Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer, celebrated as one of the greatest authors of all time. Having received nominations for the Noble Prize in Literature every year from 1902 to 1909, his work spans the novels 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina, along with 'Sevastopol Sketches', based on his experiences of the Crimean war. Author of plays and numerous psychological essays, Tolstoy also penned dozens of short stories, such as 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich', 'Family Happiness' and 'After the Ball'. Tolstoy remains today a hugely influential thinker, figure and writer on the concept of human existence and experiences.