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War and Peace, Volume 1
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537 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Leo Tolstoy
7,963 books28.5k 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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July 31, 2021
One can almost hear the initially gentle but slowly rising, and increasingly ominous, drumbeats in the distance. That usurping Corsican constantly comes up in conversation during the elegant dinners and soirées held by the Saint Petersburg upper-crust even as they discuss affairs, inheritances, prospective marriages and men rising and declining. Napoleon looms large in Moscow too as Europe appears on the brink of war and peasantry and elite both face up to bidding farewell to men preparing to disembark for engagement in the advancing theatre of war.
Whilst the tension builds, Tolstoy adroitly and painstakingly introduces character after memorable character - the socially awkward, good-hearted Pierre, who is to become Count Peter Bezukhov; the joyful Rostovs, in particular the vibrant and precocious Countess Nataly Rostova or Natasha; the stern, fastidious and ever-so fascinating Prince Nicholas Bolkonsky; the scheming but also regretful Prince Vasili Kuragin; the earnest, impoverished, and active Princess Anna Mikhaylovna Drubetskaya who is constantly striving to secure her son's fortune i.e., the gallant and honorable Prince Boris Drubetskoy or Bory; the indomitable and feisty Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova (le terrible dragon); the brilliant, moody and escapist Prince Andrew Bolkonsky; and so many more. The names and number of characters are initially daunting but so skillfully and engagingly does Tolstoy paint them that they are soon etched in one's consciousness, pulling the reader so strongly that there is no possibility of retraction. Build as he gradually does his characters as distinct, complex and believable entities the narrative, however, never flags. Unnecessary description and internal conflicts are skirted, and the dialogue is always memorable.
We move next to the theater of war itself. The year is 1805 and the Russian army is advancing along with the Austrian forces to thwart Napoleon's advances. An inspection of a tired, ill-shod regiment at Branau; the arrival of the defeated Austrian General Mack; the crossing of Enns by the Russian Army followed by the crossing of the Danube and defeating Mortier at Durrenstein; and the battle at Schon Grabern where the French army is held off by less than four thousand men, are the principle events that are described by Tolstoy with an eye of a military strategist as well as combatant but with the senses and sentiments of a poetic heart. General Kutozov figures prominently and we learn also how some of the principal characters - Prince Andrew Bolkonsky, Count Nicholas Rostov, Denisov, Dolokhov and others fare, as Tolstoy introduces new actors as well. This is a riveting section of the book and displays deep appreciation of how wars took place but also how it was to experience them - with all the complexity of human reactions, ranging from naked fear to reckless bravado on vibrant display. Amidst the cannonade and the musketry, the flashing sabres, the stabbing bayonets and the anguished cries of men and beasts, the romance of combat can all too quickly transform into shock, terror and chaos. The harrowing realism that Tolstoy achieves is simply superb.
The focus again shifts to the grand cities and so does the mood and tenor. One of the main themes here is Tolstoy's exploration shifting social attitudes as someone rises or falls in the world in terms of wealth and status. The scheming and machinations to lay claim to the dying Count's Bezokhov's vast estates makes for a particularly enjoyable reading as Tolstoy uses irony and satire to great effect. Prince Vasili is at the forefront of intrigue as floundering in his initial attempts he schemes to get his daughter married to the hapless but suddenly very affluent Pierre and his son married to the meek, good-hearted and devoted Princess Mary (Masha), whose father - the irascible, witty, iron-willed an always entertaining retired General-in-Chief Prince Nicholas Bolkonsky (their relationship is also delightful). It is remarkable how seamlessly Tolstoy transitions from the scene of violent battle to a landscape of drawing rooms astir with gossip, scandal and intrigue.
One of the most spectacular passages in War & Peace is surely the account of Napoleon's famous, and many claim his most accomplished, victory over the joint Russian and Austrian forces at Austerlitz. Bonaparte outmaneuvered a divided and discontent assemblage of opposing generals as he used their ignorance of his exact position, the morning fog and deceptive terrain, and their misconception that he was on the retreat, to devastating effect. The enemies were routed and like before Tolstoy combines his adept description of the tactical moves with haunting capturing of the sound and fury of war, its panic and desperation, its pain, suffering and utter devastation. Galvanized by pride, patriotism and search for glory or by purely careerist notions, young officers are initially thrilled and subsequently shocked as the first encounter with action leads to the full horrors of what comes next. We see the battle from multiple vantage points and perspectives but most notably those of Prince Andrew Bolkonsky and Count Nicholas Rostov. Napoleon himself makes some memorable experience, underling the joy of a brilliant historical novel that seamlessly combines actual historical figures with imagined one and paints them in the same painting.
One of the most memorable passages involve Prince Bolkonsky as he contemplates the meaning of life and what lies beyond while lying badly wounded on the battlefield: “There is nothing certain, nothing at all except the unimportance of everything I understand, and the greatness of something incomprehensible but all-important.”
After the conflict, life returns to a semblance of normalcy for the combatants and their families as they face additional crises - matrimonial, financial, political and spiritual. Tolstoy primarily focuses on Pierre, Andrew, Nicholas, Denisov and Dolokhov and adds further texture and depth to their characters and introduces us further to not just their outer but also their internal lives. There are interesting insights into how their social and psychological makeups and their recent experiences form and change them - the one being self-indulgent and decadent seeking spiritual cleansing and a mission in life; the one seeking glory and service to others becoming self-centered and taciturn; the playful, patriotic and devoted to the Tsar wondering what connection does the self-sacrificing service in battle have with the compromises and concessions of high politics and diplomacy, and so on. One finds also Tolstoy's cherished themes of feudal society and serf emancipation; metaphysics and spiritual quest in a material world; camaraderie and friendship; love and infidelity; urban and rural existence; etc, that he so memorably explores in Anna Karenina as well. While he explores the darker side of human nature with Tolstoy the noble and redeeming aspects are never far behind.
Some of the really engrossing parst of the latter part of book are the ones dealing with the dual fought between two main characters; Tolstoy's explication of the Freemasons and there beliefs as well as rituals; the suffocating desperation that debt puts a noble person into; the abject conditions and exploitation of serfs in rural Russia; the horrors of war faced by fighting troops as Generals, seemingly oblivious to all the misery, plan their next moves on vast maps (a particularly harrowing account is that of a makeshift field hospital); and, the anguish of the families who await news of their loved ones on the war front. While fleshing out his fascinating characters Tolstoy raises multiple deep questions about our notions of economic and social justice, feudalism, patriotism, wars and those who wage wars as well as the canon fodder, loyalty to the monarch, friendship, honor, the meaning of human existence and our destiny in his world, the great beyond, the plight of women, and so much more. That he manages to keep all this going without losing control is what makes him so great.
Tolstoy manages to include and hold together in one book what ten novelists would find rather difficult to individually handle. His scope, his variety, his skill and his depth are truly astounding. While exploring a vast array of social, cultural, political, emotional and metaphysical themes with great nuance it s amazing how he still manages to extend primacy to plot and create such memorable characters.
Whilst the tension builds, Tolstoy adroitly and painstakingly introduces character after memorable character - the socially awkward, good-hearted Pierre, who is to become Count Peter Bezukhov; the joyful Rostovs, in particular the vibrant and precocious Countess Nataly Rostova or Natasha; the stern, fastidious and ever-so fascinating Prince Nicholas Bolkonsky; the scheming but also regretful Prince Vasili Kuragin; the earnest, impoverished, and active Princess Anna Mikhaylovna Drubetskaya who is constantly striving to secure her son's fortune i.e., the gallant and honorable Prince Boris Drubetskoy or Bory; the indomitable and feisty Marya Dmitrievna Akhrosimova (le terrible dragon); the brilliant, moody and escapist Prince Andrew Bolkonsky; and so many more. The names and number of characters are initially daunting but so skillfully and engagingly does Tolstoy paint them that they are soon etched in one's consciousness, pulling the reader so strongly that there is no possibility of retraction. Build as he gradually does his characters as distinct, complex and believable entities the narrative, however, never flags. Unnecessary description and internal conflicts are skirted, and the dialogue is always memorable.
We move next to the theater of war itself. The year is 1805 and the Russian army is advancing along with the Austrian forces to thwart Napoleon's advances. An inspection of a tired, ill-shod regiment at Branau; the arrival of the defeated Austrian General Mack; the crossing of Enns by the Russian Army followed by the crossing of the Danube and defeating Mortier at Durrenstein; and the battle at Schon Grabern where the French army is held off by less than four thousand men, are the principle events that are described by Tolstoy with an eye of a military strategist as well as combatant but with the senses and sentiments of a poetic heart. General Kutozov figures prominently and we learn also how some of the principal characters - Prince Andrew Bolkonsky, Count Nicholas Rostov, Denisov, Dolokhov and others fare, as Tolstoy introduces new actors as well. This is a riveting section of the book and displays deep appreciation of how wars took place but also how it was to experience them - with all the complexity of human reactions, ranging from naked fear to reckless bravado on vibrant display. Amidst the cannonade and the musketry, the flashing sabres, the stabbing bayonets and the anguished cries of men and beasts, the romance of combat can all too quickly transform into shock, terror and chaos. The harrowing realism that Tolstoy achieves is simply superb.
The focus again shifts to the grand cities and so does the mood and tenor. One of the main themes here is Tolstoy's exploration shifting social attitudes as someone rises or falls in the world in terms of wealth and status. The scheming and machinations to lay claim to the dying Count's Bezokhov's vast estates makes for a particularly enjoyable reading as Tolstoy uses irony and satire to great effect. Prince Vasili is at the forefront of intrigue as floundering in his initial attempts he schemes to get his daughter married to the hapless but suddenly very affluent Pierre and his son married to the meek, good-hearted and devoted Princess Mary (Masha), whose father - the irascible, witty, iron-willed an always entertaining retired General-in-Chief Prince Nicholas Bolkonsky (their relationship is also delightful). It is remarkable how seamlessly Tolstoy transitions from the scene of violent battle to a landscape of drawing rooms astir with gossip, scandal and intrigue.
One of the most spectacular passages in War & Peace is surely the account of Napoleon's famous, and many claim his most accomplished, victory over the joint Russian and Austrian forces at Austerlitz. Bonaparte outmaneuvered a divided and discontent assemblage of opposing generals as he used their ignorance of his exact position, the morning fog and deceptive terrain, and their misconception that he was on the retreat, to devastating effect. The enemies were routed and like before Tolstoy combines his adept description of the tactical moves with haunting capturing of the sound and fury of war, its panic and desperation, its pain, suffering and utter devastation. Galvanized by pride, patriotism and search for glory or by purely careerist notions, young officers are initially thrilled and subsequently shocked as the first encounter with action leads to the full horrors of what comes next. We see the battle from multiple vantage points and perspectives but most notably those of Prince Andrew Bolkonsky and Count Nicholas Rostov. Napoleon himself makes some memorable experience, underling the joy of a brilliant historical novel that seamlessly combines actual historical figures with imagined one and paints them in the same painting.
One of the most memorable passages involve Prince Bolkonsky as he contemplates the meaning of life and what lies beyond while lying badly wounded on the battlefield: “There is nothing certain, nothing at all except the unimportance of everything I understand, and the greatness of something incomprehensible but all-important.”
After the conflict, life returns to a semblance of normalcy for the combatants and their families as they face additional crises - matrimonial, financial, political and spiritual. Tolstoy primarily focuses on Pierre, Andrew, Nicholas, Denisov and Dolokhov and adds further texture and depth to their characters and introduces us further to not just their outer but also their internal lives. There are interesting insights into how their social and psychological makeups and their recent experiences form and change them - the one being self-indulgent and decadent seeking spiritual cleansing and a mission in life; the one seeking glory and service to others becoming self-centered and taciturn; the playful, patriotic and devoted to the Tsar wondering what connection does the self-sacrificing service in battle have with the compromises and concessions of high politics and diplomacy, and so on. One finds also Tolstoy's cherished themes of feudal society and serf emancipation; metaphysics and spiritual quest in a material world; camaraderie and friendship; love and infidelity; urban and rural existence; etc, that he so memorably explores in Anna Karenina as well. While he explores the darker side of human nature with Tolstoy the noble and redeeming aspects are never far behind.
Some of the really engrossing parst of the latter part of book are the ones dealing with the dual fought between two main characters; Tolstoy's explication of the Freemasons and there beliefs as well as rituals; the suffocating desperation that debt puts a noble person into; the abject conditions and exploitation of serfs in rural Russia; the horrors of war faced by fighting troops as Generals, seemingly oblivious to all the misery, plan their next moves on vast maps (a particularly harrowing account is that of a makeshift field hospital); and, the anguish of the families who await news of their loved ones on the war front. While fleshing out his fascinating characters Tolstoy raises multiple deep questions about our notions of economic and social justice, feudalism, patriotism, wars and those who wage wars as well as the canon fodder, loyalty to the monarch, friendship, honor, the meaning of human existence and our destiny in his world, the great beyond, the plight of women, and so much more. That he manages to keep all this going without losing control is what makes him so great.
Tolstoy manages to include and hold together in one book what ten novelists would find rather difficult to individually handle. His scope, his variety, his skill and his depth are truly astounding. While exploring a vast array of social, cultural, political, emotional and metaphysical themes with great nuance it s amazing how he still manages to extend primacy to plot and create such memorable characters.
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September 4, 2025Not gonna have a full review until I'm done all 3 volumes. Lookin like it's gonna be 5 stars though
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews