The Cossacks: A Tale of 1852 (Barnes & Noble Digital Library)

This early work by Tolstoy, published in 1863, is based on his own experiences serving with the army in the Caucasus region in the 1850s.  A young Russian, Dimitry Olenin, leaves his cultured life in Moscow in search of authentic experiences among the untamed Cossacks.  What he finds will change his life forever.