War and Peace (1868)

I knew this would be a challenging read - I've been sort of building up to this by trying to read a few books based in Russia to get an idea of the cultural taste and to get used to the nickname/name structure (I never did get used to it, and am still confused). I was surprised to see how modern the language seemed considering the book was written 164 years ago (ish), Tolstoy was a very good writer and some sentences were pure poetry. Gorgeous prose, though the dialogue was a bit more dated and harder to understand why/in what context somebody would suddenly exclaim something.

I couldn't get connected with any of the characters save for Pierre, who is by far the most interesting, best character in the book. His journey was fascinating, and anytime he was the subject of the narrative, the pages flew by.

Some of the battle sections really reminded of the Civil War Trilogy, good and bad - no doubt the Shaara's got influence from War and Peace. The logistical parts of "soldiers marched here. soldiers ate some food. soldiers slept. orders were given" are still dull as mud, but the inner turmoil of the soldiers, the battles themselves, their outlook on life and the immediate aftermath are terrific.

I could've done without the 2nd part of the Epilogue, but overall I'm pleased to have read it. I didn't enjoy it as much as many hardcore readers and enthusiasts, but I would say a successful attempt. Certainly one of the most difficult reads I've ever attempted, it did feel like homework at times, but enjoyable homework nonetheless. ( )

There are many lists of "The 100 Best Books Ever Written," or, "Fifty Books You Should Read before You Die," and lists similar to these that show War and Peace as the number 1 best book ever. And there are other similar lists which list something else. Those latter lists are just plain wrong and not to be trusted or consulted.
There is nothing I could say that would add to the reams of paper others have spent talking about this marvel. But I would like to suggest a couple of tricks for a person thinking about reading it or struggling a little with reading it.
First, get a good translation of it. There are many and probably all are good, but the one that works best is one which minimizes the use of nicknames for characters and which also includes a list of characters either at the beginning of the volume or as an appendix. A "too literal" translation will tire you out and justify not completing the book.
Second, the first 100 to 125 pages are absolutely necessary to the book but they are also the place a reader might decide that the book is boring or difficult. Ignore the impulse to quit reading! You'll be glad of those first hundred pages as you move more deeply into the plot and action.
Third, my usual habit when reading a book is to have two or three going at once. I began reading War and Peace as I read two other books. I found that doing that made it more difficult to read War and Peace, harder to follow its storyline and to keep the characters straight and more likely to set the book aside.. So, drop anything else and read War and Peace all the way through and let the other books wait. (Anyway, the other books cannot possibly be a good as War and Peace and reading them along side W & P will make you less fond of them; they simply will not hold up to comparison).
Fourth, read the Wikipedia article about Napoleon before you get too far into the novel. This will help understand the actual historical timeline and give you a basis for how historians view Napoleon compared to Tolstoy's views. Frankly, I think Tolstoy's views are the better of the two.
Finally, underline, highlight, write marginal notes and keep some notes. This book is not a good one to check out from the library or attempt on an reader. And anyway, you'll want to read it again sometime later in your life. (It is one of only a half dozen that I have read three or more times, excluding, of course, the Dr. Seuss books). ( )

There are many lists of "The 100 Best Books Ever Written," or, "Fifty Books You Should Read before You Die," and lists similar to these that show War and Peace as the number 1 best book ever. And there are other similar lists which list something else. Those latter lists are just plain wrong and not to be trusted or consulted.
There is nothing I could say that would add to the reams of paper others have spent talking about this marvel. But I would like to suggest a couple of tricks for a person thinking about reading it or struggling a little with reading it.
First, get a good translation of it. There are many and probably all are good, but the one that works best is one which minimizes the use of nicknames for characters and which also includes a list of characters either at the beginning of the volume or as an appendix. A "too literal" translation will tire you out and justify not completing the book.
Second, the first 100 to 125 pages are absolutely necessary to the book but they are also the place a reader might decide that the book is boring or difficult. Ignore the impulse to quit reading! You'll be glad of those first hundred pages as you move more deeply into the plot and action.
Third, my usual habit when reading a book is to have two or three going at once. I began reading War and Peace as I read two other books. I found that doing that made it more difficult to read War and Peace, harder to follow its storyline and to keep the characters straight and more likely to set the book aside.. So, drop anything else and read War and Peace all the way through and let the other books wait. (Anyway, the other books cannot possibly be a good as War and Peace and reading them along side W & P will make you less fond of them; they simply will not hold up to comparison).
Fourth, read the Wikipedia article about Napoleon before you get too far into the novel. This will help understand the actual historical timeline and give you a basis for how historians view Napoleon compared to Tolstoy's views. Frankly, I think Tolstoy's views are the better of the two.
Finally, underline, highlight, write marginal notes and keep some notes. This book is not a good one to check out from the library or attempt on an reader. And anyway, you'll want to read it again sometime later in your life. (It is one of only a half dozen that I have read three or more times, excluding, of course, the Dr. Seuss books). ( )

This book was mentioned on Episode 2 of Checking Out. Listen here!

Narra las alternativas de la vida de numerosos personajes de toda clase y describe como nadie la situación a lo largo de casi cincuenta años de historia rusa, desde las guerras napoleónicas hasta más allá de promediado el siglo XIX.