“Be not afraid of greatness ...”: Leo Tolstoy and Celebrity.

The article presents an in-depth examination into the popular reception of the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy during his career lifetime. Details are given profiling the novelist's career and his growth as a national celebrity in 19th-century Russia. Elements of his popularity discussed include his appearance and depiction in the news, political and popular cartoons, and his reception among the intellectual circles of the nation. Several divergent views on Tolstoy's social and political ideas are mentioned in turn, especially the among the rising socialist groups.