Leo Tolstoy

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (/ˈtoʊlstɔɪ, ˈtɒl-/;Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й, pronounced [lʲɛf nʲɪkɐˈlaɪvʲɪtɕ tɐlˈstoj]; 9 September [O.S. 28 August] 1828 – 20 November [O.S. 7 November] 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time.

Born to an aristocratic Russian family in 1828, he is best known for the novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877), often cited as pinnacles of realist fiction. He first achieved literary acclaim in his twenties with his semi-autobiographical trilogy, Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth (1852–1856), and Sevastopol Sketches (1855), based upon his experiences in the Crimean War. Tolstoy's fiction includes dozens of short stories and several novellas such as The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Family Happiness, and Hadji Murad. He also wrote plays and numerous philosophical essays.

In the 1870s Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis, followed by what he regarded as an equally profound spiritual awakening, as outlined in his non-fiction work A Confession. His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him to become a fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist. Tolstoy's ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal 20th-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Tolstoy also became a dedicated advocate of Georgism, the economic philosophy of Henry George, which he incorporated into his writing, particularly Resurrection.

Dilemma

A dilemma (Greek: δίλημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable. One in this position has been traditionally described as "being on the horns of a dilemma", neither horn being comfortable. This is sometimes more colorfully described as "Finding oneself impaled upon the horns of a dilemma", referring to the sharp points of a bull's horns, equally uncomfortable (and dangerous).

The dilemma is sometimes used as a rhetorical device, in the form "you must accept either A, or B"; here A and B would be propositions each leading to some further conclusion. Applied incorrectly, it constitutes a false dichotomy, a fallacy.

Types

Colorful names have been given to many types of dilemmas.

Dilemma (song)

"Dilemma" is a song by American rapper Nelly, featuring American R&B singer Kelly Rowland. It was released on June 25, 2002 as the third single from the Nelly's second studio album Nellyville (2002), and the lead single from Rowland's debut solo album Simply Deep (2002). It was number one in ten countries, including the UK, the US and Australia, selling over 7.6 million copies worldwide. The song depicts the declaration of forbidden love by a female lover in a committed relationship, and the predicament the male protagonist must face.

In the 55th Anniversary of the Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine, the song was ranked at number 75 on the all-time Hot 100 songs while at the end of 2009 was named the 11th most successful song from 2000 to 2009, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 45th Grammy Awards. "Dilemma" was accredited internationally with 16 certifications.

Background and release

St. Louis producer Bam handed Nelly a skeleton track which producer Ryan Bower produced, which samples and contains elements from Patti LaBelle's "Love, Need and Want You" from her 1983 album I'm In Love Again. Upon hearing the beat, he began writing lyrics and then wrote a song out from it. Nelly decided to make the song a last-minute addition to his second album Nellyville, which had already been completed prior to Bam giving him the track. Once Nelly returned to the studio to record the track, his vision changed, wanting to add a female vocal onto it. He instantly thought of girl group Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland, whom he had met during the TRL tour in 2001. Nelly called Rowland by phone and agreed. After a few days of recording, during which Rowland rerecorded her part many times to achieve it "just right", "Dilemma" was completed.

Dilemma (novel)

Dilemma is a 1999 novel from Australian author Jon Cleary. It was the sixteenth book featuring Sydney detective Scobie Malone and involves his investigation of a murder in his parent's town and a kidnapping.

References

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