Mortality is a subject many would rather avoid. Leo Tolstoy's novella "one of he most lacerating works of literture ever written, a hard, pitiless stare into the abyss, not just of death, but of human nature" allows us breathing room to investigate it through one man an how he faces dying and those close to him.

Reading the book is a prerequisite for the class discussion. This is not a lecture. The book can be purchased online for $.99 and may be free on some sites.