Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer and thinker. He was born in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia, in 1828. He wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina, two of the most celebrated novels in history. He is considered one of the greatest authors of all time.

Early Life

Tolstoy was born into a wealthy noble family. Both his parents died when he was young. He studied at university but did not finish. He served in the army and then began writing about his experiences.

A portrait of Leo Tolstoy when he was twenty years old.
A portrait of Leo Tolstoy when he was twenty years old. (Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Tolstoy wrote War and Peace, a massive novel about Russian life during the Napoleonic Wars. He also wrote Anna Karenina, a story about love and society. Later in life, he gave up his wealth and lived simply. His ideas about nonviolence influenced Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Fun Facts

  • War and Peace has about 580,000 words and over 500 characters.
  • Tolstoy's wife, Sophia, copied the manuscript of War and Peace by hand at least seven times.
  • He gave up his fortune and tried to live like a peasant.

Did You Know?

Tolstoy's ideas about nonviolent resistance inspired both Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Even though he was a Russian nobleman, his beliefs about peace and simplicity changed the world.