The Cossack Captive. Hadji Murat. Stories and Tales

This book contains stories and tales by Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910) about the life of soldiers, the Caucasus, and military actions, based on his own experiences. He served in the military for 4 years and was awarded the Order of "For the Defense of Sevastopol." The horrors experienced by the defenders of the city are reflected in the "Sevastopol Tales," which were widely read and reached Alexander II. The Emperor was so impressed that he ordered them to be translated into French and published in the newspaper Le Nord, which was read on the opposing side. The story "The Cossack Captive" was written for "Azbuka" and first published in 1872. Tolstoy himself highly valued this story as a "sample of the techniques and language that I write and will write for the great ones." The tale "Hadji Murat" was published after Tolstoy's death and became a result of his personal impressions and further research on the Caucasian War. The collection also includes stories such as "Two Hussars," "Decembrists," "Cossacks," and others.