Lev Tolstoy

Lev Tolstoy (1828–1910), also known as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer widely regarded as one of the greatest novelists of all time. Born into an aristocratic family at Yasnaya Polyana, he served in the army before devoting himself to literature. His masterpiece, War and Peace (1869), is an epic novel depicting Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars, celebrated for its vast scope and realistic portrayal of human life. Anna Karenina (1877), another monumental work, explores themes of love, family, faith, and social hypocrisy through the tragic story of its heroine.

Beyond fiction, Tolstoy's later works reflect deep spiritual and moral concerns. The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886) examines the meaning of life and death, while Resurrection (1899), his final novel, critiques social injustice and the legal system. His religious and philosophical writings, including The Kingdom of God Is Within You, influenced figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Tolstoy's advocacy of nonviolence, simplicity, and moral self-improvement made him not only a literary giant but also a moral philosopher. He died in 1910 at a small railway station, leaving an indelible mark on world literature and thought.