Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, more commonly known as Leo Tolstoy, was born on September 9, 1828, in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia, and passed away on November 20, 1910. Tolstoy is widely regarded as one of the greatest novelists in the annals of world literature. His masterpieces 'War & Peace' and 'Anna Karenina' stand as pinnacles of realist fiction. 'War & Peace' (1869), a novel woven with the historical narrative of Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the effects of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society through the lives of five Russian aristocratic families, has been acclaimed for its complex structure, vast cast of characters, and insightful analysis of the varieties of human experience. A veteran of the Crimean War, Tolstoy's exposure to the futility and carnage of military conflict deeply influenced his writing and philosophical outlook. His fiction, characterized by its moralistic and ascetic tendencies, evolved significantly over time, echoing his own journey through spiritual crisis and pacifist leanings. Tolstoy's stylistic techniques, particularly his attention to detail and use of realistic dialogue, have cemented his legacy as a pioneering figure in literary realism. Outside of literature, Tolstoy's ideas on nonviolent resistance influenced figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Tolstoy's impact on both literature and social thought continues to be the subject of extensive scholarly discussion and reverence.