Audiobook Sample
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- Title: A Letter to the Hindus
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
- Narrator: Michael Scott
- Length: 00:40:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 01/01/2006
- Publisher: Thought Audio
- Genre: Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Christianity, Hinduism
- ISBN13: SABTAXX978044
As I pressed play on Michael Scott’s narration of “A Letter to the Hindus”, I was immediately transported back to my graduate seminar at Berkeley where we examined the fluid boundaries between Eastern and Western philosophical traditions. Tolstoy’s 1908 missive to Indian revolutionary Tarak Nath Das resonates today with remarkable clarity, particularly in Scott’s measured, contemplative delivery that perfectly captures the Russian novelist’s spiritual intensity.
What fascinates me most is how this brief but potent text – running just under an hour as an audiobook – bridges my dual academic passions: comparative religious philosophy and the evolution of protest literature. The recording opens with a subtle sitar drone beneath Scott’s introduction, an audio choice that immediately establishes the East-West dialogue at the heart of this work. This reminded me of my first encounter with Gandhi’s “Hind Swaraj” during a monsoon season in Delhi, where I physically held both texts in my hands, marveling at their material differences. The audiobook format, I discovered, adds new dimensions to Tolstoy’s arguments about non-violent resistance (Ahimsa), making his Christian interpretation of this Hindu principle feel even more universal when heard aloud.
Through a cultural lens shaped by years studying religious syncretism, I appreciate how Scott’s narration highlights Tolstoy’s theological daring – his bold assertion that ‘the law of love’ supersedes all man-made divisions. The narrator’s deliberate pacing during the famous passage comparing British colonialism to ‘a man holding a wolf by the ears’ allows listeners to fully absorb the metaphor’s bitter wisdom. There’s a particular brilliance in how Scott modulates his tone when voicing Tolstoy’s critique of modern civilization, making the 19th-century critique sound eerily contemporary.
The audio production shines in its treatment of the letter’s most philosophically dense sections. When Tolstoy argues that true liberation comes through spiritual rather than political means, Scott employs a near-whisper that compels leaning in – an intimate effect impossible to replicate in print. This reminded me of teaching “The Kingdom of God Is Within You” last semester, where students consistently reported greater comprehension of Tolstoy’s complex ideas when hearing passages read aloud.
Some might critique the audiobook’s lack of supplementary material – a contextual introduction would help newcomers navigate Tolstoy’s references to contemporaneous Indian politics. Yet this very sparsity creates space for personal reflection, much like the minimalist Japanese storytelling traditions I studied in Tokyo. The recording’s clean production values ensure Tolstoy’s words remain foregrounded, with subtle reverb during key passages adding contemplative weight without distraction.
Compared to other philosophical audiobooks in my collection – Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” narrated by Robert Beth, or the “Bhagavad Gita” read by Eknath Easwaran – Scott’s performance stands out for its perfect balance of scholarly precision and spiritual warmth. His careful pronunciation of Sanskrit terms demonstrates admirable preparation, while his rendering of Tolstoy’s emotional appeals carries genuine conviction rather than performative piety.
For listeners seeking an entry point into interfaith dialogue or the roots of Gandhian philosophy, this free audiobook offers extraordinary value. The brevity of the work makes it ideal for repeated listening – I’ve returned three times to the section where Tolstoy dismantles the illusion of separateness between peoples, discovering new layers each time. Those exploring comparative religion will appreciate how the audio format highlights textual resonances with Buddhist concepts of interdependence and Christian pacifist traditions.
As someone who has taught Tolstoy alongside Tagore and Merton in my ‘Sacred Resistance’ seminars, I can affirm this recording does justice to the letter’s revolutionary heart. The final minutes, where Scott’s voice trembles slightly delivering Tolstoy’s vision of ‘universal brotherhood,’ left me with the same hushed awe I felt standing at Gandhi’s Sevagram ashram – proof that great ideas transcend both time and medium.
In scholarly solidarity,
Prof. Emily Chen
