Myskhovskaya, L. L. Tolstoy: Work and Style (Rabota i stil), 1939. In Russian.

Мышковская Л. Л. Толстой. Работа и стиль. / Серия: «Творческий опыт классиков».
Москва : Издательство «Советский писатель», 1939.
298, [1] с. ; 17 см. (Уменьшенный формат). Твердый издательский переплет. Тираж 5 000 экз.
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Myskhovskaya, Liya.
L. Tolstoy: Work and Style. / Series: "Creative Experience of the Classics" (Tvorcheskiy opyt klassikov).
Moscow : Sovetsky Pisatel Publishing House, 1939.
298, [1] pp. ; 17 cm. (Pocket format). Hardcover. Edition of 5,000 copies.

This 1939 scholarly study by Liya Myskhovskaya is a profound exploration of the creative laboratory of Leo Tolstoy, published as part of the esteemed "Creative Experience of the Classics" series. Released during the late 1930s, a period of renewed academic focus on the structural mechanics of realism, the text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of Tolstoy’s writing process, including the arrangement of his multi-layered drafts and the evolution of his linguistic style. Myskhovskaya meticulously examines how Tolstoy transformed raw historical data and personal observation into the epic prose of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, highlighting his relentless editing and his search for "the only right word."
The volume focuses on the synthesis of psychology and form, offering a technical analysis of Tolstoy’s syntax, rhythmic structures, and the philosophical underpinnings of his aesthetic choices. Spanning 298 pages in a compact, portable 17 cm format, the book was designed for serious students of literature and professional writers seeking to learn from the "creative experience" of the masters. Published by Sovetsky Pisatel with a relatively small print run of 5,000 copies, this pre-war edition remains a highly respected reference in Tolstoyan philology. For bibliophiles, literary critics, and collectors of Soviet academic imprints, this 1939 Moscow volume is a vital primary source, documenting the systematic mid-century effort to codify the artistic methods of Russia’s greatest novelist.