The Book Club: The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy with Matt Walsh | The Book Club
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2021
- Leo Tolstoy’s novella speaks volumes on mortality, conformity, societal expectations, and what it means to live an authentic life. Ivan Ilyich suffers on his deathbed until he is able to fully confront his mortality. This same denial of death and the anguish it causes can be seen in our culture today, brought into focus by the events of 2020. Matt Walsh, host of The Matt Walsh Show, sits down with Michael Knowles to work through Tolstoy’s masterpiece of fiction.
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Please do one of Dostoyevsky's books with Jordan Peterson!
Crime and Punishment
I've heard Peterson mention The Demons a few times, and that one is amazingly pertinent to life today. A bunch of educated socialists who honestly think that they're justified in committing evil acts in service of some revolution for the greater good.
@@evanm2024 "The Possessed" . . . is a psychological tour de force. But not so sure it's pertinent to Life today -- way over the head of most people.
I wish I could be that
I would be very happy to hear any selection from Dostoevsky or The Gulag Archipelago from Solzhenitsyn. He has talked about that book also any would be Great!
Strange to see Matt Walsh doing anything but scowling. Love his show lol
I'm still waiting to see him actually play that banjo!
You should really check out his car rants from 3 years ago.
Never thought that the first time I get to rethink my experience with Russian literature will be induced by a podcast of Americans discussing it. This really is the brightest part of CZcams.
Greetings from Hungary 🇭🇺
Greetings from the US
Yeah, long live Hungary!
I don't lose any content of PragerU! Thanks from Brazil!
Otimo. Estou aqui tb
I had no idea you guys do a book club! So excited to binge watch these 📙
Yes!!! It's a delight!!!! I wonder if they take requests/suggestions 🤔....
14:36 Gerasim (Russian Герасим; IPA: [ɡʲɪrˈasʲɪm]) is a male given name, derived from Greek γεράσιμος (cf. Gerasimos), meaning "Respectable", "Honorable Elder".
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Fun fact: coffee tables were originally a table designed to put caskets on. In ye olden times it was common practice to hold wakes in one's parlor or living room, so death was often present in the normal life.
So...put a memento mori on your coffee table, and remember thou art mortal.
You guys should let us know what book you plan on doing next so that we can read it before the next episode. My favourite series on PragerU
Good idea.
Huh. I had to read this in school... ya know, like 16 years ago when getting a BA wasn’t a *complete* waste of time.
I bought this book instantly after listening to this discussion. I read the book in two hours. It was such a great book.
Wait, Walsh doing classic literature? Now there’s something I never thought I’d see!
Especially since he wasn’t a good student…
Maybe that’s why he’s actually this brilliant.
Who is he
It's a good thing he has a beard because with that gritty voice I would be tempted to tease him endlessly.
I just thought he analyzed trash pop culture songs😅
@@elisabethweaver8105 lololo ikr!!!.
Love this perspective! As a believer,I know I’m living for a heavenly home. If we all really knew this to the core of our being, it would change our perspective and the world would be a better place.
I was sorry I didn't read it until later in life, very powerful story.
I do not know of anyone that will not have regrets when the reaper comes.
I do. They tend to be people who are aware of their mortality, and live accordingly.
@@CarlGorn and sociopaths....
@@abifeldman6750 I can't say I've met any of those.
Tolstoy did not eat Green Eggs And Ham. Not even in a house, with a mouse.
I absolutely loved the story when we read it in high school!
Damn, u went to legit high school...we didn't read anything good lol
Literature is better than scrolling down FB and Instagram comments.
Continue this program PragerU!
The only time Walsh is happy is when he's talking about death.
Just finished teaching this book. Glad to see it getting more attention.
I want you guys to do The Count of Monte Cristo!!! Please!?🙌
I COMPLETELY agree. This is my OG favorite. They have to talk about the unabridged version though lol. It’s got so many gold moments about revenge / human nature / questions about justice.
I feel the same way! Not enough people talk about it.
Why would they do an abridged version?
@@bertybell4781 I mean the unabridged version is 1000 or so pages, and they do sell abridged versions, so I guess I say that just for clarification/distinction 🤷🏼♀️
Makes sense, but I hope if they do end up doing it, they won't do the abridged version. They would miss so much.
This is a treat, like Matt and didnt expect him to riff on this extraordinary book. One of the most haunting ive read, stays with you. A must read
Omg I'm literally doing an essay on this book for my English 2333 Core Essay.
That report is done now lol
@@gamerdad9051 Yup, I think I did pretty well on it.
@@Gaardieen I'm so happy for you!!! Like what are the odds!
Dudes!!? I just read this a couple months ago...then War and Peace and Anna Karenina. I think War and Peace was his best. (It was was extremely good)
P.s Really enjoyed all three tho...Tolstoy was a beast
Try "Ressuraction" next, it's one of his main pieces
Matt Walsh is the man. I’m going to read this book before listening to the interview. The last one already had me reading Middlemarch, only about 5 hours of reading to go on that one.
Ya Middlemarch been on my bookshelf for like 2yrs...still haven't read it (but I will sooner or later).
P.s The death of ivan is short..but its really good
I actually listened to this one, it’s free on audible! It was great. Deep and hyper realistic at the same time. Tolstoy understood human beings and let’s us see how we are, how life is and offers us an opportunity to observe ourselves by observing his characters responding to things happening to them. By the way Middlemarch can be a slog, prepare yourself. Still it is among the best English ever written, and her understanding of the depths of human interaction is unparalleled.
I had a minor in Russian studies, and loved Russian lit. The Death of Ivan Ilych was one of my favorites.
Ya I recently read Tolstoy and Dostroevsky they are both amazing but war and peace was probably my favorite
Is it as good as War and Peace?
@@williamchristy9463, I look at them like my kids, so I love them for different things. Death of Ivan Ilych is short and direct. Each of my favorite 15 or so favorite Russian works has something uniquely beautiful to it.
Я русский, но не знаю это произведение "Смерть Ивана Ильича", мы его в школах не читаем)
Matt Walsh makes me want be a better American, and I’m British
Matt Walsh makes my day every time I watch his show.
Tolstoy's point is best summed up by this saying, "We're born, we live, and then we die."
Good job joy boys. I read it while my mother was near death. It was the toughest book I ever read.
I disagree with Knowles when he says that people today think that they can put off getting married and having a family and that they won't need anyone to care for them when they're old. I think what's happening in reality is people just aren't thinking about it, and they have a naive view that 'it'll all be ok'. Maybe this is a meaningless distinction or he's taking it into account, but I thought it was worth pointing out. There's a lot of stuff like that in the world I think, where people are being dumb out of ignorance rather than thinking the wrong thing.
The death of Ivan Ilyich: When the mundane is interrupted by the inevitable.
Thus the question of how much value is the mundane?? Of what profit is the extraordinary
I love the comments. So many smart and well read people!
Do you remember "Who wants to be a Millionaire". In Russia when the contestant would ask the audience, the audience seemed to purposefully choose the wrong answer. Russian literature would seem to echo this national trait.
I love Matt Walsh
One of my favorites. So glad you discussed it!
I just finished the book and I did not know what to expect and they left me speechless. It's so insane how you don't know how great of a book you're reading into. You're done reading it. You wish you could redo it again
I love the book club and I watched most episodes of it. I love to hear truly interesting, deep and inspiring discussions on some of the best classics. I do really really hope that you'll do once an episode discussing Jane Eyre by Emily Bronte, please do it!! And I think that it could be really interesting too if you'll do some episodes too dealing with classical children literature. And I enjoyed very much this episode with Matt. Thanks!!
Great conversation. I enjoyed this video so much!
God, I loooove this book so much. Can't wait.
You got two good tastes, the book and the profile pic.
I love the book club! Thank you Michael, thank you Matt.
I just finished this book tonight. Loving the book club!! Thank you!!
You need to do Master and Margarita. Also Dog’s Heart. The phrases there perfectly depict current events in the US and where we’re heading
Nah, these books require understanding of the historic context, societal dynamics of the early USSR. They are not as amusing for people who don’t speak Russian or know Russian history.
This book connects to Fahrenheit 451 so well. We waste our lives conforming, seeking idle pleasures, pleasing authority figures and just plain wasting time! Fahrenheit 451 is super inspiring about coming to life, discovering the world and being curious, and just LIVING, even when society and the authorities shame you for doing so.
Beautiful!!!! Love you and Matt together!!! More please!!
Coincidental that you mention the Denial of Death. I am in the last 30 pages of this book and next in line to read was The Death of Ivan Ilyich. I really thought the two would pair well. Listening to this review confirms that. What introduced me to the Death of Ivan Ilyich was reading further about my favourite movie Ikiru. I learned the director Akira Kurosawa was inspired to make this film by the movie which immediately drew me to the book.
I highly recommend watching Ikiru to pair with this book. Its a life changing film. Great review from my favourite Prager segment
fantastic selection! i re-read this again last summer! timeless issues and a good story to place these within. also reminds me of certain friends and personal experiences... cheers!
Wow, I was just looking for some of Matt’s book recommendations after listening to one of his podcasts and hearing him mention some of his favorite books (I don’t remember the names or the episode, something in the early 50s)
Great conversation!
Great conversation, guys.
That was a great review!
Thank you for your content! Great book indeed
Great discussion! The book is amazing. Thanks so much.
Wish I knew what book you were going to read beforehand, it would have been even better. Congrats, love this dynamic!
Pilgrims Progress is probably one of my Favorite books!!! I realize PragerU will not see this comment but if I could give a suggested book it would be that.
Who else read this book back in High School
We die, the way we wished we had lived, but it was too much commitment.
Hey, those socks match his polkadot shirt.
I´ve just finished this book one month before the show. Great work!
My favorite youtubers! It doesn't get any better
So interesting, Thanks!
The phenomenon -- the living being uncomfortable in the presence of death -- is VERY common. It appears to be a very normal response to the presence of death. We have a limit to what we can tolerate.
Curtains for Ilyich? Symbolism or alternative title?
Thank you, great show, as always. Have you considered Job? Have read it several times in different translations of scripture. Always blows my spiritual mind.
I love when these two come together haha I’m all smiles haha
To paraphrase a country music song, “I’m just killing time while time is killing me.” I first read this book as a teenager. I’m 69 now and was rereading it for maybe the fourth time when I found this video. If you read it once, you’ll probably read it again at some point. I thank God for giving my life meaning.
Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. So relevant
Just finished reading this, happy to see DW hosts talking about it
I think I read this story when I was too young! This discussion has gotten me interested in reading it again!
Excellent discussion! It would be interesting if you did the novella "Notes from Underground" by Dostojevski.
God bless.
I'd love to see Matt do Dosty's Notes from Underground!
Who, I ask, will interview Michael on the Book Club, when his new book comes out: "Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds" now available for preorder *BING*
One of my favorite novellas. I regularly taught this in my Introduction to Literature classes. The reality of death was a taboo for many of my college students. Tolstoy deals with it.
Nice review, before diving into the book! Thanks both
Ivan is the new Alex!
Remember, O man, dust thou art and unto dust you shall return.
Just read this and thought it was a very moving book. I want truth in my life and definitely don’t want to be at the end of it like Ivan. Also family relationships should be a big part of family so the feelings that Ivan has don’t happen either. This book gave me more perspective on what is truly important in life.
Love this conversation, thank you!!
It’s really all about GOD 🙏🙏🙏
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I may be Russian, but I never read this book. Thanks for the "exciting book talk". I might actually read it.
Thank you, PragerU and Matt Walsh! I appreciate your hard work fighting toxic and awful left-wing indoctrination!
It was literally written by an anarchist
@@noaht8592 That's sad.
@@noaht8592 Anarchy is not left wing. It's right wing taken to the extreme.
@@sanniepstein4835 Right wing 'anarchist' ideology only seeks the absense of the state, not the abolition of control and manipulation generally. Additionally right wing 'anarchism' is a modern post war ideology, whilst true anarchism is almost 250 years old as a modern ideological framework, and is what our friend Tolstoy here proclaimed, if you would bother to read his works. he sought the absence of foreign wars, the absence of the millitary, the absence of commerce the absence of the nation, for christ but against the modern catholic orthodox and protestant churches. He is not your ideological friend.
Russian 19th century literature is one of the pinnacles of the medium, no doubt. The way these authors describe thought processess of their characters, their psychology is simply incredible and very relatable. And these novels aren't all doom and gloom, they frequently pretty funny and ironic at the same time, especially Chekhov, Gogol and Dostoevsky works. What ultimately makes them heavy and depressing is that they ask difficult, poignant and fundamental questions, but they don't really give compelling answers to them. In essence, they ultimately prove total meaninglessness of human existence. It's especially true for Dostoevsky with his frequently disappointing endings and simplistic views on morality. And Tolstoy having suicidal tendencies much of his life because he agreed with this thesis, pretty much proves it.
I love these
A life doing what one ought to do can be a joyful and honorable life. I'm not sure Ivan Ilyich actually lived as he ought. Perhaps if he had been more concerned with helping and loving others than with his own mundane though narcissistic existence, he would have found contentment and joy throughout life and at the end.
Listening in 2021. The irony of Knowles last statement is that Norm McDonald was facing his own mortality quietly at the moment of that recording.
THANKS PRAGER U
This novel tells us how we need to live a meaningful life, a more spiritually meaningful, because all else is meaningless and petty at the end.
We the people of America needs to pass a bill that we dont need money for court nor they can drag cases out to win the case.
Request for bookclub book: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 🤩
It has a hint of depression for Matt (31:38) 😂
Wow I really want to read this now
"Alexander Chenevert" by Gabrielle Roy is a similar type of book.
My Tolstoy book in high school was Resurrection.
I mostly remember one character's name, 'cause NO ONE in class knew it but me (cuase I took the 2 minutes to sound it out and confirm it with a Russian-speaking girl): Svidrigailov (and the i had an umlaut over it)
THE most powerful and disturbing book I ever read.
When I read this book all I could think about was the Matrix. Here is a man living his entire life with the intent to conform to the standards of the fictitious world that he lived in. He was a battery to be replaced as soon as he was drained. He saw this when it was already too late for him. This book gave me a desire to make better use of this vapor in the wind that we call life.
Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian" &/or Virgil's "The Aenid" would be a great feature. They have the power to stir Virtus-Manliness in a modern era that deeply despises masculinity & patriarchy.
I would love to see Irwin Weil as your guest.
Yes most definitely agreed!
This has given me an idea
I disagree that the main character doesn’t have a religious conversation. He takes communion at the end of the book which leads him to accept death and ultimately overcome death, and as he dies he hears the voice of Christ and quotes his words.
For the first 4 minutes (until they summarize it, I confused this tale with another my Western Lit professor had us read immediatley after it, "Metamorphasis", so I was thinking to myself, Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh are reviewing the book where the guy turns into a giant coachroach for no explained reason.
“Ya keep playing your cards”... I feel like for so many it’s a house of cards that is inevitably going to fall apart. Q is how long can you keep it together?..
If you don't see any spiritual connection in this story, read "Master and Man".
Very good read!
Understood.
I read that book in Philo 101 like 25 years ago
OMG. It's pronounced Ge (as in gap) -ra (as in rah) -sim (as in seem). Stress on the last (3rd) syllable.