Death of a Literary Giant

20 November marks the death of Lev Tolstoy in 1910. Tolstoy authored sweeping novels, perhaps most notable, ‘War and Peace’ as well as short stories, many inspired by his military service, including, ‘A Prisoner in the Caucuses’.  Tolstoy’s work attracted admirers through the world. Anton Chekhov, who often visited Tolstoy at his country estate, wrote, “When literature possesses a Tolstoy, it is easy and pleasant to be a writer; even when you know you have achieved nothing yourself and are still achieving nothing, this is not as terrible as it might otherwise be, because Tolstoy achieves for everyone. What he does serves to justify all the hopes and aspirations invested in literature.”

Establishing himself through his later writings as a Christian Anarchist, and pacifist, his writings have been said to have influenced such advocates of non-violence such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mohandes K. Ghandi.

Members of the University Staff can find the works of Tolstoy in the Memorial Library, the largest library in Wisconsin, they can gain access to the space through use of their WisCard ID.