Who has written the famous historical novel "War and Peace"?

Introduction / Context:
"War and Peace" is one of the most celebrated works of world literature, studied widely in competitive exams under the books and authors section of general knowledge. The question tests whether the learner can correctly associate this classic novel with its Russian author, a core fact that often appears in exams related to literature, history, and general awareness. Knowing the correct pairing helps build a strong foundation for answering similar questions about other famous books and their writers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The title of the work given in the question is "War and Peace".
• The options list several well known authors from different countries and literary traditions.
• We assume the question refers to the original author of the novel, not translators or commentators.
• We also assume that only one option is intended to be fully correct.

Concept / Approach:
To answer books and authors questions correctly, a student should connect each well known title with its primary creator. "War and Peace" is widely recognized as a Russian historical novel about the Napoleonic wars and Russian aristocratic families. Its author, Leo Tolstoy, is a central figure in Russian literature. By recalling this standard association, we can confidently choose the correct option and reject the distractors, who are important writers but linked to different works and cultures.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall what "War and Peace" is about: it is a long historical novel set in Russia during the Napoleonic period. Step 2: Remember that this novel is commonly associated with Russian literature and appears alongside "Anna Karenina" in discussions of major Russian classics. Step 3: Identify which of the given authors is a Russian novelist known for such works. Step 4: Khushwant Singh is an Indian author known for works like "Train to Pakistan", not "War and Peace". Step 5: Mikhail Sholokhov is a Russian writer, but he is famous for "And Quiet Flows the Don". Step 6: Saul Bellow is a North American novelist associated with works like "Herzog" and "Humboldt's Gift". Step 7: Count Leo Tolstoy is the Russian author whose major novels include "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina". Step 8: Therefore, the correct answer is Count Leo Tolstoy.

Verification / Alternative Check:
A quick secondary check is to recall standard exam tables or lists of books and authors. Almost every basic general knowledge book lists "War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy". This match is consistent across textbooks, reference guides, and exam preparation material. None of the other given authors is ever paired with this specific title in standard sources, which confirms that selecting Count Leo Tolstoy is accurate and safe for exams.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Khushwant Singh wrote important Indian works like "Train to Pakistan" and "Delhi", not "War and Peace". Mikhail Sholokhov is associated with "And Quiet Flows the Don" and other Soviet era works, not this novel. Saul Bellow, an American or Canadian American writer, focused on modern urban life and identity; he did not write "War and Peace". Fyodor Dostoevsky, added as an extra distractor, wrote novels like "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brothers Karamazov" but not "War and Peace".

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse different Russian authors because many of them wrote long philosophical novels. It is common to mix up Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, or to vaguely remember that "some Russian writer" created "War and Peace" without recalling the exact name. Another pitfall is selecting any familiar author's name without checking whether their main works match the given title. Building a small mental list of classic titles and their authors helps avoid these errors in exams.

Final Answer:
The novel "War and Peace" was written by Count Leo Tolstoy.