War and Peace in 100 Greatest Books of All Time [Franklin Library]

Aug 13, 2008 Cheryl rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you

I am excited to say that I have read War and Peace a second time...and enjoyed it so much more this time. It is difficult to read because of the large number of characters (and those with names which are so different that I found them difficult to keep straight as to who was who). Also, the last time I read the book many years ago, I got bogged down because Tolstoy does not simply tell a story. It is much more about his philosophy...especially of war and of peace and what brings about war. On a ...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Lis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, russian-lit

i don't normally have much trouble reading more than one book at a time and confusing characters or story lines. recently i read two similar books and experienced that for the first time. however, when i started war and peace, it was pretty interesting in that i had to keep coming back to it as soon as i had the chance, because i actually felt like my life itself started interfering and getting mixed up. it would have been best for the first 200-300 pages if i could have taken time off and just i don't normally have much trouble reading more than one book at a time and confusing characters or story lines. recently i read two similar books and experienced that for the first time. however, when i started war and peace, it was pretty interesting in that i had to keep coming back to it as soon as i had the chance, because i actually felt like my life itself started interfering and getting mixed up. it would have been best for the first 200-300 pages if i could have taken time off and just spent it reading.

but it was good, and it kept getting better. these are the times of napoleon from the point of view of the russians. it feels incorrect to ascribe any specific genre to war and peace. there is history: names of generals, numbers of soldiers on each side of the battle, etc. but there is fiction: five families that combined conveniently have at least one representative for the narrator to follow in each of the important events. it is the day to day life, with the opinions of the masses represented in small talk in soirees. starting a book so massive means in the beginning you can learn to love a character and know, that unlike in real life, you will get to watch them grow up in the next however long it takes you to get through 1000+ pages. there are important events and trite events. there is romance and battles and all that real life has.

someone told me the book was "dry" once i was finishing it. luckily no one had told me before because i didn't see that until the epilogue, at least. during the book i sometimes read at lunchtime and hated leaving it to go back to work. at home i hated the tv being on for distracting me, and most of all i hated my inability to read faster. ah, but yes, the epilogue... throughout the book characters search for the meaning of life, death, or just happen across what they believe to be answers to such big questions. we hear through their revelations what tolstoy believes of love (not just romantic love, but even of our enemies), of freedom, of god, of finding true happiness, etc. and in this format of a character discovering such beliefs in themselves, it is interesting. but in the epilogue, tolstoy just seems to go off on his own lecture, with no regard to tell a story anymore, or come at an idea through any character. it was like an old man catching your attention with a very interesting story, then 3 hours later you are looking around with pleading eyes for someone to please come interrupt the conversation. but really, this is a very small portion of the book itself, that it really doesn't merit any deduction in my rating.

i hate to admit my own stupidity as much as anyone would, but i actually knew very, very little of napolean before this. but tolstoy, writing this about 60 years after the events, assumes the reader knows what's coming, and therefore kept giving things away. going into battle he'd say things like, "although of course they were going to lose the battle..." no, tolstoy, not "of course"! why you gotta give it away like that?

if you plan to read it, i advise you to read the footnotes. i would have missed a lot had i skipped over them. other then that, just don't be intimidated by it. it's fine. tolstoy mentions how napolean is just a man, like any other man. well, this is just a book, like any other book. it may take a little longer cause of the length, but that's it. ...more

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Feb 03, 2014 ShaLisa rated it really liked it

I thoroughly enjoyed this book although I did get a little bored with some of the history lessons. However, the history did teach me a lot for I was/am quite lacking in knowledge on the subject. It did seem redundant which is too bad considering how long the book is.

My favorite element of the books was the insights into the persona of the characters. The people were complex and evolved from beginning to end. Nikolas was selfish as demonstrated in the aid of his father's ruin with gambling debt, I thoroughly enjoyed this book although I did get a little bored with some of the history lessons. However, the history did teach me a lot for I was/am quite lacking in knowledge on the subject. It did seem redundant which is too bad considering how long the book is.

My favorite element of the books was the insights into the persona of the characters. The people were complex and evolved from beginning to end. Nikolas was selfish as demonstrated in the aid of his father's ruin with gambling debt, but became selfless giving up his career to assist his family and establish an honest farming life. Pierre, confused and brass, evening willing to duel a man without good cause, was also willing to give his fortune away for the sake of good. He searched for purpose at the whims of others (resulting in his marriage to Helene and exploration of masonry) and regarded his fortune little and was only eventually able to find meaning in the sufferings of a fellow prisoner and as a prisoner himself.

I wonder at Nikolas' choice of bride - did he love Princess Mary as he did Sonya? Perhaps more. He first refrained from marrying her because of her money for he desired to be an honest man and took on his father's debts. Princess Mary was angelic and her relationship with her father personified her most noble qualities and one could only want her life to become fair. To compare Princess Mary and Sonya is inevitable for they equaled in goodness and were dealt very different lives in the end - Mary getting all that Sonya once had including Nikolas' love and Natasha's loyalties. Sonya remained compassionate and loyal to those who took all and who gave back only jealousy in the end. It seemed unfair. Natasha, too, evolved as she loved and lost. She was carefree and senseless and aware of herself almost entirely until she was proved foolish in her love for Andre and then as she lost Andrew - twice. First to her vain ideals and second to death. She was devoted to Peirre and her family in the end recognizing them to be the gift they were. From beginning to end I could not decide if I liked Natasha.

There were various reactions to war and the cause and purpose for the war. Petya glories war and it killed him. The war changed Pierre for the better and the war caused Prince Andrew to value life only to take it away from him. The loss the mother suffered took from her reason to hope and she became a burden to those who loved her.

Yes, the book gives the reader something to consider and touches on the notion that evils such as war and personal trials can shape a person into something better and give a person new perspective and changed ideals. ...more

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Apr 30, 2022 Ace rated it it was amazing

Yes it is as amazing as it’s reputation. Yes, throughout the book it contains some of the best written prose I’ve read. I could do without the extensive battle scenes but even those often set forth views that are so life affirming. A beautiful book

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