Birthdate: 9th September 1828
Nationality: Russian
Bio:
Leo Tolstoy is considered one of the greatest writers of all time, known primarily for his two epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Born in 1828 at Yasnaya Polyana, Russia, Tolstoy came from an aristocratic family and drew extensively from his experiences of 19th century Russian high society. He studied oriental languages and philosophy, which influenced his later spiritual and philosophical development. Though he began writing stories and novels in his 20s, Tolstoy’s masterworks were still ahead.
War and Peace, published between 1865–1869, established Tolstoy as one of the giants of Russian literature. The vast panoramic novel intertwines the personal stories and romances of five aristocratic families with the historic events of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. Its scope, complexity and naturalistic technique profoundly influenced later generations of authors. Anna Karenina, published in serial form between 1875–1877, tells of a woman’s adulterous affair and the impact on her family within a critique of the moral hypocrisy of high society. Both works are considered among the greatest novels ever written.
Later in life, Tolstoy underwent a profound spiritual crisis that led him to become a Christian anarchist and pacifist. He wrote political and philosophical tracts denouncing the Russian government and state religion. Tolstoy’s works both captured the essence of Russian life and left an enduring mark on world literature through their universal themes of history, war, love and the human condition.
