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The renowned author of "War and Peace," Count Leo Tolstoy, set off on a pilgrimage to Optina Monastery on 10th June, 1881, disguised as a peasant.\n\nAccompanied by his valet, Sergei Arbuzov, Tolstoy traipsed 130 miles from his vast estate; his feet bleeding from blisters thanks to his insistence that he be dressed in authentically threadbare sandals.\n\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly assess whether Tolstoy\u2019s pilgrimage should be considered a spiritual journey, mid-life crisis, or poverty tourism; consider the impact his impulses had upon his poor wife, Sophia; and uncover the great author\u2019s final moments, seeking \u2018solitude\u2019 at a railway station, as the world\u2019s news cameras whirred away\u2026\xa0\n\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Tolstoy disguises himself as a peasant and leaves on a pilgrimage\u2019 (HISTORY, 2009): https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/tolstoy-disguises-himself-as-a-peasant-and-leaves-on-a-pilgrimage\n\u2022 \u2018A.N. Wilson on Tolstoy's life and work, 100 years on\u2019 (Financial Times, 2010): https://slate.com/culture/2010/11/a-n-wilson-on-tolstoy-s-life-and-work-100-years-on.html\n\u2022\xa0\u20191908-10: Footage of the life and death of Leo Tolstoy\u2019 (Public Domain Archive, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQO9HQAWqu4\n\n\ufeffLove the show? Support us!\xa0\nJoin\xa0 \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY\u2026\xa0\n\n\u2026 Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content.\xa0\nJoin now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show \u2764\ufe0f\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices