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War and Peace Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; New edition
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First published February 4, 2013
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About the author
Leo Tolstoy
7,861 books29.1k followersLev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His 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 twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His 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 twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 7, 2025
It was a'ight.
LOL imagine if I left my review at just that. But genuinely... even though I spent all of 2024 reading one the longest books ever written, I can't muster up much more than "it was fine". I have to imagine that most of the 5-star reviews on here are people trying to feel better about the fact that they too have spent an inordinate amount of time reading this chonker. But fully half of it (900 pages on the kindle edition) was pretty boring!! Let's get into it, I guess.
"All we can know is that we know nothing. And that's the height of human wisdom."
Like with Anna Karenina, Tolstoy shines in the interpersonal dramas here. I really came to love the Rostovs as they change throughout the years - flighty Natasha, stubborn Nikolai, poor poor Sonya. I loved Andrei in his many mental states, and even appreciated the religious and dutiful Marya, stuck in an impossible situation. But no one gave me more entertainment than hapless ole' Pierre. Tolstoy has never created a funnier character, and the fact that Pierre is loosely based on himself makes it all the more hilarious. Everything Pierre did was so dumb!!! I stan!!!
"The one thing he now desired with his whole soul was to get away quickly from the terrible sensations amid which he had lived that day and return to ordinary conditions of life and sleep quietly in a room in his own bed." Truly nothing more relatable. Same, Pierre!
"'Greatness,' it seems, excludes the standards of right and wrong. For the 'great' man nothing is wrong, there is no atrocity for which a 'great' man can be blamed."
So you thought half of War & Peace was boring, Chelsey? Let me guess, was it the war parts? A good guess! And you would be MOSTLY right. I actually didn't hate ALL of the war stuff like I thought I would. When Tolstoy uses war to demonstrate how dumb war is, or how it affects citizens on a personal level, I was actually pretty invested.
But Tolstoy likes to spend half of his time waxing philosophical on the nature of war, on what it means to have power, on why leaders choose to do what they do, only to come to roundabout conclusions that amount to...we don't really know. He looooooves to shit on historians, which if I read this back when it first came out would probably resonate better than today, but as of today I do not care! That second epilogue was a STRUGGLE, which is a shame because if it had ended at the first epilogue I probably would have rated this a whole star higher. Instead it was like listening to a dude in your freshman year of college regurgitate what he learned from Joe Rogan as his own opinion.
All that said, I don't regret reading this and WILL be bragging about it for the rest of my life. Tolstoy had some absolute bangers that I wanted to note here:
"Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy."
"Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women."
"Because of the self-confidence with which he had spoken, no one could tell whether what he said was very clever or very stupid."
"Life did not stop, and one had to live."
Additional note: If you ever want to take on the Whiskey and Perseverance challenge (aka reading a chapter of War & Peace a day for a whole year), I highly recommend this subreddit. It provided a lot of great historical context and I found the discussions sometimes more interesting than the chapters themselves!
Also shoutout to my girls Kristin and Chelsea for the book club group chat throughout the year. Y'all kept me going and I can't wait for our final discussion at the Russian Tea Room!
LOL imagine if I left my review at just that. But genuinely... even though I spent all of 2024 reading one the longest books ever written, I can't muster up much more than "it was fine". I have to imagine that most of the 5-star reviews on here are people trying to feel better about the fact that they too have spent an inordinate amount of time reading this chonker. But fully half of it (900 pages on the kindle edition) was pretty boring!! Let's get into it, I guess.
"All we can know is that we know nothing. And that's the height of human wisdom."
Like with Anna Karenina, Tolstoy shines in the interpersonal dramas here. I really came to love the Rostovs as they change throughout the years - flighty Natasha, stubborn Nikolai, poor poor Sonya. I loved Andrei in his many mental states, and even appreciated the religious and dutiful Marya, stuck in an impossible situation. But no one gave me more entertainment than hapless ole' Pierre. Tolstoy has never created a funnier character, and the fact that Pierre is loosely based on himself makes it all the more hilarious. Everything Pierre did was so dumb!!! I stan!!!
"The one thing he now desired with his whole soul was to get away quickly from the terrible sensations amid which he had lived that day and return to ordinary conditions of life and sleep quietly in a room in his own bed." Truly nothing more relatable. Same, Pierre!
"'Greatness,' it seems, excludes the standards of right and wrong. For the 'great' man nothing is wrong, there is no atrocity for which a 'great' man can be blamed."
So you thought half of War & Peace was boring, Chelsey? Let me guess, was it the war parts? A good guess! And you would be MOSTLY right. I actually didn't hate ALL of the war stuff like I thought I would. When Tolstoy uses war to demonstrate how dumb war is, or how it affects citizens on a personal level, I was actually pretty invested.
But Tolstoy likes to spend half of his time waxing philosophical on the nature of war, on what it means to have power, on why leaders choose to do what they do, only to come to roundabout conclusions that amount to...we don't really know. He looooooves to shit on historians, which if I read this back when it first came out would probably resonate better than today, but as of today I do not care! That second epilogue was a STRUGGLE, which is a shame because if it had ended at the first epilogue I probably would have rated this a whole star higher. Instead it was like listening to a dude in your freshman year of college regurgitate what he learned from Joe Rogan as his own opinion.
All that said, I don't regret reading this and WILL be bragging about it for the rest of my life. Tolstoy had some absolute bangers that I wanted to note here:
"Pure and complete sorrow is as impossible as pure and complete joy."
"Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women."
"Because of the self-confidence with which he had spoken, no one could tell whether what he said was very clever or very stupid."
"Life did not stop, and one had to live."
Additional note: If you ever want to take on the Whiskey and Perseverance challenge (aka reading a chapter of War & Peace a day for a whole year), I highly recommend this subreddit. It provided a lot of great historical context and I found the discussions sometimes more interesting than the chapters themselves!
Also shoutout to my girls Kristin and Chelsea for the book club group chat throughout the year. Y'all kept me going and I can't wait for our final discussion at the Russian Tea Room!
June 26, 2025
يكتب عن عالم كبير ومعقد وعن أسئلة ملحة ويراقب شخصياته ويرصد تحولاتها ونموها وموتها، لكنك تشعر معه بالأمان والحب وتشعر بأنك شاهد مهم معه وأنه لا يفرض عليك أفكاره.. في الحقيقة تشعر أن الكاتب يرفع من مستواك ويجعلك تشهد كل هذا التاريخ العظيم.. هذا هو تولستوي..
في منتصف الحرب والسلام بالضبط بعد المعارك الأولى وقبل المعارك الحاسمة بين روسيا ونابليون، هناك فصل في غاية الجمال، عبارة عن لوحة سنيمائية تكتب نفسها بعفوية وتدفق وخفة يد وحب، عن .. رحلة قنص.. حرفيا رحلة قنص.. تقرأه وتدرك لماذا شيوخ وأمراء الخليج وغيرهم يحبون هذه الرياضة، هناك مشاعر كثيرة وممارسات وعادات لا نعرفها لكن تولستوي يعرفها ويقدمها كما هي.. طبعا نيتفلكس أو السينما أو بث مباشر على الإعلام الاجتماعي يستطيع أن يقدم هذه الرحلة .. فلماذا نفتح تولستوي؟ نعم كل هذه الأمور مذهلة والذكاء الصناعي قادم في الدرب وسيفعل الكثير ويلغي الكثير ويبني الكثير.. لكن صوت تولستوي وعالمه، والمشاعر والحكمة التي يولدها في داخلك.. هذه تجربة لا تعوض جميلة وصادقة وتتفاعل معها بإبتسامة.. هذا هو تولستوي..
وفي الحديث عن ملهيات زمننا، سألت نفسي وأنا أقبض على نسخة الحرب والسلام لدي، لماذا أقرأ 1300 صفحة؟ هل عندي التركيز اللازم؟ أعتقد فعلا أن الإعلام الاجتماعي امتص واستباح الكثير من قدرتي على التركيز لمدة تزيد عن دقائق متواصلة، وأنا الآن أسلم فصول الدكتوراه وبدأت عمل جديد والحياة مزدحمة بالخيارات لماذا أقرا كل هذا؟ ثم تستمر بقراءة الصفحات والفصول وتستثمر من وقتك وتركيزك، وتبدأ الحياة العميقة المتلاطمة كالبحر الحقيقية الموجودة في الكتاب بالدخول فيك وتبدأ بالعيش مع ناس الكتاب وأحداثه وتاريخه .. قرأت في السابق توصيف لكاتب قال فيه "لو كتبت الحياة نفسها لفعلت كما فعل تولستوي في الحرب والسلام" وكنت أظن أن هذه مجاملة أدبية بين أهل المهنة الواحدة ..لا.. هذا هو تولستوي..
والحياة يقابلها الموت.. والكتاب فيه الكثير من الموت، وصف الموت في أرض المعارك، أو الترحال مع الناس وهم يمضون رويدا نحو الموت، كيف نقرأ مشهد وفاة الأمير أندريه بدون أن نشعر بأن تولستوي كان يحاول الوصول لإجابة عن هل هناك حياة بعد الموت؟ وهل الموت هو النهاية السعيدة لتعبنا هنا؟.. القارئ يشعر بالأسئلة .. لا يوجد طرح مباشر تنظيري متعال.. الشخصية تموت أمامك وأنت في داخلك في توقيتك الخاص في عقلك تشعر بالأسئلة تنهض.. في مشهد تدريجي دقيق لموت لشخصية أخرى، توفت نتيجة لظرف صحي يشابه تماما ظرف صحي تعرض له مؤخرا أحد أفراد عائلتي، تفاجأت أن دموعي تتدفق.. هذا هو تولستوي..
الحرب والسلام قماشة ضخمة واسعة عليها كل ألوان الحياة ولذلك اكتسبت هذه الشهرة المستحقة والمكانة الكبيرة، لا أدري إن كانت هي الرواية الأعظم ولكنها في المراتب الأولى.. الأهم من مسألة التصنيف وهذه مسألة ذوقية فردانية.. هي أن تولستوي رغم قوته ككاتب وتمكنه ورغم انحيازاته الفكرية، ورغم أن شخصياته تسأل أسئلة كبيرة وتناقشها وتبحث عن أجوبتها، لكنه لا يقدم إجابة.. رغم أنه هو الذي قال: "إن بطلي الأقرب إلى قلبي والذي أحبه بعمق وبكل قوة هو .. الحقيقة". لكن الكاتب وهو في العمق إبن عصر التنوير والحداثة لا يقدم حقيقة واحدة، بل يعترف بتواضع وإنكسار أمام القارئ في نهاية الكتاب بعد 1300 صفحة بأنه لا توجد هناك حقيقة واحدة.. هذا هو تولستوي..
تولستوي يحب طبقته الإرستقراطية ويحب طقوسها وعالمها وتفاصيلها. يلاحظ بدقة جمال الأميرات الروسيات وأكتافهن الناعمة البضة، ويلاحظ الرجال الوسيمين المعطرين والقصور الممتدة نحو الهضاب المفتوحة. يكتب عن شخصياته بحب ويسامحهم عن أخطائهم لكنك تعرف أنه لا يفعل ذلك لمجرد الولاء والوفاء الأعمى، لأنه أيضا يحاسبها وينتقدها ويكشفها.. لكن بدون كراهية وحقد وبدون تشنج.. عالمه مطمئن يستمر ويتدفق (عكس دوستويفسكي) هذا هو تولستوي..
في منتصف الحرب والسلام بالضبط بعد المعارك الأولى وقبل المعارك الحاسمة بين روسيا ونابليون، هناك فصل في غاية الجمال، عبارة عن لوحة سنيمائية تكتب نفسها بعفوية وتدفق وخفة يد وحب، عن .. رحلة قنص.. حرفيا رحلة قنص.. تقرأه وتدرك لماذا شيوخ وأمراء الخليج وغيرهم يحبون هذه الرياضة، هناك مشاعر كثيرة وممارسات وعادات لا نعرفها لكن تولستوي يعرفها ويقدمها كما هي.. طبعا نيتفلكس أو السينما أو بث مباشر على الإعلام الاجتماعي يستطيع أن يقدم هذه الرحلة .. فلماذا نفتح تولستوي؟ نعم كل هذه الأمور مذهلة والذكاء الصناعي قادم في الدرب وسيفعل الكثير ويلغي الكثير ويبني الكثير.. لكن صوت تولستوي وعالمه، والمشاعر والحكمة التي يولدها في داخلك.. هذه تجربة لا تعوض جميلة وصادقة وتتفاعل معها بإبتسامة.. هذا هو تولستوي..
وفي الحديث عن ملهيات زمننا، سألت نفسي وأنا أقبض على نسخة الحرب والسلام لدي، لماذا أقرأ 1300 صفحة؟ هل عندي التركيز اللازم؟ أعتقد فعلا أن الإعلام الاجتماعي امتص واستباح الكثير من قدرتي على التركيز لمدة تزيد عن دقائق متواصلة، وأنا الآن أسلم فصول الدكتوراه وبدأت عمل جديد والحياة مزدحمة بالخيارات لماذا أقرا كل هذا؟ ثم تستمر بقراءة الصفحات والفصول وتستثمر من وقتك وتركيزك، وتبدأ الحياة العميقة المتلاطمة كالبحر الحقيقية الموجودة في الكتاب بالدخول فيك وتبدأ بالعيش مع ناس الكتاب وأحداثه وتاريخه .. قرأت في السابق توصيف لكاتب قال فيه "لو كتبت الحياة نفسها لفعلت كما فعل تولستوي في الحرب والسلام" وكنت أظن أن هذه مجاملة أدبية بين أهل المهنة الواحدة ..لا.. هذا هو تولستوي..
والحياة يقابلها الموت.. والكتاب فيه الكثير من الموت، وصف الموت في أرض المعارك، أو الترحال مع الناس وهم يمضون رويدا نحو الموت، كيف نقرأ مشهد وفاة الأمير أندريه بدون أن نشعر بأن تولستوي كان يحاول الوصول لإجابة عن هل هناك حياة بعد الموت؟ وهل الموت هو النهاية السعيدة لتعبنا هنا؟.. القارئ يشعر بالأسئلة .. لا يوجد طرح مباشر تنظيري متعال.. الشخصية تموت أمامك وأنت في داخلك في توقيتك الخاص في عقلك تشعر بالأسئلة تنهض.. في مشهد تدريجي دقيق لموت لشخصية أخرى، توفت نتيجة لظرف صحي يشابه تماما ظرف صحي تعرض له مؤخرا أحد أفراد عائلتي، تفاجأت أن دموعي تتدفق.. هذا هو تولستوي..
الحرب والسلام قماشة ضخمة واسعة عليها كل ألوان الحياة ولذلك اكتسبت هذه الشهرة المستحقة والمكانة الكبيرة، لا أدري إن كانت هي الرواية الأعظم ولكنها في المراتب الأولى.. الأهم من مسألة التصنيف وهذه مسألة ذوقية فردانية.. هي أن تولستوي رغم قوته ككاتب وتمكنه ورغم انحيازاته الفكرية، ورغم أن شخصياته تسأل أسئلة كبيرة وتناقشها وتبحث عن أجوبتها، لكنه لا يقدم إجابة.. رغم أنه هو الذي قال: "إن بطلي الأقرب إلى قلبي والذي أحبه بعمق وبكل قوة هو .. الحقيقة". لكن الكاتب وهو في العمق إبن عصر التنوير والحداثة لا يقدم حقيقة واحدة، بل يعترف بتواضع وإنكسار أمام القارئ في نهاية الكتاب بعد 1300 صفحة بأنه لا توجد هناك حقيقة واحدة.. هذا هو تولستوي..
تولستوي يحب طبقته الإرستقراطية ويحب طقوسها وعالمها وتفاصيلها. يلاحظ بدقة جمال الأميرات الروسيات وأكتافهن الناعمة البضة، ويلاحظ الرجال الوسيمين المعطرين والقصور الممتدة نحو الهضاب المفتوحة. يكتب عن شخصياته بحب ويسامحهم عن أخطائهم لكنك تعرف أنه لا يفعل ذلك لمجرد الولاء والوفاء الأعمى، لأنه أيضا يحاسبها وينتقدها ويكشفها.. لكن بدون كراهية وحقد وبدون تشنج.. عالمه مطمئن يستمر ويتدفق (عكس دوستويفسكي) هذا هو تولستوي..
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August 22, 2016Well, that was something else. I never understand the general idea that many people who don't read or aren't fans of Russian novels to proclaim them hard to follow or that the characters are confusing. The only thing daunting about War and Peace is its size and the commitment to it. Otherwise, it's entertaining, moves along at a surprisingly brisk clip (especially if you're going back and forth between reading the print version and listening to the audiobook), and the characters are distinctly drawn and named so that keeping them straight is never a difficulty.
I find Tolstoy's philosophizing far less engaging and interesting than Dostoevsky's but for some elements of their characters' behaviors and obsessions, the two might as well be the same writer. Good and evil, the nature of man's place in the universe, god and religion, fate versus free will, all of this is wound up in both writers as though they were the same person, one writing a bit more hard edged stuff under a pseudonym.
However, after having read two of Tolstoy's major works (this and Anna Karenina), plus multiple short stories, I'm going to have to give the palm to Dostoevsky for enjoyment. Maybe it's my enjoyment of crime and mystery stories, or maybe it's how they approach philosophy that decides things. For Dostoevsky, the philosophy of the characters seems like a maddening, torturous obsession, ideas that won't let them go and demand of them action. The characters exist first, it feels, and the obsessions are inside them as part of them. For Tolstoy, it feels as if the philosophy came first, and the characters were tailored to deliver a specific viewpoint.
All in all, the former approach strikes me as far more pleasurable to read.
In place of War and Peace, I'll take Crime and Punishment or the Brothers Karamazov. (In place of Anna Karenina, I find Madame Bovary to be a far more engaging work, with pretty much the exact same plot.)
Having spent the last twelve days reading and listening at every opportunity, it was an immersive world feeling, yet at the same time, because it seems like Tolstoy is dressing up ideas to discuss, I can already feel the characters dissolving hours after finishing, Pierre into Prince Andrei into Anatole into Nicholas, all becoming this one massive Russian Man. Only a few random characters will stand out long after the book is finished, like Denisov with his lisp and his hijacking of food for his soldiers or Dolokhov the rogue card sharp.
I find Tolstoy's philosophizing far less engaging and interesting than Dostoevsky's but for some elements of their characters' behaviors and obsessions, the two might as well be the same writer. Good and evil, the nature of man's place in the universe, god and religion, fate versus free will, all of this is wound up in both writers as though they were the same person, one writing a bit more hard edged stuff under a pseudonym.
However, after having read two of Tolstoy's major works (this and Anna Karenina), plus multiple short stories, I'm going to have to give the palm to Dostoevsky for enjoyment. Maybe it's my enjoyment of crime and mystery stories, or maybe it's how they approach philosophy that decides things. For Dostoevsky, the philosophy of the characters seems like a maddening, torturous obsession, ideas that won't let them go and demand of them action. The characters exist first, it feels, and the obsessions are inside them as part of them. For Tolstoy, it feels as if the philosophy came first, and the characters were tailored to deliver a specific viewpoint.
All in all, the former approach strikes me as far more pleasurable to read.
In place of War and Peace, I'll take Crime and Punishment or the Brothers Karamazov. (In place of Anna Karenina, I find Madame Bovary to be a far more engaging work, with pretty much the exact same plot.)
Having spent the last twelve days reading and listening at every opportunity, it was an immersive world feeling, yet at the same time, because it seems like Tolstoy is dressing up ideas to discuss, I can already feel the characters dissolving hours after finishing, Pierre into Prince Andrei into Anatole into Nicholas, all becoming this one massive Russian Man. Only a few random characters will stand out long after the book is finished, like Denisov with his lisp and his hijacking of food for his soldiers or Dolokhov the rogue card sharp.
December 30, 2025
The perfect fall to winter read. My prior fantasy reads prepped me well for many characters and moving plot points. Aside from some conversations between Pierre and Andre and the 2nd epilogue, I appreciated that Tolstoy masterfully explored ideas using story rather than becoming preachy or over explaining the points he wished to expound upon. I definitely enjoyed the peacetime drama over the war, however, the key things that happened through war served as convincing transformation for his characters. I also can't really imagine this story being written in the current time. I think an editor would have stripped a lot down, but I actually appreciate the pace and space he gave us readers to digest the human drives and reactions under war and peace . This is a story I could see revisiting again.
March 26, 2025
Lovely stories
If you are interested in this literary challenge, you'll be rewarded with some great characters, stories, and deep contextual history lessons. If you are daunted by the length of this book, you're really not missing out anything incredibly profound. Glad I read it, but would not recommend to anyone not otherwise interested.
If you are interested in this literary challenge, you'll be rewarded with some great characters, stories, and deep contextual history lessons. If you are daunted by the length of this book, you're really not missing out anything incredibly profound. Glad I read it, but would not recommend to anyone not otherwise interested.
June 17, 2025
If you want a book you can really sink your teeth into 😆…epic in scope of course and interesting to think about his theories on what moves people, events, historical events — the role of free will and how that relates to the current day shit show…
December 30, 2024
I read this book as part of an online community “slow read” and found it truly transformative! The expanse of the story, the audacious attempt to weave characters and history, and the author’s philosophy make for a book that isn’t a novel and isn’t history but something entirely else. I am reminded of Milton’s desire in Paradise Lost of justifying the ways of God to men, only Tolstoy is writing of the push and pull of predestination and free will. Especially in how “history” happens and then is remembered and written about when it is affecting everyone in real time. And along the way, the fictional story is broad and deep allowing characters to learn, make mistakes, change perspective, fall in love, fall out of love, do wonderful things and do terrible things. To quote Isaac Babel from the back of my edition, “If life could write, it would write like Tolstoy.” I expect I will reread this book in a few years and eagerly look forward to it.
October 9, 2019
A great, simple book that summarizes War and Peace in a way kids can understand. The book did a good job with pictures to help identify the characters, summaries of the time period, author description, maps, and simple plot and theme descriptions. If you are looking for a way to introduce your kids to classic literature, this was an excellent start.
August 7, 2022
Re-read often
On the decade I re-read W&P. This began at 20. This is my sixth re-read and I have learned more. If only the leaders and trend setters of our country and world would take the time and make the effort.
On the decade I re-read W&P. This began at 20. This is my sixth re-read and I have learned more. If only the leaders and trend setters of our country and world would take the time and make the effort.
Read
August 5, 2025I cannot continue. I'm not enjoying it all and there are too many other books I want to read.
April 28, 2025
I wanted to read this book because it is a classic; initially I had mixed feelings about the book and found it hard to follow - for several reasons: I did not understand Russian and European early 1800 history that well; there were so many characters to track with so many Russian and French names to which I was unaccustomed; there was a lot of jumping around between the main novel characters and the war characters. I persevered and glad that I did as I eventually started really enjoying the book. I I read a companion study guide alongside W&P which helped to keep the characters straight and helped me understand the storyline better. I also watched a couple of different versions of W&P movies (generally terrible as are all movies about books), watched the recent Napoleon movie, and also watched an older Russian movie series on Ivan the Terrible - all these helped in understanding the period of W&P, 1805-1815 and general Russian history. I marveled at Tolstoy genius - his storytelling took some getting used to which I came to appreciate and enjoy; he took many technical "bunny trails" talking about geometry, algebra, calculus, chemistry, astronomy, physics, geography, botany, horse breeds, religion, politics, ethics, culture, and philosophy that were all fascinating. From the beginning I despised the aristocracy class but enjoyed Pierre's struggle to find his meaning in life from a bastard bachelor to inheriting great wealth, seeking to empower his peasants, seeking religion, seeking love - true love. I found it interesting that the Russian aristocracy spoke French as well as Russian, a sign of their sophistication I suppose and their admiration and respect of the French and their culture. I had a hard time relating to Andrew but respected his difference and "coldness" and was glad that his heart turned to pure love and charity as he died. Mary was an inspirational woman who endured so much (ill will of her father in his last years) and was rewarded in the end with a happy marriage and children. Natasha had quite the life experience going from young, pretty, and playful to beautiful, cultured, and lovesick - falling in and out of love with Andrew, then settling down with Pierre and having a satisfying marriage with several children.
This was a very long book - not sure how many pages since I read it on Kindle and listened to it on Audible. To be honest I listened to about 90% and only read about 10% - listening filled my time driving to and fro, daily long walks with Drax, and working on lawn & field mowing, weeding, etc. I was however very disappointed that the Whispersync did not work between W&P Kindle and Audible. It was pretty frustrating to try to advance to place last read/listened which is why I ended up listening to the vast majority of the book. I love the Kindle because I can look up unfamiliar words (my vocabulary is surprising to me fairly limited) and review the list of characters, whereas Audible is nice because I could hear proper pronunciation of names (Russian, French) and did not have to worry so much about yawning and drifting off as I tend to do while reading. :)
Well, it was pure coincidence that my last 2 book read were both very long and written by Russian authors (Atlas Shrugged, War & Peace). Should I find another Russian novel or move on? :)
This was a very long book - not sure how many pages since I read it on Kindle and listened to it on Audible. To be honest I listened to about 90% and only read about 10% - listening filled my time driving to and fro, daily long walks with Drax, and working on lawn & field mowing, weeding, etc. I was however very disappointed that the Whispersync did not work between W&P Kindle and Audible. It was pretty frustrating to try to advance to place last read/listened which is why I ended up listening to the vast majority of the book. I love the Kindle because I can look up unfamiliar words (my vocabulary is surprising to me fairly limited) and review the list of characters, whereas Audible is nice because I could hear proper pronunciation of names (Russian, French) and did not have to worry so much about yawning and drifting off as I tend to do while reading. :)
Well, it was pure coincidence that my last 2 book read were both very long and written by Russian authors (Atlas Shrugged, War & Peace). Should I find another Russian novel or move on? :)
April 2, 2025
I decided to read War and Peace after watching the BBC series last year, which was amazing. Watching first helped to provide context for all the many characters, families, and locations which can be a bit overwhelming, as many people have similar names or several nicknames and variations. Also, in the book, the story moves back and forth between key characters and historical battles, which at first makes it difficult to remember people when they come up again later in the story. It took around a quarter of the book before I was really comfortable with who was who.
The genius of this book lies in the depth of Tolstoy's characters, their imperfections, complicated motivations, thoughts and beliefs, and their growth. Nearly everyone is morally grey, which is to say they are very real. I believe Pierre Bezukhov might be my favorite male character ever. He is so real, sometimes frustrating, but always one who I wanted to see win. He is one of the best-written characters I have ever seen. Yet, there are many in War and Peace who are fully and so artfully brought to well-rounded life. Andrei Bolkonsky and Nikolai Rostov, Princess Marya and Natasha Rostova. They make mistakes, act selfishly and foolishly, deny their own happiness for benevolent or prideful reasons, but they also learn from their experiences, forgive or beg forgiveness, take chances and try again. The character growth and maybe more importantly, the deep understanding Tolstoy had of human nature is astounding.
Tolstoy put a huge amount of research into the historical events of Russia's war(s) with Napoleon, which taught me a lot about that time period. He published this in 1869, approximately 60 years afterward, and in the war scenes he assumed the reader would have some familiarity with the major generals and battles. Little did he know this would all be new to someone in the U.S. reading the book nearly 200 years later. I struggled a bit with disinterest in some of his discourse on war, but for those familiar with the places and times, or just interested in war in general, I'm sure it would not bore them. The book flips between the stories of the characters' lives and Tolstoy's thoughts on Russia and on war and humanity in general. Luckily, the chapters are very short, and that helps keep one turning the pages. It is a brilliantly wrought book and I want to go back and reread some of the passages because it is so rare to read a novel this contemplative on human nature.
The genius of this book lies in the depth of Tolstoy's characters, their imperfections, complicated motivations, thoughts and beliefs, and their growth. Nearly everyone is morally grey, which is to say they are very real. I believe Pierre Bezukhov might be my favorite male character ever. He is so real, sometimes frustrating, but always one who I wanted to see win. He is one of the best-written characters I have ever seen. Yet, there are many in War and Peace who are fully and so artfully brought to well-rounded life. Andrei Bolkonsky and Nikolai Rostov, Princess Marya and Natasha Rostova. They make mistakes, act selfishly and foolishly, deny their own happiness for benevolent or prideful reasons, but they also learn from their experiences, forgive or beg forgiveness, take chances and try again. The character growth and maybe more importantly, the deep understanding Tolstoy had of human nature is astounding.
Tolstoy put a huge amount of research into the historical events of Russia's war(s) with Napoleon, which taught me a lot about that time period. He published this in 1869, approximately 60 years afterward, and in the war scenes he assumed the reader would have some familiarity with the major generals and battles. Little did he know this would all be new to someone in the U.S. reading the book nearly 200 years later. I struggled a bit with disinterest in some of his discourse on war, but for those familiar with the places and times, or just interested in war in general, I'm sure it would not bore them. The book flips between the stories of the characters' lives and Tolstoy's thoughts on Russia and on war and humanity in general. Luckily, the chapters are very short, and that helps keep one turning the pages. It is a brilliantly wrought book and I want to go back and reread some of the passages because it is so rare to read a novel this contemplative on human nature.
January 25, 2026
Another check off my bucket list. Many people joke about wanting to read War and Peace but are put off by the length and huge cast of characters. Yes, it is long; I spent 4 months at it. The cast of characters is large; I found it most helpful to highlight and make notes when new characters are introduced; many characters play transitory parts but some do resurface later on so it helps to remember where we’ve seen them last.
War and Peace was one of my most enjoyable reading experiences. The narrative alternates between high society melodrama and the hellish reality of battle. Epic in scope, rich in prose, occasionally overdramatic but somehow timely; I see many parallels to the political stage of today. Human nature doesn’t change which is, I guess, why this novel has stood the test of time.
Tolstoy often gets mired in the weeds grappling with philosophical questions regarding morality, free will versus inevitability, the nature of power and the movement of peoples, is history guided by great men or the collective will of the people? When it got too deep, I skipped ahead.
I was initially disappointed in that when I ordered the Kindle version, I expected the P & V translation, but it ended up being the Maud translation (it can be difficult and confusing to understand which translation you’re getting). I was pleasantly surprised however, when Maud turned out to be very readable with any French promptly translated in a nearby footnote.
Film or book? I don’t recommend watching a film or TV adaptation first. The richness which Tolstoy imbues into his story and characters is best captured in print. If anything, watching an adaptation afterwards is a better I find that knowing the story helps make more sense of the film.
Definitely on my list of books to re-read in the future.
War and Peace was one of my most enjoyable reading experiences. The narrative alternates between high society melodrama and the hellish reality of battle. Epic in scope, rich in prose, occasionally overdramatic but somehow timely; I see many parallels to the political stage of today. Human nature doesn’t change which is, I guess, why this novel has stood the test of time.
Tolstoy often gets mired in the weeds grappling with philosophical questions regarding morality, free will versus inevitability, the nature of power and the movement of peoples, is history guided by great men or the collective will of the people? When it got too deep, I skipped ahead.
I was initially disappointed in that when I ordered the Kindle version, I expected the P & V translation, but it ended up being the Maud translation (it can be difficult and confusing to understand which translation you’re getting). I was pleasantly surprised however, when Maud turned out to be very readable with any French promptly translated in a nearby footnote.
Film or book? I don’t recommend watching a film or TV adaptation first. The richness which Tolstoy imbues into his story and characters is best captured in print. If anything, watching an adaptation afterwards is a better I find that knowing the story helps make more sense of the film.
Definitely on my list of books to re-read in the future.
September 28, 2025
Excellent
This novel and its discussion on freedom and inevitability is entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Besides be a fascinating story, it takes time to observe the actions of its characters using a historical lens that begs the question - Does man have complete freedom?, Is power a property that catapults cause and effect, and where does it originate? In fact the last 150 pages debate and break down various historiography study and research styles. the theme of individual freedom is the focal point of the discussion, and can be applied to the story line.
This novel is another example that 19th. Century authors expected the "corner grocer" to bring a significant amount of common knowledge to the table.
Fiction based on reality is so much more exciting then another dystopian (make people feel good / or bad) novel hot off the carousel.
This novel and its discussion on freedom and inevitability is entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Besides be a fascinating story, it takes time to observe the actions of its characters using a historical lens that begs the question - Does man have complete freedom?, Is power a property that catapults cause and effect, and where does it originate? In fact the last 150 pages debate and break down various historiography study and research styles. the theme of individual freedom is the focal point of the discussion, and can be applied to the story line.
This novel is another example that 19th. Century authors expected the "corner grocer" to bring a significant amount of common knowledge to the table.
Fiction based on reality is so much more exciting then another dystopian (make people feel good / or bad) novel hot off the carousel.
July 16, 2025
This abridgment omits the chapters on history and philosophy in favor of the narrative.
First of all, I believe this novel (yes, I'm going to call it a novel, because that's what it is) is overrated. Yes, I said it and I meant it. I will continue to say it. I don't feel like I came away learning anything super important.
I did enjoy learning more about history and gaining some interesting new perspectives on that.
It's worth a read, but I certainly don't think it's the greatest book ever written. That said, I'm glad I read it and I did start enjoying it...a little over halfway through. It sparked my curiosity in the setting and time period and I'll be exploring it further.
Oh, and Pierre is the worst.
First of all, I believe this novel (yes, I'm going to call it a novel, because that's what it is) is overrated. Yes, I said it and I meant it. I will continue to say it. I don't feel like I came away learning anything super important.
I did enjoy learning more about history and gaining some interesting new perspectives on that.
It's worth a read, but I certainly don't think it's the greatest book ever written. That said, I'm glad I read it and I did start enjoying it...a little over halfway through. It sparked my curiosity in the setting and time period and I'll be exploring it further.
Oh, and Pierre is the worst.
March 29, 2026
An amazing novel by an amazing author—truly a masterpiece. In this sweeping epic, Tolstoy manages to capture the spirit of the age and explore so much about human nature that holds true today. His last chapter on the meaning of the study of history and the role and perspective of the historian is a bit of a slog, but it is worth powering through and thinking deeply about the insights he offers; it really opens up the whole book. A must-read at least once. I highly recommend the Peaver & Volokhonsky translation—it is excellent and has extensive footnotes to provide more info and explain important context.
February 26, 2025
Just okay
This was just okay.
I skipped good chunks where he theorized about historians and how they attribute cause and meaning to historical events.
The "real story" in my mind was about the characters and individuals. That was good. The description of the military and Napoleon got a bit boring and repetitive.
Natasha is self absorbed. What saves this book is Pierre. I really enjoyed Pierre's story and character arc.
This was just okay.
I skipped good chunks where he theorized about historians and how they attribute cause and meaning to historical events.
The "real story" in my mind was about the characters and individuals. That was good. The description of the military and Napoleon got a bit boring and repetitive.
Natasha is self absorbed. What saves this book is Pierre. I really enjoyed Pierre's story and character arc.
October 29, 2024
a Classic For All Time
I first read this book sixty years ago. Every few years I reread it. Each rereading gets better and better. The depth is this book takes a lifetime to savor.
I first read this book sixty years ago. Every few years I reread it. Each rereading gets better and better. The depth is this book takes a lifetime to savor.
December 21, 2024
Mostly great, and obviously a masterpiece, but ending on a 40 page essay explicitly stating the themes of the book is real going out with a whimper energy. You don’t believe in the Great Man theory of history? Yes, we got it, we just read the past 1250 pages!
December 29, 2024
I read War and Peace as part of a one year slow read with Footnotes and Tangents. It was a great way to read the book and get so much depth and nuance from an epic piece of literature. Highly recommend!
September 29, 2025
read at last
I have intended to read War and Peace for many years, but never got round to it. Now I have and am very glad. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the philosophy near the end less so.
I have intended to read War and Peace for many years, but never got round to it. Now I have and am very glad. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the philosophy near the end less so.
December 3, 2024
It is an amazing book- start to finish! Loved it! Took notes for a little while to keep people straight in my mind, but after that the story took off and the characters began to feel like family.
May 14, 2025
(3.5 stars)
October 12, 2025
Tolstoy's insight into the human psyche seems only limited by social class. A great read.
October 25, 2025
The greatest book ever written.
December 23, 2025
Reread this one as a slow read with family. I definitely got
More out of it the 2nd time through.
More out of it the 2nd time through.
March 22, 2026
a lifetime goal accomplished
It’s worth the read. Profound even today. A truly epic saga that encompasses the human experience. Romance for the ladies. War for the men
It’s worth the read. Profound even today. A truly epic saga that encompasses the human experience. Romance for the ladies. War for the men
July 24, 2025
This was pretty average for me. I ended up skipping large sections where he discussed historians and their theories on how they assign cause and meaning to historical events.
January 3, 2026
It’s too long in my opinion (call me ignorant 🤷🏼♀️). But his characters are truly unmatched. Reading his characters and their motivations etc was like seeing a movie in color when all others are black and white. It’s amazing how he wrote this so long ago, and yet I’ve met each person that he describes. I just could have done without several of the chapters about his theories about history. And I could have done without the second epilogue. I’m glad I read it!
March 2, 2025
There are classics, and then there are masterpieces. Leo Tolstoy's book falls into both. A look into the lives of the members of five Russian aristocratic families during the height of the Napoleonic era, War and Peace delves into the way War (and Peace) helps to change the nature of the lives we lead, sometimes for the better, as well as for the worse. We see the inner workings of people who not only have to negotiate the terrible scourges of war and a bitter peace, but also the hearts and minds of others as they scheme for power, money, and influence in the Russian court. As this is my first book of Tolstoy, I suspect that a good amount of his other works have large tracts about Russian history, culture, and society at large. The book also pays homage to the Russian empire's fiercely religious people, and their unstated need to live independent, pious, and peacefully with one another.
The book sags at the end, once the invasion meets its inevitable demise. I also question the need to include not one but two epilogues. One suspects that had he had more time, Tolstoy would have indeed gone further to examine how these events helped conspire to make Russia what it was by the time he stopped writing, but all in all, a compelling book about how no person is an island, and that history is not so much what we read about in a textbook, but what we individually feel within our hearts and minds. For those of you who may be hesitant about starting this book, I will say that the number of characters that you have to remember is thankfully very small and entirely manageable, and the reading (depending on the translation) is not formidable and dense. All in all, it was a worthy book of its title, and one that will continue to resonate, until the end of time.
The book sags at the end, once the invasion meets its inevitable demise. I also question the need to include not one but two epilogues. One suspects that had he had more time, Tolstoy would have indeed gone further to examine how these events helped conspire to make Russia what it was by the time he stopped writing, but all in all, a compelling book about how no person is an island, and that history is not so much what we read about in a textbook, but what we individually feel within our hearts and minds. For those of you who may be hesitant about starting this book, I will say that the number of characters that you have to remember is thankfully very small and entirely manageable, and the reading (depending on the translation) is not formidable and dense. All in all, it was a worthy book of its title, and one that will continue to resonate, until the end of time.
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