Russian writer, philosopher. Born in Yasnaya Polyana, Tula province, in a rich aristocratic family. He entered the Kazan University, but then left it. At 23 years of age went to war with Chechnya and Dagestan. Here he began to write the trilogy "Childhood", "Adolescence", "Youth". In the Caucasus, participated in military actions, being an artillery officer. During the Crimean war, went to Sebastopol, where he continued to fight. After the war he went to St. Petersburg and in the journal "Sovremennik" published "Sevastopol stories", which vividly reflected his outstanding writing talent. In 1857 he set off for a trip to Europe, which had disappointed him. From 1853 to 1863 wrote the novel "the Cossacks", and then decided to interrupt her literary career and become a landowner-a landowner, engaged in educational work in the village. With this purpose, went to Yasnaya Polyana, where he opened a school for peasant children and have created our own system of pedagogy. In 1863-1869 he wrote his fundamental work "War and peace". In 1873-1877, he wrote the novel "Anna Karenina". During these years fully formed worldview of the writer known as "tolstoyism", the essence of which is seen in the works: "Confessions", "what is my faith?", "Kreutzer Sonata". The doctrine set out in philosophical and religious works "the Study of dogmatic theology", "the Connection and translation of the four Gospels", where the emphasis is on the moral perfection of a person, exposing evil, non-resistance to evil by violence. Later, he published a series: drama "the Power of darkness" and the Comedy "the Fruits of enlightenment", then a series of stories-parables about the laws of life. From all over the world to Yasnaya Polyana attracted the admirers of the writer, whom they came to regard as a spiritual mentor. In 1899 he published the novel "Resurrection". The writer's last works — the stories "Father Sergius" and "After the ball", "Posthumous notes of the elder Fyodor Kuzmich" and the drama "the Living corpse". Confessional journalism Tolstoy gives a detailed presentation about his mental drama: drawing a picture of social inequality and idleness educated, Thick in the rigid form put before the public questions of the meaning of life and faith, criticized all institutions of government, reaching up to denial of science, art, court, marriage, achievements of civilization. Social Declaration Tolstoy relies on the notion of Christianity as a doctrine about moral and ethical ideas of Christianity comprehended them in a humanistic way, as the basis of a universal brotherhood of people. In 1901, followed by reaction of the Synod: world-famous writer was formally excommunicated, which caused a huge public outcry. On 28 October 1910 Tolstoy from the family secretly left Yasnaya Polyana, on the way fell ill and was forced to get off the train at the small railway station of Astapovo, it was a part of the Ural railway. Here, in the house of the station he spent the last seven days of his life.
