Tolstoy"s first published work, completed in 1856, recounts his early life up to his university days. These are not memoirs in the strict sense of the word, as the author"s Stendhalian take on the autobiographical genre confronts and blurs the notions of reality and imagination, combining nostalgic anecdote with frank personal assessment and philosophical extrapolation. An early display of Tolstoy"s storytelling genius, written in his classically simple yet colorful language, these chronicles provide the reader with invaluable insight into the personal and literary development of one of the greatest writers of all time. Additional materials include essays on Tolstoy"s life and his works, a translator"s note, and early reviews.