In his early life, he struggled with his studies and drifted through life ending up with large gambling debts. Fed up with his aimless meaningless life he volunteered to serve in the Russian army but his experiences as a soldier led him to become a pacifist in later life. He wrote his battlefield observations in Sevastopol Sketches and this raised his profile as a leading Russian writer, gaining the attention even of the current Tsar. Later looking back on these years (in his Confessions 1882), he bitterly regretted his misspent years. Tolstoy had a deep interest in seeking a greater understanding and justification of life. He travelled widely through Europe but became increasingly disenchanted with the materialism of the European Bourgeoisie. He could be argumentative with those he disagreed with such as Turgenev (widely considered the greatest Russian writer of his generation). He also developed an increasing sympathy with peasants, the poor, downtrodden from society. He went out of his way to help and serve them.