Leo Tolstoy 
Hadji Murád 

‘Hadji Murad’ was Tolstoy’s last novel. It is a narrative based on actual events that occurred during the Russian war with the Chechens in 1850s Russia. Tolstoy enlisted in the Russian army and saw first hand the brutality of this war. ‘Hadji Murad’ is the story of its central character. A soldier on the Chechen side who breaks ranks and flees to the side of the Russians. Months later Hadji returns to try and rescue his imprisoned family with tragic consequences. ‘Hadji Murad’ is a classic tale in which Tolstoy brilliantly exhibits the brutality and senselessness of war.