War and Peace Book Club discussion
WAR.. WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
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I love, love, love this book. It changed my life. Whatever that means.

It's really good, but the "Peace" part is kind of slow.

on october 16th the translation by larissa volokhonsky and richard peavar comes out. they've translated all the major dostoyevsky novels and, most recently, anna karenina. as i can't speak russian i cannot, with all fairness, comment on their translation, but i've heard from many russian/english readers/critics that it's the best. to me, their dostoyevsky was more enjoyable than the older translations in that constance garnett (and others around that period) translated a while back and much of the language seems to reflect the times in which she (garnett) lived rather than when tolstoy did. as i understand, volokhonsky and peavar tried to more acccurately reflect tolstoy's original while also making the reading feel more contemporary, less victorian. (while, being careful not to toss in those annoying anachronous, contemporary references that some translators do... such as napolean calling someone a 'dickhead' or something like that.)
perhaps you can be persuaded to read it again? either way, definitely join in the discussion. be great to have a perspective from the Hannaverse.

i'm currently working on a pill that will make it so i never have to sleep. after that it's the pill that will make it so i never die.

I don't know if I could handle reading "War and Peace" twice in one year. That would be pretty crazy, but maybe I should. And only read thousand page novels from now on. Actually, I just had to put down "Underworld" because the first too many pages of baseball were too much to handle.
And actually, Tosh, I found the war parts to be marginally boring, but the peace, never.
And actually, Tosh, I found the war parts to be marginally boring, but the peace, never.

you forgot the "huh! good god y'all" in the middle of war, what is it good for on the title post.
if you're staying true to the best part of the lyrics.
i shall snatch the book up tomorrow with glee! save a copy for me...


Long live human booksellers, and local bookstores!

On the other hand I am kind of concerned about reading this book in the bathtub. I like to read in the bathtub and I know this book is over a thousand pages long - so it must be heavy!
... So I was wondering if any of the lovies in this club minds holding the book or me while I am reading it in the bathtub?

i am also a capitalist. a die-hard money-loving capitalist. i find it hard to justify someone (particularly someone who makes little money) paying $30 for a book at a store rather than $18 online. i expect a full marxist breakdown and critique from dmitry on this one, and yeah, i know we're at risk of losing our humanity from lack of social interaction and loss of 'mom and pop' stores... but that's america baby. love it or leave it!
:-)
well, the book comes out today. so either shell out $41 and buy it at the store or get it from amazon for $23... either way, crack open that giant tomb and get to it.
i'm there with you scoobs -- my mouth is watering...

Thank god I am a Charles Shaw happily married drinking playboy without a care in the world....!
Does this tie in with the discussion on War and Peace? I find it fascinating that we are discussing issues around the book, what we heard about the book, and the cost of the book - instead of the actual contents of the book itself. I am not going to read it, but I will make comments on the subjects above.

Gary just grumpily unpacked the book and it's fucking gorgeous.
Page 3 = brilliant.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN

this book is so damn gorgeous and sexy i've yet to open it... just rubbing up against it.
on your mark...
get set...
GO!

Hakuna Matata Bitches.

And Cal, have you actually ever seen a photograph of workers at Amazon.com. I haven't. You know why because they're in China slaving away at slave prices, that's why! They forced these children to at least know the English alphabet so they can file these orders that go to Beverly Hills and Dallas and other cities like that.
The first part is the war part right? I am going to light a big cigar, get my toy soldiers and horses and get right into it.

i've always disagreed... perhaps at the end of this whole thing i'll have changed my mind.



anyone else? any progress?
love it?
hate it?

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/arti...

Now I'm curious about the other one which it appears is significantly shorter and a translation of the first published version of the book. My inclination is to think that Tolstoy's further tinkering is worth reading. But sometimes, being too close to one's own work can lead to superfluous and unnecessary additions. I do think I will now have this in the back of my mind as I'm reading.
Anyone know about the rep of the other translator?
It's too bad this book - even the shorter version - is so damn long. It would be fun to do a comparison.
In the meantime, I'm still waiting for my copy of the book to arrive from Amazon. Hopefully I'll be able to start this week.
Anyone done yet? Scoobs, how d'ya do on your road trip?

Hmm, so I will let you guys decide...

here's the nytimes version of our club. these people are waaaaay further along in the book... some interesting stuff to consider while you read it, though. check it out.

I was actually a little annoyed (read jealous) that they started before the book even went on sale - flaunting their reviewer's copies before the eyes of us mere mortals who must wait for books to actually show up in stores.


It was never hard to read, and I looked forward to it. The book group meeting came and went, I had to read other things...I am always behind. I think I could pick it up and keep going, so I will try. (There is no book mark, so I'll figure out where I left off. It was in the 900s.) This group has been sent my way for a reason. Thanks Robert and Nancy.

All very interesting. I'm just excited about all the press. A friend of mine who knew I was reading this actually called me from her car when she heard this NPR show yesterday.
Who knew War & Peace would cause such controversy in our day. Awesome!

and given stories of it selling out like crazy, it seems that readers everywhere agree.
now, if i could just find a solid week and a half to do nothing but read it...

this posting refers to the final section of Volume One - around page(s) 280-290...
holy shit. quite literally, actually. the (non)interaction in the medical unit between Prince Andrei and Napolean was pretty fucking terrific. anyone up there yet? care to comment on this or anything else?

yeah, it's amazing.
and, tracy and cameron, i've been informed that count leo was influenced by much british literature of the 17th and 18th century in which it was commonplace for the narrator to show his presence and intrude with an 'us' or some other such indicator...
there's much to write about - i'm losing my mind with pierre's encounter with the masons at the moment... but i don't wanna drop any spoilers. anyone else have any thoughts on anything up to pg 200?

instructions: buy the book on tuesday (isbn: 9780307266934), start reading, and start posting. knowing this crowd, some lively and heated discussion/argument/debate/insanity will develop.
any and all are welcome to join and comment: those who have already read it and those who haven't; those who are currently reading it with the group and those who aren't; those who plan to read it one day and even those with no such intention...
and for the los angelenos: at some point in november or december we will be meeting for an in person discussion. hope to see y'all there..
now get to it! from what i hear... this book is quite large and quite dense.
enjoy.