duponthumanite

I am really enjoying the first story in this collection at the moment. It deals well with children, parents and the conflicts between them. It is told in the classic Tolstoy style: lots of morals and strong characters. The Juvenal and Julius story shows some important points about early Christianity and the Romans. The vineyard metaphor is very well used. Julius's mother is a strong character. It is good to see Jesus as the living God, which is inspiring because he is also a great teacher to all faiths and none. Pamphilius is very spiritual and a representative of his faith. I love the dialogue between him and Julius about the big issues of Christianity and love. Now it is ten years later and in some way Julius's life has degenerated. Now there is quite a bit about crime: very different from Doevestsky on the same subject! I am looking forward to the childrens' tales, as apart from Anna Karenina, they have appealed to me most in my Tolstoy-reading life.