"He remains the greatest of all novelists – what else can we call the author of War and Peace?" - Virginia Woolf

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was born in central Russia. After serving in the Crimean War, he retreated to his estate and dedicated himself to writing, farming, and raising his large family. His novels and open social polemics brought him worldwide fame.

Anthony Briggs (translator) has written, translated, or edited twenty books in the field of Russian and English literature.

Orlando Figes (introduction) is the award-winning author of A People's Tragedy and Natasha's Dance. He is a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the New York Review of Books.