Mahatma Gandhi’s transformation from a young lawyer in South Africa to the architect of Indian independence was forged as much in the pages of books as in political struggle. Among his many influences, three writers in particular, John Ruskin, Leo Tolstoy, and Henry David Thoreau, sharpened his convictions, providing the intellectual framework for a revolution. John Ruskin – Unto This LastUnto This Last by John Ruskin was first published in 1860 as a series of articles in Cornhill Magazine. (FQ Classics) Unto This Last by John Ruskin was first published in 1860 as a series of articles in Cornhill Magazine. In Tolstoy, Gandhi found a mentor who proved that faith could fuel political action.