Giant Three Legends (Illustrated Edition)

Author: [French] Roman Rolland, translated by Fu Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: "The Life of Beethoven," "The Life of Michelangelo," and "The Life of Tolstoy" were all written by Roman Rolland. The three subjects of the biographies—Beethoven, a musician; Michelangelo, a sculptor and painter; and Tolstoy, a novelist—each had their own domain. All three biographies focus on the great geniuses who, in the arduous journey of life filled with suffering and hardship, dedicated their lives to seeking truth and justice, and to creating immortal works that express truth, goodness, and beauty. They were either tormented by illness, or faced tragic circumstances, or struggled with inner confusion and contradiction, or suffered from all three, to the point where their deep anguish almost suffocated them and destroyed their reason. Yet, they persevered through their arduous paths solely because of their love for humanity and their faith in humanity. The music that Beethoven shared with the world was "joy purchased with suffering." The immortal works left by Michelangelo for posterity were the culmination of his life's blood and tears. Tolstoy, in his novels, described the insignificance and greatness of countless living beings, their suffering, and the harmony they found amidst their pain, thereby spreading the seeds of love. This book is Roman Rolland's biography of the musician Beethoven, the sculptor and painter Michelangelo, and the novelist Tolstoy. Life is hard for those who refuse to accept mediocrity, and for them, it is an endless war. Often, it is a tragic, unglittering, and unhappy struggle, unfolding in solitude and silence. Therefore, unhappy people, do not complain too much—among humanity, the finest are with you. Draw strength from their courage and let it nourish us. If we grow weary, let us rest our heads briefly on their knees. They will comfort us. In these sacred souls, there is a clear force and a strong compassion that surges forth like a rushing stream, supporting and warming us as we fight against fate. The novelist Tolstoy wrote this biography. All three biographies focus on the great geniuses who, in the arduous journey of life filled with suffering and hardship, dedicated their lives to seeking truth and justice, and to creating immortal works that express truth, goodness, and beauty. They were either tormented by illness, or faced tragic circumstances, or struggled with inner confusion and contradiction, or suffered from all three, to the point where their deep anguish almost suffocated them and destroyed their reason. Yet, they persevered through their arduous paths solely because of their love for humanity and their faith in humanity. The elegant and fluent translation style of the renowned French translator Fu Lei makes this book even more powerful and moving to read.