EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

Hello and welcome to the buddy read for War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Here we can discuss how and when we want to read this book together. Happy reading!

I don’t know a lot about buddy reads, my first and second are starting now. This is my favourite book, I think I might do this reread as a audiobook the narrator is Alan Munro who I don’t know.

France-Andrée wrote: "I don’t know a lot about buddy reads, my first and second are starting now. This is my favourite book, I think I might do this reread as a audiobook the narrator is Alan Munro who I don’t know."

WOW so nice to read someone saying this out loud. I keep running into those who DNF or worse.
I have read W and P at least 4 times and hold above any other novel.
I may not be here every time, But I would love to peek in and maybe get the advantage of some one else's POVs.

Made a little of a false start bought the audiobook version with Alan Munro without sampling and he does it in a monotone can even tell if it’s different characters! So when my orders finish processing I will exchange it for the version narrated by Chloe Pirrie, Sam Woolf, Michael Fox, Olivia Darnley, Terence Wilton (Penguin Classics) and just by sampling I know I’ll prefer it. Hope I can really start tomorrow, but I’ve learned a valuable lesson... always sample.

I haven’t read this before and I find it a daunting set of pages but Anna Karenina is one of my absolute favorite books so I have had the book and will be reading it.

But I have several book clubs I’m in so I’ll not have a chance to start it until next month. But if all of you are starting this month then I’ll follow the thread and see when I can start reading. Might be able to start before the month ends but can promise anything.

Helene: I have read it before, I'm looking forward to starting, but if you can't until next month, I will wait for you, you are the one who requested this one after all.

That would be so great if you could wait and I look forward to discussing it with you. Especially since you’re coming back to this book after reading it before. Makes me look even more forward to picking it up

I have been meaning to reread this. But i have little time right now. I will look in when life lets me read a book this big

What a coincidence! I'm also buddy-reading this book with ClassicsCommunity 2020 Reading Challenge group (and a facebook group has been set up for it) and we also started on 1 July. We are supposed to finish Part 1 of Volume 1 today. I'll check out both places regularly.

I’m excited to have a group to read this book with

I finished 10% of the book today. I guess I should be able to finish the book in early September.

I am waiting for Helene to start it, it’s such a good book, hope everyone enjoys it. I will be listening to it, it’s 67 hours!

Wow 67 hours! Just curious but when you listen to an audio book do you do something at the same time? I find that the audiobooks I’ve listen to lately have been really good but I’ve been driving while listening and I always want to jot down a few points while listening. So just wondering if you do this too. I have to take notes with this one though I think

I really appreciate you’re waiting. Very excited about this one 😊

I do absolutely nothing while listening (close my eyes and enjoy), I would listen while commuting (bus and métro) but since March, I've been at home for work so no more commuting... I use the go back button when I'm not sure about something or laughed so hard I missed something (maybe not with War and Peace though they are lighter moments... it's not bleak or anything). I'm very new to audiobooks, I am a visual person, but since I listen to podcasts, it was the next logical exploration in my reading habits.

I totally get that. I sometimes cook, clean or drive while listening to an audiobook but I always feel like I miss stuff then. But really love being able to have the option to have an audiobook. Will be reading this one though

I don't think I would listen to it if it was my first time and I have the paper copy here if I want to read something or check the explanatory notes.

Will be interesting to hear your opinion after you’re finished though. The longest one I’ve listened to has been 12 hours. But I did I didn’t listen to the normal speed.

Even better when you have audio and the actual book. That way nothing is stopping you from getting to the end 😊 that’s what I hate about being in the book world. Having to stop when I’m in the middle of a good chapter to go somewhere. Then having the audiobook is gold ⭐️

Wondering who all has seen any of the big or small screen versions. I remember liking the Russian one 1967<?> I think the American/English language release was later.
There was a made for TV version recently but because of all the commercial brakes I gave up on it.

Haha... Helene and I just had this conversation. I’ve seen most I believe, except for a BBC version with I think Anthony Hopkins. I liked the most recent the best - 2016 with Lily James. It seemed to have gotten good reviews as well.

I tried the Russian version but couldn’t get through it. I love subtitled movies, but it’s very demanding. And a lot of War.

As far as I know there is also a 2006 version, which was ok, and then I think 1956 which I thought was horrible, as much as I like Audrey Hepburn. I just couldn’t fit her in the role. I think those are all.

I refuse to watch screen adaptations until I’ve read the novel. It’s been good motivation to get through some things! Is there a plan for reading? As Le mentioned there is a group read in another group. I would gladly comment on both, but I don’t want to get ahead and give spoilers!

Never seen an adaptation, I wouldn’t want to spoil what I see when I read it. When I hear about a movie and it’s based on a book, I read the book and never see the movie, that choice is not popular with friends and family and I’ve gotten weird looks or one my colleagues told me that she didn’t get why I would spend all that time reading when I could just spend two hours and be done with it! Let’s just say that she is not a reader.

I don’t know about a schedule, it depends how long we want to spend reading it. I would prefer to finish it before my other russian read in September and I know I can spend the time to do it in a month, but I don’t want to put pressure on people with less time. I think we are starting in the beginning of August, Helene?

I’m the same. I prefer to read the book first of whatever film adaptions there are of a book. I ALWAYS find the book better no matter the film. And always feel disappointed when I watch most films cause they always leave stuff out or interpret something different etc. but I will be watching one of the versions of this when I am finished I think. I am always that annoying friend who’s saying stuff like “that didn’t happen in the book, or that’s not really how it was” etc 🤦‍♀️

I have been thinking of this with how long we would take reading this book. I don’t know what other people think. I would prefer to read it in one month or two.

Like France-Andrée said we are reading another Russian read the month after. So I would like to be finished within one month but I don’t know what the rest of you think. Will that be to much? And also should we have a reading schedule or just read with our own pace? I usually just like to go ahead when I’m reading. I’m not very good at waiting if I like a book, I always get pulled into the story if it’s good and I expect this one is. But what do you all prefer? This is my opinion but I’m willing to adapt if anyone else has a different one 😊

I don’t think I can get through it in a month, I will try and see how it goes but I’ve got other long reads going on so I don’t want to over- commit. It’s quite a long book at over 1200 pages.

I think if we just use spoiler tags where needed showing the chapters referred to everyone should be able to read and comment at their own pace.

Part of why I think the English language version of the Russian movie was later than 1967, was because I had read it before seeing the movie.
I also remember that a lot of time was spent in battle and come to think of it Tolstoy has a couple of scenes at the front, (Spoiler alert?) But it is a long movie, it was shown in 2 parts and each part was pretty long. Wikki has it in 4 parts totally over 800 minutes or over 13 hours.
If this is the same one, I am positive it was only 2 parts and at most 6-7 hours of movie

Anyway if there was a total of 30 minutes of actual fighting that is not a lot of the movie.

Also , now that I think of it, Tolstoy will detail a lot about one battle in particular. (heads up) and as much as some readers automatically hate that a book called War and Peace would include any time at the front- that scene says a lot more than what is on the page.

I like that idea Brenda. Does that work for everyone? I haven’t got the handle on the spoiler alert thing yet cause I’m mostly using the app on my phone but will figure it out before we start. Should we just read with the pace we want then and chat when we are ready?

Wow 6-7 hours pr part sounds really long. I don’t mind reading for hours on end but not that long in front of the tv or I would go crazy I think. I will probably give one of them a try after the book but I doubt I would be able to sit through that particular one.

Very interested to see how in depth the war part of this book will be as it’s so long ago. Books now can be so graphic so I’m interested to see detailed this one will be. If it will be reading between the lines or if it’s all put directly in print. And also how in-depth the characters will be.

I loved Anna Karenina. It’s still one of my favorites so I have very high expectations to this author.

Helene - Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.
It works well with mobile and is quite easy.

Phrodrick - you’ve read the book several times, what are your thoughts as far as how long to take to read it? Is it easy to get through? Maybe it’s different from person to person ?

Brenda wrote: "Helene - Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the instead of the { and }.
It works well with mobile and is quite easy.

Phrodrick - you’ve read ..."

As usual I was unclear, I think the two nights of movie totaled 6-7 hours, I cannot remember it as two 6-7 hour shows. Maybe it was two full Saturdays with time off for lunch? I do not remember.

Depending on the edition War and Peace runs from 1100 pages to around 1400. I think I once did it in about a month, but if I did, that sounds more like bragging than good answer.

I prefer to read in chapters. And thanks to Google, the great andpowerful, I have found this:

https://medium.com/@BrianEDenton/how-...
Quote
A solution soon presented itself. While reading Constance Garnett’s Modern Library translation I noted that the novel is divided into fifteen parts and a two-part epilogue. Each part, in turn, is further divided into many chapters. These chapters are relatively short. The longest, in fact, is a mere eleven pages. I know that because last year I started building a War and Peace spreadsheet seeking to compare the different translations. The average page length, in Garnett at least, is just shy of four pages. Four pages! That’s nothing. I figured I could fit four pages of reading into my daily routine. This notion turned out to be very interesting because as it happens there are 361 chapters in the novel. That means I could cycle through the book in roughly one year if I read just one chapter per day.
Close quote

One chapter a day is 7 per week is about 30 pages/week and a 1 year read.
I think we can do a lot better than this, but again start slow (maybe 10 chapters a week?) and see what the buddies can bare.

Sorry but I have waited years to use this famous quote:
The Cowards Never Started & The Weak Died Along the Way.

Thanks Phrodrick & Good quote!

I think the Russian film version is about 7 hours.

My edition (Penguin Classic) is about 1450 with intro. I’m leaning now to making it a quarter read for me. I don’t want to make it too frustrating for myself that I give up and I want to enjoy the read. Given the length and everyone will read differently it seems this read would work better at one’s own pace. I don’t mind bringing up the rear, again, just request people mark spoilers.

Brenda wrote: "Thanks Phrodrick & Good quote!

I think the Russian film version is about 7 hours.

My edition (Penguin Classic) is about 1450 with intro. I’m leaning now to making it a quarter read for me. I do..."

We may have the same edition.
IMHO buddie reads work best with the least rules.
Unless others speak up, leave us gaggle along.

Are you trying to say something ???? Haaahahaha

Can you open spoiler tags on the mobile app? I’ve tried a couple times on my iPhone and it isn’t worked? Is there a trick? Maybe it was a glitch? Or maybe you need to be in the browser to open them?

I think you’re right. I deleted the app on my phone so it opens to the web page, I just saved a short cut. The app frustrated me for many reasons, that’s one of them.

There’s also **SPOILER ALERT** :))))))

Spoilers tags don’t work in the app, you can put them, but can’t read them so you have to use a browser and don’t forget to close the page because if left open the next time it’ll send you direct in the app if you have it installed. I like also to announce the chapter at the beginning of a comment so someone knows to read the spoiler or not.

I counted the chapters this morning and got awed a little, but 67 hours is way more manageable as a number! I don’t mind reading more slowly, I always have more than one read at the time (different genres or settings).

I guess as long as we write spoiler alert before like you said and maybe which chapter we are on about it should be ok. I just don’t want to spoil anything for anyone.

It is quite a lengthy read and maybe I’m thinking very optimistic but I honestly thought I could get through it in a month haha. But I do want to understand it as well and not just plow through, full steam ahead without getting it.

I feel really excited about this one though. Just seeing how ready everyone already is and we haven’t even started yet. Fun to discuss with you all and will be even more fun when we begin I am sure 😊

hi everyone. this is my first buddy read. I've just been going through the everybody's comments and I'm so excited now.
I've had a copy of war and peace for the longest time but it's always been too daunting to start.
looking forward to reading it with you guys! :D

also, thank you Helene for suggesting the book and letting me know about the buddy read!

Welcome Simran! Like you, this has been on my shelf staring at me with its enormousness. ; ))
I think this will a great read with everyone, really looking forward!

Very excited that you’re joining us too. I have had my copy for a while too so very ready to start soon. Seems like we will be a good group so this will be fun I think.

Since we have what reads like a variety of backgrounds, I am going to share a little about the "many names a character might have.
In English Nichols might be Nick to his friends, Nikki to a lover and Nicholas J Josephus Junior! to an angry parent. Russians have a lot of ways to call other and often in the same few pages. Many readesr hate this:
https://www.tripsavvy.com/russian-nam...

Quote
Russian Nicknames and Diminutives

Did you know that Vova and Vladimir is the same person? How about Sasha and Alexandra? They are the same person, too.

Russian first names are often shortened to a short form or a diminutive. Sometimes these names sound nothing like the names from which they were derived.

A woman named Maria might also be called Masha by acquaintances, Mashenka by her best friend, or Mashunechka by her sweetheart. Other nicknames you will commonly hear in Russia are Dima for Dmitri (DMEE-tree) and Misha for Mikhail (m ee k - h ah - EE).

Russian Patronymics

Russian middle names, or patronymics, are taken from the father's first name. The patronymic is one of the most confusing aspects of the Russian naming system, but the explanation for how they work is really quite simple.

The patronymic is formed by the father's first name and different suffixes depending on gender. Men have patronymics that end in ovich or evich. Women's patronymics end in ovna or evna.

So if a pair of siblings of the opposite gender has a father named Mikhail, for example. the male sibling's patronymic would be Mikhailovich, and his sister would have Mikhailova as a patronymic, or middle name.

Patronymics in Russia are used as middle names are in English and are part of a person's legal name, likely to appear on documents. But unlike the common practice in the United States, colleagues and others who are not close friends or family are likely to call a person by both their first name and their patronymic.

Russian Family Names and Last Names

Russian last names are similar to last names in English, but there are male forms and female forms of Russian last names, with female forms generally adding an "a." For example, a man and a woman with the same last name of Pushkin would be properly Pushkin for the man and Pushkina for the woman.

The most common Russian last names you are likely to encounter on a trip to Russia are (male form) Ivanov, Smirnov, Kuznetsov, Popov, Vasiliev, and (female form) Petrova, Sokolova, Mikhailova, Federova, and Morozova.

Close Quote

Over time I have gotten at least somewhat used to the variations, mostly I try to learn how different characters speak. Usually I forget all but a few main characters, and track the rest by what they usually care about/talk about or some such.


One other thing.
Russian novels have princes and princesses like nothing this side of Disneyland. Russia adopted a system of giving everyone in the same family the same title dad/mom had, so titles tend to be a tad more frequent, and not always meaning next in line to the throne.
Male heir to the throne: tsarevich
Female heir to the throne: tsarevna

Ok wow. I need to save this. Wish I had this when I read Dostoyevskys last novel, because it actually makes sense. I had to write down all the names and even then I got confused. And some of the characters had almost the same name. But thanks for this. That is really interesting and makes sense to something that to me seemed completely random.

Phrodrick wrote: "Since we have what reads like a variety of backgrounds, I am going to share a little about the "many names a character might have.
In English Nichols might be Nick to his friends, Nikki to a lover ..."

Thank you for that, it was a good reminder before starting our read.

Hi everyone! I'd like to join you if I may. I never thought I'd be reading this book!!! it's on the tippity-top of my shelf because I've been too much of a coward to read it. I do have The Brother's Karamazov Buddy Read coming up in September (which I've been waiting 30yrs for). Awesome that some of you like audiobooks too. I listened to Austen's books that way at first. Then, the second time around, I read them. Librivox.com has free audios, and some readers are pretty good.

So fun of you to join. I am reading the brother karamazov with you in September so I have the same issue 😅 we will make it I’m sure. Helps with a good group of people to chat to as well. I’m very excited about it.

As much as I like Russian novels, I had an abiding fear of Dostoevsky.

I did a group read of Idiot about two years ago , and for this I thank the buddies, it was entirely painless. I listened to The Brothers K, but cannot say I remember much and of course I hammered my way through Crime and Punishment.

BTW I am kinda fed up with the Bored Over-Entitled Housewife, I mean Anna Karenina , And thanks to Good reads I find I have no more scratched the edges of Russian Lit than I have sampled the world of women writers and the newly opening world of world writers.
So many books, so little time....

Tolstoy is a master at getting into the mind of his characters and representing them well. In Anna Karenina I was shocked how well he wrote the inner mind of a woman. In the first book of W&P I’m surprised how well he writes the teenagers.

Dostoyevsky is deeper in a sense. He gets deep into the psyche and the motivations of his characters. It makes some parts more dense to read and sometimes just plain creepy. I’m torn on how I feel about him. I must be in the mood to read his works!

Phrodrick wrote: "As much as I like Russian novels, I had an abiding fear of Dostoevsky.

I did a group read of Idiot about two years ago , and for this I thank the buddies, it was entirely painless. I listened to T..."

Phrodrick, you have me laughing so hard when I read your comments. Any Russian-Buddy-Read would be fun with you.

I’ve found I’ve overloaded myself with long reads and unfortunately am going to have to pass on War & Peace right now. I’m excited for you all though and hope you enjoy !

Brenda wrote: "I’ve found I’ve overloaded myself with long reads and unfortunately am going to have to pass on War & Peace right now. I’m excited for you all though and hope you enjoy !"

Hi Brenda, I'm just 3 pages in. I can wait and do a Buddy Read with you when you are ready. Maybe the others are interested in rescheduling as well. I do have a few books that I've committed to that I'm juggling that I can pay more attention to. And I have another Russian Buddy Read coming up in September. I'm going a bit slow because I did a bit of research on my Russian history so that I could understand the context of the conversation in the first few pages.

Frances, thank you for offering, but I don’t want to change everyone else’s plans.

I did sign up also, and want to try and fit in Karamozov, so there’s that. Thank you though!! 😁😁

Brenda wrote: "Frances, thank you for offering, but I don’t want to change everyone else’s plans.

I did sign up also, and want to try and fit in Karamozov, so there’s that. Thank you though!! 😁😁"

Ok Brenda. Talk to you in September!

What about everyone else? Is anyone else reading War and Peace this July-Aug?