Leo Tolstoy
The Russian lion
Everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.
Leo Tolstoy was perhaps the greatest Russian writer ever. He is best known by the general public as the author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina.
This site is however dedicated to the philosophy of the great man, the consequence of which was to change the face of the latter half of the last Century.
His teaching and writings inspired Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.
His philosophy of passive resistance against evil could have changed the face of the 20th. century from its beginning, if Tsar Nicholas had listened and taken Tolstoy’s advice. This obstinacy cost the Tsar his life as well as that of his whole family.
Tolstoy knew only too well that Communism was not the solution for his beloved Russia. He clearly stated this in his writings and talks with the leaders of the movement.
One can only speculate, if Communism had not swept across Eastern Europe, would two world wars have developed? If leaders had read his philosophical works and followed the principles of Tolstoy’s wisdom we could now be living in a better world.
This is the challenge to our world leaders today -
November 20th, 2010 will be the 100th anniversary of Tolstoy’s death.
The world is a better place because of his writings yet few people are aware of his influence
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no-
Leo Tolstoy
Only colour photograph of the novelist, shot at his Yasnaya Polyana estate in 1908
by Prokudin-
Born September 9, 1828(1828-
Died November 20, 1910 (aged 82) at Astapovo, Russia
Occupation Novelist
Genres Realist Notable work(s)
War and Peace
Anna Karenina
Resurrection
