy himself, and it conveyed his own unique values. His perspective on religion provided me with a fresh outlook on God in the modern world. He believed that our inner voice speaks in terms of the wisdom we have gathered from the outside world. He thought that the church of his time had become corrupted, straying from the principles laid out by Jesus. Instead, he embraced wisdom from all corners of the world and all religions into his faith, resulting in a broader view of God than the traditional Christian perspective. However, living in the late 19th century, he still held some views regarding women that have not aged well.

Many of the thoughts on philosophy and morality within the book were deeply inspiring. The following five quotes capture the essence of what I found most important and will carry with me from this book:

"It is said that people's greatest blessing is their freedom. If freedom is indeed a blessing then someone who is free cannot be unhappy. In other words, if you see someone who is unhappy, suffering and moaning about something, you will know that that person is not free, and is enslaved by one person or another in one way or another. If freedom is indeed a blessing then a free person cannot be enslaved against his will. So if you see someone humiliating himself in front of another person and fawning on him, you will know that that person isn't free either. He is a slave, because he is wanting food, looking for some advantageous position or seeking in general to take advantage of something that does not belong to him." Epictetus, Discourses (108 AD)

"There are people who deliberately place themselves in extremely gloomy circumstances so that they feel they have the right to be gloomy. They are therefore always extremely and persistently busy. They mainly take pleasure in casting their gloomy, obstinate activity in the face of any cheerful aspect of life they happen to come across. Such people are extremely unhappy; they have to understand that they are the cause of their own unhappiness." Leo Tolstoy

"The path of self-correction is truly hard, but it is not difficult in itself as such as in the fact that we have indulged in vices for such a long time. And it is these vices that stand in the way of being able to better ourselves. How much we suffer as a result of this conflict depends on how deeply ingrained these vices have become in us. Not that God has imposed this conflict upon us: it would not exist if there were no vices. The cause of the conflict lies, therefore, in our own lack of perfection. And yet, at the same time, our salvation is to be found in this conflict, and if God were to relieve us of it, our vices would remain with us unfortunate people for ever." Blaise Pascal, Thoughts (1669)

"As far the important questions in life are concerned, we are always alone, and the real story of our lives can hardly ever be understood by other people. The best part of the drama that is being played out within us consists of a monologue - or, more precisely, a heartfelt conversation between God, our conscience and our selves." Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Private Journal (1883)

"Those who think only of themselves and seek advantage for themselves in everything cannot be happy. If you wish to live for yourself, then live for others" Seneca, Moral letters to Lucilius (65 AD)

The concept of this book is to read a passage daily and then engage in reflection.

Each day offers a handful of thoughts and quotes, which are sourced from proverbs, other authors and thinkers, as well as Tolstoi himself.

In the initial month, I found the book quite enjoyable. Nevertheless, as the year wore on, the themes started to seem increasingly repetitive.

Some of the recurring themes include Christianism and the importance of obeying God, pacifism and the rejection of war and violence, communism and the love for the poor, and vegetarianism and the stance against exploiting animals.

The book does contain some excellent passages, and I was fond of the overall concept. However, on the whole, it didn't have a profound impact on me. I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

Perhaps if the themes had been more diverse and less repetitive, I might have had a more positive experience with the book.

If you observe that a certain aspect of your society is not satisfactory and you have the desire to enhance it, there is indeed only a single approach to achieve this goal: you must strive to improve people.

And in order to bring about this improvement in people, you need to commence with just one thing: you can work on becoming a better version of yourself.

This means that instead of simply complaining about the problems in society, you take the initiative to make positive changes within yourself. By improving your own character, values, and skills, you can serve as a role model for others and inspire them to do the same.

Moreover, when you become a better person, you are more likely to have the wisdom and ability to contribute to the betterment of society in a more effective way.

So, if you truly want to make a difference in the world, start by looking within and working on self-improvement.

One of the 5 books that I always keep on my shelf at work is truly precious to me.

It serves multiple essential purposes. Firstly, it helps to ground me, especially on those busy and sometimes chaotic workdays. When everything seems to be moving at a frantic pace, this book acts as an anchor, keeping me centered and focused.

Secondly, it functions as a moral compass. In the corporate world, where ethical decisions can often be complex and challenging, this book reminds me of what is truly important in terms of values and principles.

While many of the religious quotes within the book may not resonate with me on a personal level, the rest of the content does in a very significant way. It offers profound insights, practical wisdom, and thought-provoking ideas that have a profound impact on my work and life.

This book is not just a collection of words on paper; it is a source of inspiration and guidance that I turn to time and again.

A great collection of quotes of the many great people who walked the world.

These quotes are like precious gems, shining with the wisdom and inspiration of those who came before us.

They offer a brilliant day to day guide, helping us to navigate through life's challenges and find meaning and purpose.

Whether you're facing a difficult decision, feeling down and out, or simply looking for a little bit of motivation, these quotes can provide the boost you need.

From the likes of Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, and Oprah Winfrey, to name just a few, this collection has something for everyone.

So take a moment to peruse these quotes, and let the words of the greats guide you on your journey through life.

You never know what kind of impact they might have on you.

Thanks to this book, I had the opportunity to deeply explore the views of Leo Tolstoy.

Previously, I had no inkling that he was not only extremely pious and religious but also astonishingly progressive. He fearlessly criticized the contemporary Church and Christianity as they existed in those times.

Tolstoy was a passionate advocate of vegetarianism, driven by moral considerations. He firmly opposed war and also held a negative stance towards patriotism. In his view, patriotism is the root cause of hatred among nations, providing justifications for wars, racism, nazism, and other such evils.

It was an incredibly enjoyable experience to read one page of this book every day throughout the entire year of 2022. This consistent reading habit allowed me to gradually immerse myself in Tolstoy's profound thoughts and ideas, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of his unique perspective on life, religion, and society.

This book, titled 'Calendar of Wisdom', is a remarkable compilation and/or writing by Leo Tolstoy. It consists of 365 pages filled with quotes, philosophical musings, and scriptural verses, all unified by various topics.

These topics涵盖了诸如财富、贫穷、教育、智力、科学、信仰、努力、祈祷、文明、自我提升等等。Tolstoy借鉴了多种宗教文本，尤其是福音书和塔木德。同时，他也经常引用一些特定的作者和哲学家，包括康德、罗斯金、爱默生和梭罗。大约一半的文本似乎是他自己的原创思想。

书中确实蕴含着大量的智慧，尽管有些谚语看似富有诗意但并非真正有意义。此外，还有一部分是Tolstoy在晚年所采纳的激进或苦行的基督教信仰体系，这让我觉得很有趣。

我非常喜欢Tolstoy所做的这件事：将所有塑造你人生观的思想、理念、引语和哲学进行编译和整理，并加入一些自己的想法。这本书是很好的思想食粮，尽管有些引语的真实性可能会引起争议，但它无论如何都提出了一个挑战，迫使我去思考以前从未花太多时间思考的想法。我在书上标记了所有最吸引我的智慧之珠。以下是一些简短的示例：

“不是对邪恶的指责，而是对善良的赞美，才能在我们的生活中创造和谐。”（露西·马洛里）

“对一个基督徒来说，对祖国的热爱可能是对邻居之爱的障碍。”（托尔斯泰）

“人们说得越多，他们行动的欲望就越小。”（托马斯·卡莱尔）

“战胜自己比在数十场战斗中战胜数千人是更大、更好的胜利……”（法句经）

I must say that I did not manage to complete reading this particular piece.

I do, however, appreciate the diverse range of inspirational sources that are often available.

But it became quite evident that religion holds a REALLY significant place for this author.

As I reached the second instance of the statement "people can only be decent people if they believe in God," I simply had to stop.

I am not one who subscribes to this view.

I believe that a person's decency and morality can be cultivated and developed through various means other than just religious belief.

There are countless individuals in the world who lead exemplary lives and are kind, compassionate, and ethical, yet they may not have a religious affiliation.

It seems rather limiting to suggest that belief in God is the sole criterion for being a decent person.

This perspective fails to take into account the rich tapestry of human experiences and the many different paths that can lead to a life of goodness and integrity.

Did you know that during the last fifteen years of his life, Leo Tolstoy engaged in a remarkable endeavor? He painstakingly collected and published the maxims of some of history's most profound philosophers, religious thinkers, and writers. Moreover, he added his own incisive reflections on faith, existence, and the minutiae of everyday life.

His final major work, titled "A Calendar of Wisdom," which he himself considered his favorite, was completed shortly before his untimely death. Sadly, this remarkable book was later banned in Communist Russia.

If you have a penchant for collecting quotes and timeless wisdom in a notebook, then "A Calendar of Wisdom" most definitely deserves a prominent place on your bookshelf. It could even be your bedside companion for years of rereading and deep reflection. You might be truly astonished by the numerous passages that delve into topics such as vegetarianism, Buddhism, pacifism, and Tolstoy's bold rejection of traditional Orthodox religion. This book is highly recommended for those seeking intellectual stimulation and spiritual enlightenment.

While there are indeed a few nuggets of wisdom that can be found here and there within this collection, the vast majority of it consists of vague, shallow platitudes that would be more at home on a new age refrigerator magnet. It serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting how a mind of Tolstoy's remarkable caliber could have become so susceptible to such Sunday School drivel.

Moreover, it is incredibly repetitive, to the point where it becomes almost comical. One can't help but roll their eyes as the same ideas are recycled over and over again.

And yet another issue is that the quotes are often Tolstoy's interpretations or paraphrases rather than the exact words of the individuals he attributes them to. In some cases, they seem to have been simplified in a manner that fails to do justice to the subtleties and nuances of the original. This further detracts from the overall value and authenticity of the collection.

The review seems to have some interesting points and some proverbs and aphorisms that are worth repeating many times in life.

However, overall, the book is rather didactic and repeats not only the ideas but also the writing style too many times. In fact, perhaps one could have guessed this from the beginning after having read quite a bit of Tolstoy. Still, it is felt that only "War and Peace" is really worth reading and rereading many times.

Anyway, here are a few passages that the reviewer quite liked in this book:

---

1. "Those who criticize me behind my back are afraid of me; those who praise me to my face hate me" - a Chinese proverb.

2. Why is it easy to steer the life of others and tell them what to do? People do this because if they make the wrong decisions, it is not they who have to suffer.

Whoever tells others what to do with their lives has no time to live their own lives.

3. As long as a person has not really lived, they will always want something - respect, wealth, entertainment, or thousands of other things. In fact, they only want one thing: to be connected with and not separated from others.

4. One of the greatest advantages of a working life compared to the life of a lazy person is the serious, firm, and positive thinking of workers compared to the flimsy and cheap "sitting idle" ideas of the lazy person.

Some people think that washing, cooking, and taking care of children are jobs only for women, not for men; and even that it is shameful for a man to do these jobs. However, what is really shameful is when a man sits idle or loafs around while a weak, tired, or pregnant woman has to deal with all these hard tasks.