A great writer who inspired Gandhi and many others…

Who is your favourite historical figure?

I‘m a huge admirer of Tolstoy

The author of War and Peace

Not just for his powerful writing

A fascinating man.

Born to privilege and to wealth

He turned his back on both

Champion of the poor man and the lowly serf

In the end he left it all and simply walked away

A soldier who saw service

And fought in bloody wars

Became a radical Christian

And champion of peace.

Rejected both the church and state

A Christian anarchist

Assumed as others somehow don’t

That Christ said what he meant.

He wouldn’t judge another

Or turn his hand to war

Took for inspiration

The Sermon on the Mount.

He corresponded with Gandhi

They say he influenced him

The principle of Ahimsa

The Kingdom of God Within.