He studied eastern languages for a time at Kazan University, but dropped out to enter the military where he served in the Caucasus. Tolstoy's characters were alone with their feelings. For them, it is a process. They don't forget their souls, and the 'kingdom of god', although crafted by people, is attainable. Good things happen in nature, and only evil comes of the big cities.
Animals have feelings and can speak.
The novella stems from the time he served as an officer in the Caucasus and the action he saw there. War, according to Tolstoy, sets people apart and against each other, while human nature dictates the opposite. The cover features an illustration by E. Lansere, and a famous portrait of Tolstoy by I. Kramskoy. Two excellent stories by a master writer of late 19th century Russia.