Edition

[Rebecca]

My apologies to disappoint, although it appears my edition is subpar as per the Group Rules. I've got the Pevear/Volokhonsky edition. So far, the only complaint I have with it is that the French in it is left untranslated, with the English translation present in the footnotes, throwing regular footnotes to the back of the book as endnotes. Kind of obnoxious. Otherwise, the book reads smoothly.

What versions to you guys have, and how do you like them?


(Let it be known this copy was given to me as a gift a couple years ago.)

[Trevor]

2010 Oxford World's Classics edition, it's an updated translation of the 'standard' one from OWC in 1923, I believe. It too has French translations in the footnotes and endnotes in the back for other things. This book though doesn't seem to require notes for comprehension, unlike other Victorian literature.

There seems to be a recent surge in War and Peace translations, specifically the new Penguin Deluxe edition and the other big teal colored one. I chose the OWC because it was authoritative, scholarly and had a good introduction/bibliography. But you read what you have, I suppose.

I think just you and I are reading War and Peace right now, the others are catching up on the last book/other engagements. Basically how it is supposed to work is we all take turns proposing then agreeing on books to add to the queue. I'm already ahead a bit. Currently in the queue we have a Teddy Roosevelt 'writings' (my choice) and Heart of Darkness (Derek's choice), perhaps you'd like to propose Moby Dick as the next one?

[Rebecca]

Sounds good to me!

[Trevor]

Update: I have the Oxford, 2010 translation by Louise and Aylmer Maude, revised and edited by Amy Mandelker. Apparently the Vintage, 2007 translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky is the new, popular teal one. Apparently it is the most academic one.

[Trevor]

So, let me know how you like your edition so far.

[Rebecca]

I've got the 2007 teal one. I'm diggin' it.

[Trevor]

I like Pierre quite a bit. How he just goes around and joins in drunken parties, with such results as tying a police officer and a bear together, back to back, then chucking them in the river. Seems almost like the Roman punishment for patricide.

[Rebecca]

I figured you'd like Pierre. I'm enjoying Anna Mikhailovna's schemes to squeeze money out of people. She's got no shame.

[Trevor]

Okay, now that I'm in the third part, Pierre seems to be less fun...sorry. I'm trying to come up with a new hero. It seems that there's a clear seperation of the 'war' and 'peace' narratives...perhaps I should find a hero in both?

[Trevor]

Does Denisov speak with a lisp in your edition?

[Rebecca]

Yes. It took me aback at first, because I thought for sure this was impossible in Russians.