Tolstoy is most renowned for his two longest works, War and Peace (1865–69) and Anna Karenina (1875–77), both of which are often considered to be among the best novels ever written. For many readers and reviewers, War and Peace, in particular, appears to almost define this form. It is estimated that it has been translated into 56 languages.
Tolstoy was born on November 7, 1828 in Tula, a city in Russia then part of the empire of Tsar Nicholas I. The second of five children of a wealthy landowner, he showed an early interest in literature and art. At age nineteen he traveled across Europe for several months with a friend, visiting major cities including Paris and Rome. When they returned home, Tolstoy continued to live with his family in Tula while trying to find a way to make a living as a writer.
His father wanted him to study law, but instead of enrolling at one of the universities in St. Petersburg, where they lived at the time, young Leo decided to try to make a career as a literary man. In 1845 he moved to Moscow where he spent three years writing articles and reviews for newspapers and academic journals. He also married Sophie von Miltitz, who was sixteen years old at the time and pregnant with their first child.
Leo Tolstoy is well known for his works War and Peace (1865–69) and Anna Karenina (1875–77), which are often regarded as among the best novels ever written. Both books were made into successful films, with Gary Cooper in the lead role of Pierre Bezukhov for the first one and Vincente Minnelli's design for the second.
Tolstoy was a major contributor to the development of modern literature: he was one of the first writers to use real life as a source of inspiration for his fiction, which helped make possible the realism found in novels such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina. His work also includes short story collections, essays, memoirs, and poems.
Tolstoy was born on November 7, 1828 in Kyivan-Saloŭsk, Russian Empire (now Ukraine). His father, Leo Nikolayevich, was a wealthy landowner and amateur artist who died when Tolstoy was only nine years old. After his death, his mother, Maria Nikolaevna, brought up her five children alone while continuing to live a luxurious lifestyle that included having her own baker and shoemaker employed by their housekeeper.
Tolstoy, who was born in 1828 to an aristocratic Russian family, is best known for his novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1878), which are often regarded as the pinnacles of realism literature. His work reflected his interests in history, politics, and society with a focus on individual freedom versus authority. He was also a prominent activist in favor of peasant rights and a propagandist against military service. In addition, he was one of the founders of the movement that led to the creation of free universities in Russia.
When Tolstoy wrote about what century we were living in, he was referring to the modern era: the century following the Renaissance and preceding the Industrial Revolution. He believed that humanity had progressed beyond the values of ancient Greece and Rome and was now capable of creating a better world.
In fact, he hoped that his readers would follow his example and do something useful with their lives by becoming involved in political movements for change. Such activities were certainly worthy goals but they were not easy for someone like Tolstoy, who was well aware of his own limitations. Still, he wanted everyone else to know that progress required courage and hard work. In this way, he hoped to inspire others to fight for their ideals.
Tolstoy died in 1910 at the age of 97.
Count Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian author of novels, short stories, plays, and philosophical essays. He is best known for his epic novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, which are recognized as two of the finest works of Russian literature.
Here are the seven greatest Leo Tolstoy books in order of publication date.
1. War and Peace (1865–66) is an epic novel by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the period from 1805 to 1856, it tells the story of the various members of the aristocratic French and Russian families involved in several important events, such as the Napoleonic Wars, the Greek Revolution, and the Mexican War of Independence. The novel is divided into 7 parts titled after the weeks that pass between events in the story.
2. Anna Karenina (1873) is a tragic love story that focuses on the adulterous affair between a wealthy landowner's son and a married woman. The story takes place in St. Petersburg during the last years of the Old Regime and the first years of the French Empire. It consists of 64 chapters named after their corresponding stanzas in Pushkin's poem "Anna Karenina".
3. The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886) is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy.
The fact that he never won is a major source of contention. Tolstoy, who was born in 1828 to an aristocratic Russian family, is best known for his novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1878), which are often regarded as the pinnacles of realism literature.
| Leo Tolstoy | |
|---|---|
| Language | Russian |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Period | 1847–1910 |
| Literary movement | Realism |
Because of his two classic books, War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy is regarded as one of the most significant and prolific writers in history. When Tolstoy's brother, Nikolay, returned home on leave, he convinced him to join the army and fight in the Crimean War in Ukraine until 1855. After their return, they both fell in love with the same woman, Tatiana Shchukin. Unaware of this, she married another man. Heartbroken, Tolstoy wrote War and Peace in just 60 days, finishing just before the publication date of July 1, 1869. He then spent three years writing Anna Karenina, which was published in 1876.
Tolstoy was a major force in bringing about changes within Russian society and culture. His works can be read today as political essays on many issues including war and peace, equality before law, individual freedom, and moral responsibility.
He started writing poetry when he was very young, but it was not published until after his death. In fact, only four poems by Tolstoy are included in major collections of Russian poetry. However, these few poems show him to be quite innovative while still adhering to traditional forms. They also make clear that he was much more than a poet: he was interested in many different kinds of literature including novels, plays, essays, and reports.
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