Leo Tolstoy was a renowned Russian author and philosopher. He is best known for his epic novels “War and Peace” (1869) and “Anna Karenina” (1877), which are considered masterpieces of realist fiction. Tolstoy was born into an aristocratic family on September 9, 1828, in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia. He experienced a tumultuous childhood, losing both parents at a young age. He studied law and oriental languages at Kazan University but left without completing his degree. His early works, including the semi-autobiographical trilogy “Childhood,” “Boyhood,” and “Youth,” gained him initial literary acclaim. Tolstoy’s experiences as a soldier during the Crimean War deeply influenced his later works and philosophical outlook. In the 1870s, he underwent a profound spiritual crisis, leading to his conversion to a form of Christian anarchism and pacifism. His later writings, such as “The Kingdom of God Is Within You” (1894), reflect his religious and moral beliefs. Tolstoy’s ideas on nonviolent resistance influenced notable figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He passed away on November 20, 1910, in Astapovo, Russia. His literary and philosophical contributions continue to resonate worldwide.