Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times

by Andrew D. Kaufman

“This lively appreciation of one of the most intimidating and massive novels ever written should persuade many hesitant readers to try scaling the heights of War and Peace sooner rather than later” (Publishers Weekly).

Considered by many critics the greatest novel ever written, War and Peace is also one of the most feared. And at 1,500 pages, it’s no wonder why. Still, in July 2009 Newsweek put War and Peace at the top of its list of 100 great novels and a 2007 edition of the AARP Bulletin included the novel in their list of the top four books everybody should read by the age of fifty. A New York Times survey from 2009 identified War and Peace as the world classic you’re most likely to find people reading on their subway commute to work. What might all those Newsweek devotees, senior citizens, and harried commuters see in a book about the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s? War and Peace is many things. It is a love story, a family saga, a war novel. But at its core it’s a novel about human beings attempting to create a meaningful life for themselves in a country torn apart by war, social change, political intrigue, and spiritual confusion. It is a mirror of our times.

Give War and Peace a Chance takes readers on a journey through War and Peace that reframes their very understanding of what it means to live through troubled times and survive them. Touching on a broad range of topics, from courage to romance, parenting to death, Kaufman demonstrates how Tolstoy’s wisdom can help us live fuller, more meaningful lives. The ideal companion to War and Peace, this book “makes Tolstoy’s characters lively and palpable…and may well persuade readers to finally dive into one of the world’s most acclaimed—and daunting—novels” (Kirkus Reviews).

Genres: Books About Books, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Literature, Russia, Classics, Philosophy

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

An innovative, award-winning teacher of Russian language, literature, and culture, Dr. Andrew D. Kaufman holds a Ph.D. in Slavic languages and literatures from Stanford University and has spent the last twenty years bringing alive the Russian classics to Americans young and old. Dr. Kaufman, whose titles include Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times (Simon & Schuster, May 2014), Understanding Tolstoy and Russian for Dummies (coauthor), is a featured Tolstoy expert on Oprah.com, and he is frequently invited to discuss Russian literature and culture on national and international television and radio programs.

An internationally recognized Tolstoy scholar, Dr. Kaufman has lectured at the National Endowment for the Arts, the Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and at the Leo Tolstoy Museum and Estate at Yasnaya Polyana.

Dr. Kaufman also trained and worked as a professional actor for close to a decade. He helps people appreciate the rich tradition of Russian literature, and draws on his acting skills to create captivating and enlightening talks, as well as inspirational readings from the Russian classics.

Currently he is a Lecturer and Faculty Fellow at the University of Virginia, where he founded and teaches a community-based literature course, “Books Behind Bars: Life, Literature, and Leadership,” in which students lead discussions about Russian literature with incarcerated youth at juvenile correctional centers in Virginia.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goal of reading Tolstoy every August is coming round fast, and I have to say that Give War and Peace a Chance has made for some ideal pre-reading. Kaufman, a Russian scholar, successfully makes War and Peace appear what to many seems impossible: fun. In an early chapter Kaufman recalls one of his friends exclaiming "Tolstoy's funny!", and this anecdote seems to have had a central role in the crafting of the book.

The book is a light, refreshing take on classic Russian literature, and Kaufman isn't afraid to laugh at himself and his less fortunate experiences. As a result, the book has a welcome personal side to it too. Overall, I have to say that this is the book I've been waiting for on Tolstoy's War and Peace.

I think both Tolstoy fans and unfamiliar readers would do well to give it a go.

You can read my full review over on Tolstoy Therapy.

[Ella Edelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so great. It was SO GREAT. I loved it so much, and I want to reread it again really soon. The thing that excited me most about it was the fact that it got me so incredibly enthusiastic about reading War & Peace. Like, I cannot wait. And that's coming out of the mouth of the girl who originally put that book down because it was boring. But this second time reading it, I'm going to take it slow, I'm gonna write all the things and mark up all the margins, and highlight all the awesome quotes, because Give War & Peace a Chance has gotten me so pumped. It helped me realize and understand why War & Peace is considered one of the greatest novels ever written, and I honestly could not be more excited to jump in. How many times can I possibly say "excited" in a paragraph?

This book was just so much fun to read. And I absolutely mean that. The author was able to write about his subject in an engaging manner that made me not want to put it down. His writing style made whatever he was talking about seem totally interesting. This book was insightful and brilliant and anyone who has the slightest interest in reading War & Peace or any of Tolstoy's work needs to read it.

Give War & Peace a Chance is organized topically, with each chapter focusing on a timeless theme that one finds in War & Peace and expounding upon it, using passages and characters from the novel to illustrate each theme. Those themes are Plans, Imagination, Rupture, Success, Idealism, Happiness, Love, Family, Courage, Death, Perseverance, and Truth. All of these themes are timeless, meaning they are always pertinent, and people are always asking questions about them and thinking about them. One of the best things about this book is that the author comes at these questions simply from how they are portrayed in War & Peace. He doesn't come at War & Peace from a Christian perspective, or any other perspective, for that matter. I found that really refreshing and the absence of those perspectives added a lot of clarity.

Mostly, this book helped me realize that War & Peace is a sweeping tale about humanity. It's a book about people and universal truths and experiences that everyone relates to. It's about themes that are deeply and fundamentally human. It's a book about life, and death. Sadness and happiness. Hope and despair. Kaufman quotes War & Peace in his books when he writes "Love awoke, and life awoke." And not only will that end up being one of my favorite quotes – I can tell – I think it also sums up what War & Peace is ultimately about (without having read the book) :P

Just from having read this book about War & Peace, I can see that War & Peace is a book with a heart and a soul and one that will definitely change the way I see the world. And that's why I can't wait to read it.

I plan to read this book again while I'm reading War & Peace and then at the end. And I'm sure I will refer back to it countless times throughout. Another thing I love about this book is the excellent appendices. The first is a chronology of Leo Tolstoy's life, and the second is a guide to the characters of War & Peace, which I was absolutely thrilled to see. It has a pronunciation guide (bless you, Andrew Kaufman) and a short description of the character. And as the author mentions in the book, there are almost 600 characters (what??) in War & Peace, and that character guide is going to be a lifesaver, lemme tell you.

In conclusion, when a book about a book, or, more accurately, a literary criticism, makes me want to read the book in discussion, like, now, that makes it a firm favorite. This book was totally that for me. Seeing how much I loved Give War and Peace a Chance, I have high hopes that I'm going to really love War & Peace. Despite the page count. Fingers crossed. Anyway, I loved this book like crazy, and if you or someone you know has the slightest inkling of an interest in reading War & Peace, this is totally the book for them. Or, whatever, it's such a good book, everyone should read it. And then they'll want to read War & Peace. And then maybe we'd all be better off. And now I'm going to stop, because it's late and I'm tired and I'm rambling with run-on sentences and getting carried away (wow).

Check out this review and others on my blog: http://www.thisgirlwritesprose.com

[Lee Klein]

W&P summary, quasi-self help, mixed with self-reflection — not what I’m looking for now. Sort of too breezy? Seems like it was conceived by the author as something he could sell, more than it was written out of necessity. Might return to it later on. Probably am better off with something more academic.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Andrew Kaufman has written a wonderful book in which he discusses the events and characters of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Professor Kaufman’s casual style of writing helps to disarm the intimidating reputation of this very long novel. He has spent a quarter century studying Tolstoy’s works as well as travelling to Russia and deepening his knowledge of Tolstoy and his world. Give War and Peace A Chance opens up this novel of the Napoleonic era as a source of wisdom for challenges in contemporary life.
In reading Tolstoy’s novel with its hundreds of characters and Russian names, one might easily feel lost in a foreign land in another century but with Kaufman’s efforts and knowledge, the reader is able to feel grounded and at home in this early 19th century world. This is an excellent book I would recommend to anyone who appreciates Tolstoy or who might be considering reading (or already have read) War and Peace. Dr. Kaufman is a great scholar, yet he has written in a style that is very accessible. He writes much as he speaks, like a friend who has had a great and eye opening adventure he wants to share. His passion for his subject is contagious; whether new to Tolstoy or not, Kaufman will give fresh perspectives on Tolstoy and War and Peace.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, I adore all of the mad 19th century Russian writers and have read a great deal of them. I especially like Dostoeyevsky, as his novels tend to be over the top in their tone as well as in scope and generally lean towards the rather dark and insane side of things. In comparison, although Tolstoy certainly has many of these same elements in his books, I find him to be a much more mild-mannered writer. Consequently, I’ve never really been all that taken with him as a whole.

Nevertheless, I’ve somehow found it to be a crime that having read a fair amount of his works that I still feel lukewarm towards him as a writer. Oddly boring, if you will. Essentially, I’ve attributed this as largely being my fault owing to my preference towards Dostoeyevsky and not with anything to do with him. Consequently, I was attracted to this book by Kaufman as having potential to change my opinion and open my eyes to a deeper appreciation of the man’s work.

However, I have to admit this is not a book I would normally read. I generally find books-about-books to be a needless redundancy. Having someone tell me what I should think and get out of any particular novel beyond a simple review is a bit much of a presumption that I maybe couldn’t do the same for myself. It borders upon the insufferable art critic syndrome. However, as I felt a certain need to have some help with understanding why so many people adore Tolstoy, and “War and Peace” in particular, I put this reservation aside.

Kaufman is apparently a well-respected Russian literature scholar as well as a huge devotee of Tolstoy, having written this book alone shows that he at the very least has a great amount of passion for his work. Were anyone to have the credentials and ability to sway me in my lackluster feelings towards Tolstoy, surely this is the man for the job. However, I’m also of the general opinion that experts often tend to be blinded and biased towards their work as a whole and are often prone to missing the obvious.

As I read this book I kept waiting for some huge revelation to be given as to just why “War and Peace” is considered to be so great of a novel. Only, the approach to this book was not necessarily one of trying to justify its reputation. This was just assumed as a given. The author continually states its mastery and genius as a simple matter of record all throughout this book, even when pointing out its many flaws. For me, because of this oversight, Kaufman actually comes across as more of an apologist for Tolstoy rather than being a true proponent.

However, based on its title alone of this book, the primary aim would appear to be to offer insights to the “wisdom for troubled times” that this books holds. Here the author manages to quite nicely make a decent case for the book. The author’s grasp of both the Russian language and Tolstoy the man naturally shows itself to be highly insightful. There are many instances where certain passages are focused upon that surely would be missed by the general reader as holding much relevance or significance that his insider knowledge proves to be highly illuminating. This is particularly so when the author provides the definitions of the root meanings of certain Russian names and words, which at times lends far greater significance to the overall theme being discussed.

On the whole, the philosophical interpretations raised in this book can be said to hold life-affirming ideas that are all worthy of contemplating as well as believing in. However, whether or not these ideas were initially apparent to the general reader or not are another thing. Moreover, whether this is what one truly wants in a thousand plus page book is yet another. Some people just want an entertaining story without any morality lessons buried in the subtext. Kaufman manages to show that there are both of these things in this book.

I especially found his in-depth comparisons between the book and Tolstoy’s life extremely interesting. They added more relevance and meaning to the creation of the story, as well as heightened the dramatic effect. However, alternately, Kaufman’s personal stories of how the book applied to his own life experiences generally rubbed me the wrong way. Granted, these were largely because of a huge class difference between the two of us.

Not to be too mean spirited or petty, for the most part all of these personal anecdotes can be said to be meaningful in their own way. It’s just that I don’t have a lot in common with this man to hold much empathy with any of these experiences that he shares. He’s aware of this to a degree and at one point when recounting a particular encounter with a Russian cabbie he freely admits in a self-effacing way that he is a “bookish, clean-shaven, twenty-year-old Russian major from Amherst,” and had no business lecturing the cab driver on morality. Only, for me, this admission doesn’t close any gaps between us because in the same breath he immediately admits to his arrogance and that the intellectual point he was making was nevertheless right. I will give him credit for honestly sharing his opinion here…and I hope he can do the same with me here.

Despite some minor reservations in doing so, I don’t think that bringing up this class difference is too unfair of a point to make, as it is actually brought up by Kaufman himself in this book. This comes about through a remark Dostoeyevsky once made on Tolstoy’s books, which summed them up as all being “gentry-landowner literature.” Fyodor was basically pointing out that Leo was a prosperous nobleman living in his own private realm far from the real Russia and was portraying his own pleasant portrait of a country that truthfully no longer existed.

This apparently hits Kaufman where he lives and his retort to this claim is not to logically assess this comment but rather to attack it by pointing out that most people, including himself obviously, would rather prefer to spend time with the people in Tolstoy’s books over the depraved individuals that inhabit Fyodor’s. Although to a degree this could be true, he seems to completely forget that Tolstoy spent an awful amount of time away from the comfort of his idyllic life and slummed with the peasants himself as often as he could. I’m with Leo and Fyodor on this one and Kaufman would appear to be living in his own ensconced kingdom.

Getting back to the philosophical views in this book…nothing here is really anything new under the sun. Essentially, the main points seem to be saying that both life and the book “War and Peace” are extremely messy, unpredictable and contrary. Nor can one understand either of these things by approaching it with a single encompassing attitude or intellectual view. One must approach them with an open mind and few judgments. Furthermore, one should always be seeking out new ideas and thoughts continually. To be set in ones ways is to stagnate, one should keep swimming or drown, so to speak…and likewise, just keep reading until you reach the end of the book.

Despite not finding any new life-changing attitudes or intellectual views for myself here, I was still in many ways intrigued by Kaufman’s take on Tolstoy’s book and as it has been several years since I read it and I just might very well one day pick it up again. Only, this wasn’t necessarily because he outright convinced me through any of his arguments but rather because of some of the things about Tolstoy’s life that this book revealed has stirred in me a greater curiosity towards him. I took my first step in this rediscovery immediately after finishing Kaufman’s book by watching the Keira Knightley version of Anna Karenina movie, which was not near as bad as I had anticipated.

This is a first reads giveaway that I received in consideration for an honest review.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read, but fairly unsatisfying for me. In trying to tie War and Peace to modern life, Kaufman spends a little (okay, a lot) too much time referring to his own life, which is more difficult to fathom in its silver spooned privilege than the lives of the Russians in the great novel are. Talking of boredom and dissatisfaction with his childhood home (and making sure we know the square footage), or describing a squash match (really? Squash? Is he a John Irving character?), or talking about the Russian cabbie who tried to rip him off because of his Ralph Lauren shirt is not the way to make the average American reader feel kinship with the great novel. When he backs away from the personal and just talks about the book, it's interesting, but I couldn't keep my gaze on the page long enough without rolling my eyes to enjoy this.

[Mary D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book is very deceiving. Give War and Peace a Chance seems to imply that if you read this book you will be inspired to read War and Peace. This books is full of spoilers so don't read this before you read War and Peace if you care about that.

Other than that, this is a terrific book to read AFTER you have finished War & Peace. I had the good fortune to read War & Peace slowly over time with an awesome book group so we were able to discuss what Tolstoy meant as the story progressed.

This book gives great insight to not only what Tolstoy meant but also what was going on in his life at the time he was writing the book. Also, it is a wonderful way to walk again through the story and compare what your thoughts were to what Andrew Kaufman's are.

[Juliet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everybody has this idea that War and Peace is so difficult. This book proves otherwise. An engaging overview of the major characters, themes, and storylines in War and Peace, this book is a great way to get a feel for what War and Peace is like. Kaufman also includes personal anecdotes of some of his experiences teaching this hefty novel, including descriptions of how his students have reacted to various passages. As you read various "outtakes" from W&P, you also occasionally get reactions from Kaufman and his students. So not only do you feel like you're reading War & Peace, you feel like you're doing so with a group of people.

You also get descriptions of Tolstoy himself, bits of biography that give you a glimpse into the man behind the mammoth book. These passages help humanize the book, and help you understand the various concepts and themes he wrestled with in his life and in his writing career. All of it is told with an ease and familiarity that makes the whole thing feel friendly.

If you're considering reading W&P but feeling daunted at the prospect, I definitely recommend reading this first. The only reason you might not want to is that this book is full of spoilers. But maybe if you didn't read this book first, you might miss those key events in the novel itself, or not really get their full impact. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

[Gina Dalfonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The author has a genuinely warm, engaging style, and his enthusiasm for his subject is infectious. It might even make me want to read War and Peace! :-) He knows the book inside out, and draws true wisdom from it.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russian literature scholar Andrew D. Kaufman shares his thoughts on War and Peace in Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times (boy, he just thought he was living in troubled times in 2014). He tells all the reasons War and Peace is the world's greatest novel, and he includes wonderful quotes from the book as well as episodes from Tolstoy's life.

Here are some of my takeaways:

(War and Peace is) "...a masterpiece that manages to re-create life in all its unpredictable misery and splendor."

"Plans may very well not work, but planning is well worth doing anyway."

He acknowledges that War and Peace is long and complicated and sometimes confusing: "In short, this pockmarked, feisty, untutored monstrosity of a work reflects life in all its turmoil, all it's roiling, overflowing possibility."

"Tolstoy's genius lies in his uncanny ability to make our familiar, everyday world suddenly seem strange---and therefore fresh."

"...part of the fun of the novel is that we get to know the characters in much the same way we meet people in real life."

"Tumultuous times, Tolstoy tells us, can jar us into heightened awareness...."

The heart of W&P is what the author calls "optimism-grounded-in-reality."

"...the real secret to survival, Tolstoy helps us to see, is learning to live courageously in a world filled with real uncertainty, real hardship, and real suffering."

"Does hardship make us beasts, Tolstoy asks, or better human beings?"

"Do we continuously focus on getting what we think we want or on making something meaningful out of what we have?"

"To love, Tolstoy says, is to see. To see is to know the truth. And to know the truth is to truly live."

"Joy and tragedy...give meaning to each other."

Whew. A lot to consider. Very helpful in my reading of War and Peace.

[Harold Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To love life is to love God. Harder and more blessed than all else is to love this life in one’s
sufferings, in undeserved sufferings.” (from Pierre Bezukhov’s dream in War and Peace)

Something must be in the air. In the past two years, three journalists and scholars have written books with the intention of convincing readers to tackle what are perhaps the three most formidable novels of the nineteenth century: Moby Dick(1), Middlemarch(2), and War and Peace(3). The common thread in this approach to criticism is that reading great works of literature is not an exercise in self-abnegation, but a journey of discovery, and an enjoyable one at that.

The most recent of these worthy efforts is Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times, by Andrew Kaufman. Kaufman is Lecturer in Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Virginia. In 2009, he served as a sort of “scholar in residence” for Regent’s Big Read, conducting workshops and delivering the culminating lecture of the Library’s Tolstoy festival.

Give War and Peace a Chance comes three years after Kaufman’s scholarly monograph Understanding Tolstoy and is the fruit of the author’s desire to reach a wider readership. The book is quite a hybrid work, weaving elements of biography, critical analysis, philosophy, and memoir. In twelve chapters, Kaufman takes us on an excursion through the fundamental elements that form our lives, such as happiness, love, family, and death. He explains how these themes operated in Tolstoy’s life and how he gave expression to them in War and Peace.

Along the way, Kaufman also shares episodes from his own life to illustrate how works like War and Peace help us make sense of lives. Some readers might object to the author including his personal story into a book on Tolstoy, but for my part, Kaufman’s accounts of falling in love as a student with Natasha Rostova, or his grief as an adult at the death of a beloved kitten, illustrate the dual refraction that takes place when we read literature. Our temperament and past experiences combine to form our interpretation of a work, but books like War and Peace ultimately change us by enhancing our understanding of ourselves and compassion for others.

At the end of the introduction, Kaufman quotes Tolstoy’s explanation, written during the composition of War and Peace, of his philosophy of art: “The goal of the artist is not to solve a question irrefutably, but to force people to love life in all its countless, inexhaustible manifestations.” These words also appear movingly in Kaufman’s dedication of the book to his wife and son and encapsulate what he considers to be the ultimate reward awaiting readers who give War and Peace a chance.
___________________________________
(1)Nathaniel Philbrick, Why Read Moby-Dick? (New York: Penguin, 2013).
(2)Rebecca Mead, My Life in Middlemarch (New York: Crown, 2014).
(3)Andrew D. Kaufman, Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014).

Published in Regent University Library Link, October 20, 2013
http://librarylink.regent.edu/?p=2473

[Melora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this helpful. It's not that War and Peace is hard, but it Is long, and so it is nice to have someone who's read the book quite a few times (twelve? fourteen? Something like that) and taught it for years to point out connections, themes, and repeated images that are hard to see on ones first trip through. Each of the twelve chapters focuses on a different theme of the book, including “Plans,” “Imagination,” “Success,” “Happiness,” “Love,” “Death,” and “Truth,” and in each Kaufman discusses ways in which the story treats the topic, how it relates to Tolstoy's life and to some aspect of Russian history, and also sometimes includes some personal stories, often relating to his experiences in sharing the book with students. Some reviews I read before deciding to read this mentioned that they found the author's stories of his own privileged background to be off-putting. Having just finished, I can remember only two of these “privileged life” anecdotes, which were short, and, while they didn't add much, they didn't bother me much either. Mostly he sticks to the book and to Tolstoy's life, while occasionally bringing in comments made by other critics and fellow authors. While certainly not necessary, this added to my enjoyment of War and Peace.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can certainly tell that the author, Andrew D. Kaufman, has a slight obsession with Tolstoy. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. As someone who has never read "War and Peace," I wondered if I could read "Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times" and not get lost. I could. Mr. Kaufman breaks down the story and the characters so that even though I have not read "War and Peace," I do feel like I know the characters very well.

Normally I do not like it when authors insert their personal lives into a book, this one is an exception. Mr. Kaufman at times will let us into his life to help prove a point from the book.

I would recommend this book for anyone who has and anyone who has not read "War and Peace." Mr. Kaufman does a great job of keeping it interesting and informative.





***I received this book through Goodreads' Giveaway. It did not affect my review.***

[Lissa00 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Kaufman is a Tolstoy scholar an admirer of his work, including the long and daunting War and Peace. In this book, he not only discusses the main characters and plotlines of the book but also examines how he has used parts of the book in relation to his own life. There are also facts about Tolstoy, his relationships, careers and philosophy. It is divided into sections about subjects such as love, family, happiness, and death and uses excerpts from the book as well as episodes in Tolstoy’s life. What I enjoyed most about this book is the idea that some books are timeless and while the situation changes the characters and ideals can be used throughout time. Kaufman writes clearly and passionately on the subject and I felt as if I had a good understanding of Tolstoy’s epic by the time I finished. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaufman's book is an invaluable guide to Tolstoy's masterpiece wherein Tolstoy's messages and themes developed throughout the novel are thoroughly explained. It is also written in a fun and thought provoking manner-- a combination not easily achieved. Dr. Kaufman's love for Tolstoy boils, like a passionate tsunami, into the reader and imbues him with the sense of exuberant joy for life which Tolstoy himself strove so mightily to impart.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent excellent. He was as insightful and beautifully phrased as Tolstoi himself. Worth every second

[Sassa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“War and Peace” by Tolstoy is an epic novel written in mid-19th century Russia and still remains on almost every must-read list, yet because of its length and because it is written over 150 years ago, it remains daunting for many to read.

Kaufman is passionate about dispelling the fear and feeling of irrelevancy that readers associate with “War and Peace.” He does a bang-up good job in presenting that the lessons, experiences and reflections presented in Tolstoy’s novel are timeless and universal for all types of situations and peoples.

“Give War and Peace a Chance” is the result of many years of study and research, travels and interviews. Kaufman delves into the ever-relevant wisdom of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” on a variety of topics: truth, perseverance, love, courage, happiness and death. He also presents the war history included in the novel and explains why this knowledge is important to understanding Russia today.

The personal life of Tolstoy is also outlined with interesting insights that add to the understanding of the novel.

There are many, many quotes to highlight in this book. Be book dart ready!

“…if I were told that what I write will be read in twenty years by the children of today and that they will weep and smile over it and will fall in love with life, I would devote all my life and all my strength it.” Tolstoy, p. 14 in book

“Tolstoy gives us in that novel {War and Peace} is not so much a set of answers to life’s every challenge as an attitude toward living.” Page 12

“He {Tolstoy} was chasing the truth.” P. 13.

“Pravda is a key word for understanding Russian culture: it means not only truth, but also justice and what is right according to God’s law.”

“Tumultuous times, Tolstoy tells us, can jar us into heightened awareness, expanding our sense of both ourselves and life’s possibility. Losing something valuable, that is, we gain in return something invaluable: a radically widened perspective.” Page 51

“Tolstoy is describing what you feel when your world has crashed, the ground beneath you has cracked open, and all you want is to go to sleep—but then, out of nowhere, you hear or see something so beautiful, so strikingly real, that you suddenly awaken into a new consciousness, hoping the day never ends.” page 58

Interesting tidbit: The family name “Rostov” comes from the verb rosti, which means “to grow.”

I am also impressed that Kaufman teaches prison inmates “War and Peace” as a way to heal and rehabilitate their lives.

I do suggest reading “Give War and Peace a Chance” after reading the novel. There are some spoilers and I am not sure I would have understood the lessons without knowledge of the passages referenced.

Kaufman inserts personal stories of his relationship to the novel. I have mixed feelings about some of these.

PS: I love the cover of “Give War and Peace a Chance.” My copy of “War and Peace” looks much like this!

[Glendon Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books over the past few years, but none have stuck themselves in my mind quite like War & Peace has. Apart from being a particularly fun humble brag, it's themes and imagery and stunning emotional substance has made it an ever-present reference point. I picked this book up before reading Tolstoy's epic, but I grew excited to read it as a companion piece, something to immerse me back into War & Peace without necessitating 1200 pages.

Andrew Kaufman's book is one-part pleasant, if reductive, summary of the best moments in War & Peace, one-part helpful and interesting, if overly defensive, biography of Leo Tolstoy, and one-part dreadfully insipid autobiography and personal reflection. I came here to read about Natasha, Pierre, and Andrei, I do not care at all about your rich upbringing and your tours of Russia and the bizarre way that you teach your students. Every classroom anecdote features a student saying "I don't understand why this character does this" and Kaufman saying "neither do I! But I never lived through the war in 1812 so who are we to judge let's move on." Why even write this if that's what you're coming away with??

There is definitely some good material and study Kaufman includes in here, especially at the beginning, but by the end it seems like he's painting with so broad of a brush just to make his points that I stopped caring to pay attention. And even in all of that, I don't know if he puts forth a very compelling argument to read War & Peace, a book I already have read and loved! His tone is way too casual, too "how do you do fellow kids" to really get into the soul of what Tolstoy is achieving. For that matter, the fact that he only throws a scant mention to "Great Man theory," a thing Tolstoy's entire tome is kind of dedicated to dismantling, suggests that he is either underplaying the core of War & Peace or... missed it somehow? That seems preposterous given the amount of research Kaufman has clearly done; it's more likely that his book is so swept up with presenting Tolstoy as this author doling out nuggets of fine wisdom that he side-steps the deeper conversation. Maybe he finds those less persuasive than his fortune cookie-scaled reductions somehow. In either case, I'm starting to understand why I found this in so many used book sales. All of my favourite stuff was remembering my first time reading War & Peace, and I found the supplemental history of Tolstoy to be at best helpful. Anything else was kind of a bore - and more of a chore than the 1200 pages of War & Peace.

[Sue Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

It did take me quite a while to finish this book, but that’s because I kept starting and restarting War and Peace and wanted to read this as a companion piece. Well, I have really and truly committed to reading War and Peace, so I finished this one and am thinking about starting it again to help my comprehension of the larger book. GWAPAC is a well written, easily read, instructive text. The author provides excellent insights into Tolstoy’s philosophy and explanations of various aspects of War and Peace, no matter which translation you may choose. I would even recommend GWAPAC as a stand alone read, without actually reading War and Peace.

[Jamie Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely, delightful tour through my favorite novel! Kaufman deftly condenses large swathes of narrative into neat little anecdotes, which he uses to illustrate pithy axioms about living life well. He smoothly weaves in bits of biography for Tolstoy where it helps, and even integrates his own lived experiences into these observed lessons, honestly and humbly.

Of course, this makes me want to read W&P again, and to appreciate its power and beauty even more than ever before!

[Sandeep Chandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author aims to explain the essence of War and Peace to everyone who has previously read it, encouraging them to reread it, and to break down the myth of its daunting size (>1200 pages🤯) for everyone who has yet to give it a chance presenting it in a simple, philosophical way that's easier to understand and enjoyable to ponder and he did such successful work that I hope and feel he succeeded in this endeavor

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is the head of the War & Peace fan club - and has sold me a lifetime membership which I’ve paid in full and excitedly wait for my autograph picture of Tolstoy to come in the mail in 5-8 weeks 🤣 joking aside- I absolutely loved this book, the chapters, the analysis, and the ongoing questions for the reader. Thank you Mr. Kaufman.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! A must read for any Tolstoy convert.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been longing to have someone I could talk with about War and Peace. It's one of my very favorite books. Obviously I'm not alone since so many people list it as one of the best books they've read, but none of my friends have read it, or if they did, it was quite a while ago. Plus, none of my friends or family seem to feel so enthusiastic about it, or have the urge to talk it all over. As a result, I've felt so lonely! -- But reading Andrew Kaufman's book, at last I feel like someone else get's it and loves it the way I do.

Mr. Kaufman's insights into Tolstoy's life, and how various details relate to the thoughts and actions of various characters in the novel is so interesting! Along with this, he has done something really extraordinary in putting himself, relating details of his own life experiences into his narrative and her personally relates to aspects of War and Peace. In this way, not only has he shown us his own vulnerability, but he's inviting us as readers to do the same. I believe that this is especially pertinent to Tolstoy's intentions in writing the book. I believe Tolstoy was inviting the reader to open up the book of one's own life and consider how our experiences are as meaningful and mysterious as the experiences of Prince Andrei, Natasha, Nikolai and the rest.

So if, like me, you are longing to connect to someone about War and Peace, I encourage you to give "Give War and Peace a Chance" a chance. It is well written and quite engaging!

[Laura Leaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read one translation of Tolstoy's War and Peace about a thousand years ago, I didn't think that reading Kaufman's book would give anything away; however, I was surprised by how much I'd forgotten. Actually, that's not true - I knew in my secret heart that I had nearly no tangible memory of the book at all but thought that reading a book about The Book would bring it back to my conscious mind. Sadly, my memory is not all that great.

Kaufman's ode to Tolstoy's great novel was a pleasure to read, although parts of it felt strained. Comparing his own Amherstian well-moneyed life to some of the pathos of W&P was a little, well, weird. Nevertheless, Kaufman did get me all worked up to read the Peavear translation (which has been propped up unread in my living room).

Kaufman's book is chaptered by Tolstoy's themes such as: success, love, courage, family, and death. Woven into each chapter is historical information on Tolstoy and his family, as well as short analyses of various characters and actions of the novel. Additionally, there is a nice little appendix of the important families and characters. I wish all 600 characters were there with notes like "This character is not important." That would really help!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I borrowed this book from the library, I was looking for a resource to help me with the historical background of War and Peace. I knew it was set during the Napoleonic Wars, about which I knew next to nothing, and I thought I would need a little background info. As it turns out, Tolstoy wrote War and Peace so that anyone could understand what was going on. In fact, he explains a good deal of the historical context for his readers.

I decided to read this book as a companion to W&P: I would read a few hundred pages of the great novel, then read a chapter of Kaufman's book. He offers helpful analysis of the story, and sometimes uses personal anecdotes to illustrate his points. These sometimes include colourful interjections from his students, which I could have done without. But I guess Kaufman is aiming for a folksy, down-to-earth approach to W&P to make it less intimidating.

Very helpful is the list of characters at the end, organized by family, with a pronunciation guide. He also provides a short chronology of Tolstoy's life, and a list of suggested further reading.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaufman, a scholar of Russian language and literature, is clearly enthusiastic about Tolstoy and about spreading the joy to the masses. I'm impressed that he's been on Oprah—Kaufman is far from the ivory tower stereotype.

In Give War and Peace a Chance Kaufman brings to light the relevance and relatability of War and Peace in a way that is clear and easy to follow. He examines the major themes of Tolstoy's novel, helpfully putting them in the context of Russian history, as well as relating them to events in Tolstoy's own life. It's also a useful guide to the novel's characters, many of whom have several different names.

I've since started War and Peace, and am finding that it is, in fact, as readable as Kaufman claims. I think this book has given me surer footing than I would have otherwise.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

If nothing else, this book helped me to remember all of the things I loved about a novel I call my favorite, but haven't had the courage to reread. I loved the author's style of reviewing the novel by its themes, which gave this book a structure and accessibility that War & Peace itself lacks. I didn't particularly like the occasional modern references, but, maybe paradoxically, I also felt that the author's references to his own life were a nice touch, even of they sometimes made the book feel a little like a self-help book.



I received this free through Goodreads First Reads (thanks!).

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this as a handy reference for reading War and Peace up to a point. The first 150 pages give great insight...at times giving away spoilers. By the time I'd finished the novel I still had some of this left to read. Honestly, I skimmed through the last 70 pages. What I took from the novel was a personal experience. I going I really didn't need more insight after finishing it. I do give kudos to Kaufman for making the case to actually pick up the novel. I'm so glad I did.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Kaufman loves Tolstoy, is devoted to Russian literature and no doubt is an informed expert on the subject, yet I question some of his interpretations of Tolstoy and the characters in W&P ... but certainly I have little background to claim authority over Tolstoyan philosophy. Overall I enjoyed the insights gleaned from this sliver of the original and whenever I find several months available I might read what some say is the greatest novel ever written.