Leo Tolstoy

“I have found that a story leaves a deeper impression when it is impossible to tell which side the author is on.”

— Leo Tolstoy

Life & Background:

Born in 1828 in Russia, Tolstoy was a nobleman-turned-mystic who wrote vast, philosophical novels. Later in life, he underwent a radical religious awakening and rejected wealth, violence, and the church.

Inspirations:

Russian history, Christian morality, pacifism, the peasantry, and existential meaning. Influenced by Eastern philosophy and asceticism.

Themes in His Work:

• War, peace, and the complexity of history

• Moral struggle and spiritual awakening

• Family, love, and personal downfall

• Society’s artificial values

• Death, simplicity, and truth

Notable Works:

• War and Peace

• Anna Karenina

• The Death of Ivan Ilyich

• Resurrection