Leo.Tolstoy Anna Karenina Modern Library 2000

About the Author:

Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian novelist, moral philosopher, and social reformer who is universally recognized as one of the towering figures of world literature. Born into Russian nobility at his family estate of Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy first achieved critical acclaim with his semi-autobiographical trilogy—Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth—and his vivid depictions of military life, notably in The Cossacks and the Sevastopol Sketches.

He achieved worldwide renown with his epic masterworks of realism, War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written, Anna Karenina combines intimate psychological insight with sweeping social observation, exploring themes of passion, infidelity, rural life, and existential search for meaning within nineteenth-century Russian society.

Following a profound spiritual crisis in the late 1870s, Tolstoy turned increasingly toward moral philosophy, Christian anarchism, and ascetic pacifism. His later writings, including A Confession and thematic compilations such as A Calendar of Wisdom, document his quest for faith, truth, and ethical living. Tolstoy's doctrine of nonviolent resistance directly inspired later global leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Today, his expansive body of fiction, essays, and spiritual reflections continues to be celebrated for its emotional depth, moral urgency, and unmatched understanding of the human condition.