On the Edge of the World

by Nikolai Leskov

Всеобщая гармония и мир.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881411183
• ISBN13: 9780881411188
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
• Length: 135 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful story that is as true to our time as the mid-19th century

Leskov captures the spirit of his time in this beautiful story, but also manages to convey a level of theological understanding and nuance that is lacking in so many other books with religious characters. The transformation of the main character through his harrowing experience in the wilderness chastises those preachers today who live in crystal cathedrals far removed from reality and cast down pronouncements on the "heathen" of the world. Leskov also shows how the current fundamentalist movement is not orthodox (that is it is actually NOT following tradition... in a more Wesleyan model it also doesn't follow scripture, or reason and definitely does not reflect experience), and how evangelicalism that focuses on converting people without first seeking to understand and know them is damaging and dangerous. Lastly the book lambastes the political elites who seek to use religion as a political tool, and the church leaders obsessed with political power who enable this to happen. What a powerful book for our time and generation, and what a truly beautiful story. The author's introduction and end notes in this version are extremely helpful for placing the book in literary and historical context. Kudos for a job very well done!

Human dignity

I do not agree with the previous review. This is not the adventure story of someone like Jack London. Rather it is the story of human dignity. It looks at the clash beteen the state and the church in bringing indigenous people into modern society. The story treats these people with sympahy. However, Leskov is too clever to make the story tendentious. The passage where the narrator is subjected to the snowstorm is both terrifying and genuinely funny. This book is well laid out ith a good introduction, end and footnotes. They are not overwhelming and demonstrate the depth of the story. Again it is not the narrow struggle of man against nature found in London. Like anything by Leskov it is to be recommended