Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy's 'Sevastopol Stories' (1828–1910) are dedicated to the heroic defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. For several months, Tolstoy remained in the besieged city and participated in its defense. For his bravery, the young officer was awarded the Order of St. Anne and the medals 'For the Defense of Sevastopol' and 'In Memory of the War of 1853–1856.' In these stories, written under the vivid impression of the events in Sevastopol, the writer depicted the war 'not in its orderly, beautiful, and brilliant formation, with music and drumbeats,' but 'in its true form—in blood, in suffering, in death...' 'Sevastopol Stories' was published in 1855–1856. The publication of Tolstoy's stories in the journal Sovremennik cemented his reputation as a brilliant, talented writer, on whom, as N. A. Nekrasov wrote, all the hopes of Russian literature were pinned. This edition also includes Tolstoy's other early stories: 'The Snowstorm,' 'Three Deaths,' and 'Polikushka.'