War and Peace

Leo Tolstoy is considered a master storyteller with an unmatched grip on presenting the inner emotional struggles of mankind.

This novel presents the stress caused in the lives of people and society when French General and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte attacked Russia. The book had a deep impact on future generations. I read the book in my early 30s and found it fascinating. 

I have a deep interest in the evolution and reaction of societies to crises, both natural and man-made. The discussion on leadership, whether it is by birth or upbringing, was fascinating for me. 

There are many authors who attempt to capture the human experience of consciousness in words. Pioneers like Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and William Faulkner all pushed the bounds of literary convention to try to express the subjective stream of consciousness that all humans, presumably, revel in.

Nevertheless, I think the very best literary modeler of human consciousness adopted the same approach as the very best scientific modeler of human consciousness: instead of jumping in and examining consciousness with a microscope, he stepped back—way back—and chronicled everything that was going on all at once... and out of this beautiful turbulence emerged… show more.

I read this book when I was in my twenties as well. An epic, sprawling novel of 1500 pages, of life in Russia during the early 19th century, in the Napoleonic Era, set against the backdrop of the French invasion of Russia.

It tells the stories of a wide array of characters from different social classes and presents an engrossing panorama of Russian society at the time. It explores themes of love, fate, power, destiny, and the concept of free will, among other things. Seems to cover everything in the human experience.

The battle scenes, the descriptions of high Moscow… show more.

War and Peace is not just the greatest novel of the Napoleonic Era, but among the greatest novels ever written. This vivid translation best captures the complexities of Tolstoy’s characters and their dilemmas amidst epic military campaigns that determine the fate of Europe and countless lives. The web of stories linking the characters are as much about friendship and love as they are about war and peace.

Given both its breadth and depth, I can always come back to this novel. There are many interesting philosophical ideas, the history is fascinating, and I love how each character lives very differently. The constant question of what gives life value and how to meet our death, and seeing perspectives change for those who are privileged to live out long lives. A masterwork. In my personal life, philosophical questions are not abstract concepts, and life is worthy of deep thought. The novel is a great place to navigate life’s big questions. If I’m fortunate enough to have your readership, you’ll… show more.

Even though War and Peace is considered a hard book to read, making the effort is one of the most gratifying experiences for any reader. War and Peace doesn’t just provide a broad panorama of Russian society against the backdrop of the 1812 Napoleonic army's invasion but also elaborates like no other in the spiritual dimension of the human being and in the importance of family happiness as the last bastion against a belligerent world. The novel begins at a glittering society party in St Petersburg in 1805, where conversations are dominated by the prospect of war. Terror swiftly engulfs… show more.

Don’t let the name and number of pages daunt you! This endearing classic will take you to one of the most interesting places and times in history. Join a myriad of complex characters in the early 1800s before and after Napoleon invades Russia. You will be swept away in a story of betrayal, patriotism, love, and transformation. This novel is so good that I have read it twice!

The 6 ½ hour Russian version of War and Peace came to town when I was working as an English teacher in Hokkaido, Japan. I watched the whole thing in Russian with Japanese subscripts translated to me by my friend, Mr. Genzu. What an incredible story! 

The book itself, which I first read in college, chronicles Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1805 and tells the stories of five Russian aristocratic families, with its primary hero, Pierre, an alter-ego for Tolstoy himself. Tolstoy brought a new kind of consciousness to the novel. His story has both a God’s eye point of… show more.

A masterpiece showing me what potential a novel has in both picturing immense war scenarios of the Napoleon war in Russia 1805-1812 and at the same time how war and conflict have a fatal influence on the existence and love life of people through a lot of different and deeply characterized characters of both the idle life of Russian aristocracy. In this context, they are the noblemen Pierre Kirillovitj, Andréj Bolkónskij, and the woman they both love: Natásja. Choosing very different ways – Andréj a military built on honor and Pierre a rebellious and humanistic one – Tolstoy in his… show more.