The Cossacks is a short novel published in 1863 by Leo Tolstoy in the magazine, The Russian Messenger. The work has received praise for its simplicity even though it was only finished as a means of paying debt. The novel is a semi-autobiography following Tolstoy's own experiences in the Caucasus war. Odin's Library Classics is dedicated to bringing the world the best of humankind's literature from throughout the ages. Carefully selected, each work is unabridged from classic works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama.