Leonid N. Andreyev

Leonid Nikolayevich Andreyev (1871-1919), Russian novelist, dramatist and photographer was one of the most successful Russian writers from 1902-1914. Among his many works, The Seven Who Were Hanged was published in 1908;

I am very glad that The Story of the Seven Who Were Hanged will be read in English. The misfortune of us all is that we know so little, even nothing, about one another-neither about the soul, nor the life, the sufferings, the habits, the inclinations, the aspirations of one another. Literature, which I have the honor to serve, is dear to me just because the noblest task it sets before itself is that of wiping out boundaries and distances.--from Andreyev's Introduction
Leonid Nikolayevich Andreyev was born 21 August, 1871, in Oryol Province, Russia. His father was a civil servant. He has always been noted for his autobiographical grim portent and ability to convey despair and pessimism in his work, while critiquing the bourgeoisie and nobility. He experienced the utter depths of depression when he was twenty while studying law at St. Petersburg University. He then transferred to the University of Moscow. Onset of mental health issues led to several suicide attempts, thus he abandoned law and became a police court reporter for the Moscow Courier. Around this time Andreyev also dabbled in photography, experimenting with colour and his favourite genre, self-portraits. His first short stories including "In the Fog" (1902) and "The Abyss" (1902) were published in newspapers and periodicals.