Leo Tolstoy

Born into an aristocratic family, Tolstoy's early years at the university were characterised by the pursuit of pleasure. With the publication of Anna Karenina, he experienced a profound emptiness in his way of being.

A formidable linguistic scholar of Hebraic, classical, and romance languages, Tolstoy began to question Russian orthodoxy and immersed himself in theological studies. As a result of his writings on art, education, and social issues, he received international recognition by such influential figures as George Bernard Shaw, Mahatma Gandhi, and Woodrow Wilson.

With the publication of his last novel in 1899, Resurrection, Tolstoy believed he had succeeded in writing a story for "the people".