列夫·尼古拉耶維奇·托爾斯泰(ЛевНиколаевич Толстой)(1828～1910) 19世紀末20世紀初俄國最偉大的文學傢，也是世界文學史上最傑齣的作傢之一，他的文學作品在世界文學中占有重要的地位。代錶作有長篇小說《戰爭與和平》、《安娜·卡列尼娜》、《復活》以及自傳體小說三部麯《幼年》《少年》《青年》。其它作品還有《一個地主的早晨》《哥薩剋》《塞瓦斯托波爾故事集》等。他也創作瞭大量童話。他以自己一生的辛勤創作，登上瞭當時歐洲批判現實主義文學的高峰。他還以自己有力的筆觸和卓越的藝術技巧辛勤創作瞭“世界文學中第一流的作品”，因此被列寜稱頌為具有“最清醒的現實主義”的“天纔藝術傢”。

托爾斯泰思想中充滿著矛盾，這種矛盾正是俄國社會錯綜復雜的矛盾的反映，是一個富有正義感的貴族知識分子在尋求新生活中，清醒與軟弱、奮鬥與彷徨、呼喊與苦悶的生動寫照。托爾斯泰的作品縱然其中有反動的和空想的東西，但仍不失為世界進步人類的驕傲，他已被公認是全世界的文學泰鬥。列夫·托爾斯泰被列寜稱為“俄國革命的鏡子”

Published to coincide with the centenary of Tolstoy's death, here is an exciting new edition of one of the great literary works of world literature. Tolstoy's epic masterpiece captures with unprecedented immediacy the broad sweep of life during the Napoleonic wars and the brutal invasion of Russia. Balls and soirées, the burning of Moscow, the intrigues of statesmen and generals, scenes of violent battles, the quiet moments of everyday life--all in a work whose extraordinary imaginative power has never been surpassed. The Maudes' translation of Tolstoy's epic masterpiece has long been considered the best English version, and now for the first time it has been revised to bring it fully into line with modern approaches to the text. French passages are restored, Anglicization of Russian names removed, and outmoded expressions updated. A new introduction by Amy Mandelker considers the novel's literary and historical context, the nature of the work, and Tolstoy's artistic and philosophical aims. New, expanded notes provide historical background and identifications, as well as insight into Russian life and society.