I'm really sad that he searched for the truth most of his life, and had some really deep convictions, and then once he found the truth, he twisted it to suit his own ends. And then what's even sadder is that he tried to repent in the end, but his followers prevented him. That made me so mad. I hope God has mercy on Tolstoy even though he did a lot of things wrong.

He was an egotistical heretic, for sure, but mostly he sounds like a hurting man looking for someone to comfort him and give him meaning. I wish he had been as intimate with God as he had with Sophya. Showing her his journals was beautiful and exemplary. I hope to be that intimate with God and my future husband.

And, wow, 10 kids. Wow.