Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910), known in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian novelist, moral philosopher, and social reformer regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time. He is best known for his epic novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877), widely considered masterpieces of realist fiction.

Born into an aristocratic family in Tula Province, Russia, Tolstoy studied at Kazan University before serving in the army during the Crimean War, experiences that shaped his early works. In addition to his fiction, he wrote essays and philosophical treatises exploring morality, religion, and nonviolent resistance, influencing figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Tolstoy’s later life was marked by a rejection of material wealth, advocacy for pacifism, and pursuit of spiritual simplicity. His works have been translated into dozens of languages and continue to inspire readers worldwide for their deep moral insights, humanistic themes, and vivid portrayals of Russian society. He died in 1910, leaving an enduring literary and philosophical legacy.