Leo Tolstoy
Russian author (1828–1910)
Common Themes
Videos Mentioning Leo Tolstoy
Niall Ferguson: History of Money, Power, War, and Truth | Lex Fridman Podcast #239
Lex Fridman
Russian novelist, whose 'War and Peace' had a major impact on Ferguson, specifically through its essay on historical determinism.
"The War of Art" Author Steven Pressfield on Overcoming Self-Sabotage, Momentum, and Turning Pro
Tim Ferriss
Implied as part of the literary canon (referred to as 'Toll Story') that Paul Rink recommended Steven Pressfield read.
Mark Normand: Comedy! | Lex Fridman Podcast #255
Lex Fridman
Classic Russian author, mentioned by Mark Normand.
Sean Kelly: Existentialism, Nihilism, and the Search for Meaning | Lex Fridman Podcast #227
Lex Fridman
A renowned Russian author, mentioned by the host in the context of famous translators of Russian literature and the deep philosophical thinking required for translating his and Dostoevsky's works.
Barry Barish: Gravitational Waves and the Most Precise Device Ever Built | Lex Fridman Podcast #213
Lex Fridman
A renowned Russian writer, the author of 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina', whose realistic novels influenced Barry Barish's literary preferences.
Master Economist on Strategic Quitting and Valuable Decisions on the Margin — John List
Tim Ferriss
The author of 'Anna Karenina', whose famous opening line is used by John List to articulate his theory of scaling.
Michael Malice: Totalitarianism and Anarchy | Lex Fridman Podcast #200
Lex Fridman
A Christian anarchist and author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, who advocated for non-violence and influenced figures like MLK and Gandhi.
The Angel Philosopher Naval Ravikant on Reading, Making Decisions, Habits, and the Purpose of Life
The Knowledge Project Podcast
A Russian writer, one of his books is in Naval Ravikant's Kindle library.
Jeremi Suri: History of American Power | Lex Fridman Podcast #180
Lex Fridman
Russian author who reflected on Lincoln's greatness, noting how even peasants in the Caucasus recognized Lincoln for his ability to give voice to people.
Ken Burns — A Master Filmmaker on Creative Process | The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss
A Russian writer, considered one of the greatest authors of all time; his definition of art is quoted.
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks — Powerful Books, Mystics, and More
Tim Ferriss
Russian novelist and short story writer, whose novel 'Anna Karenina' is cited for its great opening sentence.
David Eagleman: Neuroplasticity and the Livewired Brain | Lex Fridman Podcast #119
Lex Fridman
Russian author, paraphrased to suggest that leaders like Hitler are representations of the crowd rather than solely independent evil actors.
Life & Work: A Conversation with George Saunders (Episode #372)
Sam Harris
Mentioned as a writer whose works are discussed.
Donald Knuth: Algorithms, Complexity, and The Art of Computer Programming | Lex Fridman Podcast #62
Lex Fridman
A Russian novelist, one of the biggest influences on Knuth, who admired 'Anna Karenina' for its philosophical discussions and portrayal of a whole way of life, contrasting with his dislike for Dostoyevsky's sloppiness.
Secretary Madeleine Albright — Optimism, The Future of the US, and 450-Pound Leg Presses
Tim Ferriss
Author of 'War and Peace,' whose work Albright admires.
The Psychology of War - Are We Doomed to Destroy Ourselves?
Academy of Ideas
Russian author who believed that wars are initiated by governments for their own interests, not the people's, and are always detrimental to the populace.
Jonathan Reisman: The Human Body - From Sex & Sperm to Hands & Heart | Lex Fridman Podcast #297
Lex Fridman
Russian author whose works were loved by an elderly blind Koryak woman in Kamchatka, demonstrating the high level of education from the Soviet era.
Paul Conti: Narcissism, Sociopathy, Envy, and the Nature of Good and Evil | Lex Fridman Podcast #357
Lex Fridman
Russian writer (mispronounced as 'Tchaikovsky') whose work is referenced for its intense and fearless exploration of the human condition and existential suffering.
Fiona Hill: Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump | Lex Fridman Podcast #335
Lex Fridman
Russian author of 'War and Peace', whose writing style was critiqued by Fiona Hill as a teenager.
Steve Keen: Marxism, Capitalism, and Economics | Lex Fridman Podcast #303
Lex Fridman
An author cited in the book 'Marx in Contradiction' to contrast with Marx's philosophy. (Note: The transcript mentions 'Wild Wde' which seems to be a mishearing of 'Wild Boy' or a similar historical figure often contrasted with Marx. The name Leo Tolstoy has been inferred as a plausible, notable author for this context, but the original intent is unclear from the transcript directly).