A few words apropos of the book war and peace

War and peace newbies readalong volume iii, part ii. It has been many years, and many books ago that i read war and peace. Petersburg in 1805, as fear of napoleon s ongoing war making begins to set in. One would think after spending so much time on one book, tolstoy would have been too exhausted to write anymore, but he went on to write ana karenina. War and peace has 587,287 words, making it more than ten times longer than your nanowrimo novel. But whatever we call it, war and peace is an astonishing worka book that incorporates historical characters, vivid battle scenes, several love stories, shrewd glimpses of everyday life, an examination of western ideas and the russian soul, and a disquisition on the nature of history itself, among other things. For all these reasons, it initially baffled many critics, though it did find fame within the authors lifetime, and its enduring reputation is almost ubiquitous.

For rastopchin, this is all chilling, creepy and very apropos. Tolstoy completed his first draft in 1863, but he later spent three years rewriting most of it. It is one of the greatest books ever written, if not the greatest. Famous for its girth and sprawling ambition, it merges historical fact with invented characters, and philosophy with fiction.

Leo tolstoy, was a russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. Pierre bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a count who is fighting for his inheritance and yearning for spiritual. A few words apropos of the book war and peace, 121724 9t 1012 about war and peace, the fourpart eighthour movie 1966, shortened to two. Find books like war and peace from the worlds largest community of readers. Kaufman in my library, which i saved for after i finished reading the novel.

The first words of the great russian novel that has become synonymous with literature, tolstoys long lifelike masterpiece of war, society, history well, prince, so genoa and lucca are now just. Oct 28, 2016 war and peace has 587,287 words, making it more than ten times longer than your nanowrimo novel. Three of the characters, natasha rostov, prince andrew bolkonsky and pierre bezukhov illustrate tolstoys philosophy. It is a living organism that is never quite the same as you remembered. War and peace vintage classics by leo tolstoy, richard pevear, larissa volokhonsky. It forgives ideas of heroism, most beautifully in the last words any character speaks in the book. The theme of war, however, is subordinate to the story of family. The book is the product of a very big mind, who lost interest in almost everything war and peace was about before he died. While i was reading, i had give war and peace a chance by andrew d. The problem of describing trees by robert hass the writers. Jul 21, 2017 war and peace is that name that people throw out when mentioning classics and long books. I for one actually enjoy the digressions and the exposition because i enjoy reading history. A few words apropos of the book war and peace, its clear that he.

The film, released in four installments throughout 1966 and 1967, starred bondarchuk in the leading role of pierre bezukhov, alongside vyacheslav tikhonov and ludmila savelyeva, who. A little slow moving and a bit hard to relate to in modern times. Starting march 18, join us for a free virtual book cluba moment each day when we can gather together as a community. Mark is the author of the art of business value, a seat at the table, and war and peace and it and the winner of a computerworld premier 100 award, an amazon elite 100 award, a federal computer week fed 100 award, and a cio magazine cio 100 award. Apr 04, 2019 in war and peace, tolstoy has written a history as much as a work of fiction. Initial thoughts on finishing war and peace by leo tolstoy. It is not a novel, still less an epic poem, still less a historical chronicle. Why tolstoys war and peace should be your summer reading. Sep 09, 2014 tolstoy did not think of his new book as a novel.

A few words apropos of the book war and peace by count leo tolstoy 1217 notes 1225 historical index 1249 summary 1265 resources provided by the awardwinning translators and exclusive to this volume. How does the war and peace miniseries compare to the. Aug 22, 2017 tolstoy says, in a few words apropos of the book war and peace that it is not a novel, still less an epic poem, still less a historical chronicle. To seize and put into words, to describe directly the life of humanity or even of a single nation, appears impossible. A few words apropos of the book war and peace gyorgy lukacs, tolstoy and the attempts to go. Voyna i mir is a 196667 soviet war drama film cowritten and directed by sergei bondarchuk and a film adaptation of leo tolstoys 1869 novel war and peace. Contents introduction 00 list of characters war and peace 00 volume one part one part two part three volume two part one part two part three part four part five volume three part one part two part three volume four part one part two part three part four epilogue part one part two appendix. In short, he indicates that he wrote what he wanted to, without any regard to conventional forms of artistic prose. War and peace was published as a serialized novel, completed in 1869. No, i warn you, that if you do not tell me we are at war, if you again allow yourself to palliate all the infamies and atrocities of this antichrist upon my word, i believe he is, i dont know you in future. Just a few chapters in, you will be pulled in and find yourself racing through it like a. Theres no need to avoid war and peace for that reason. Tolstoy discusses mass activity as a combination ofinfinitesimal units of activity and provides a short summary of past and future events. Fargo by john updike the writers almanac with garrison keillor.

Sep 09, 2012 tolstoy did not think of his new book as a novel. Tolstoy himself entitled a few words apropos of the book war and peace in. It includes a useful introduction by pevear which should be read before criticizing the translation, an appendix containing tolstoys 1868 essay a few words apropos of the book war and peace, endnotes, an historical index, and a plot summary. Bbc radio 4 war and peace ten things you need to know. My first encounter with the book was actually through an adaptation. War and peace is not a book that any attempt at speed reading will succeed. War and peace vintage classics by leo tolstoy, richard. Nominated as one of americas bestloved novels by pbss the great american read often called the greatest novel ever written, war and peace is at once an epic of the napoleonic wars, a philosophical study, and a celebration of the russian spirit. This epic novel is centred on napoleons war with russia. War and peacebook two wikisource, the free online library.

Books similar to war and peace meet your next favorite book. This massive chronicle, to which leo tolstoy 18281910 devoted five whole years shortly after his marriage, portrays russian family life during and after the napoleonic war. Synopsis few would dispute the claim of war and peace to be regarded as the greatest novel in any language. A year of war and peace is the bibliotheraputic equivalent of mainlining your favorite mood enhancer. War and peace is primarily concerned with the histories of five aristocratic familiesparticularly the bezukhovs, the bolkonskys, and the rostovs the members of which are portrayed against a vivid background of russian social life during the war against napoleon 180514. To accompany the publication of the complete text of the book in 1868, he wrote an explanatory note entitled a few words on war and peace in which he mused, what is war and peace. Tolstoy discusses mass activity as a combination of infinitesimal units of activity and provides a short summary of past and future events. One survey found that the average length of books on the new york times bestsellers list had increased by 25% over 15 years. The character arcs were compelling and interesting even though i ultimately didnt like any of them as people. Thus, it has fallen off of a lot of peoples lists of top 100 novels of all time. Table of contents for war and peace library of congress. I read war and peace a few years ago and enjoyed it very much. Thirtyfive years ago this month, leo tolstoys classic work war and peace took over the airwaves of new yorks wbai radio station, part of the pacifica radio network.

It is regarded as one of tolstoys finest literary achievements. The first was a copy i borrowed a few years ago, and now ive purchased one for my own library. Three new versions of tolstoys monumental war and peace first published. War and peace is primarily concerned with the histories of five aristocratic familiesparticularly the bezukhovs, the bolkonskys, and the rostovsthe members of which are portrayed against a vivid background of russian social life during the war against napoleon 180514. A few words apropos of the pamphlet the confessions of nat. Apr 14, 2012 kutuzov walked through the ranks, sometimes stopping to say a few friendly words to officers he had known in the turkish war, sometimes also to the soldiers. War and peace is a historical novel by leo tolstoy first published serially in 186569. At the time, a new bbc version was going to come out and i was determined to watch it and read the book as well. Jan 20, 2008 this is the second time ive read this book. I try to collect good books i really loved reading, and war an peace easily falls into this category.

Goodreads members who liked war and peace also liked. Knopf, 1916, war and peace isa unique alliance between the grand spirit of an epic and that of minute analysis. Basically, war and peace really does feel like it is a book with every other book within it, as well as all of life. When one is adapting an epic 19th century, fourvolume, 1,255page novel containing dozens of characters from five aristocratic families and featuring reallife personas such as. I enjoy reading, and i would say i read at an above average speed than most people. However, if you love classics, the book is worth reading as it has been considered the greatest of. Hey guys, i am a 17 year old 18 in august who just picked up war and peace today at the bookstore, and i am hoping to finish it by the end of summer. Im so thrilled to have finally finished this book, so that i can move on to something else. I understand that the essay chapters interspersed within the story help setup the background, the situations, the sociopolitical climate, etc. You choose the topic, you choose the date due, but you cannot turn in more than one paper per. Born to an aristocratic russian family in 1828, he is best known for the novels war and peace 1869 and anna karenina 1877 so, you can go for the anna. Moscows abandonment and burning is the great deed that saves russia and the momentbymoment details of the event are discussed, including rastoptchins lastminute bid for glory at the expense of the. First paragraph of war and peace memorable quotations.

If you do not come to see that as the book progresses, you are blind. A historian and an artist, describing a historical epoch, have two completely different objects. A few words apropos of the book war and peace p 12171225 of pv translation due for later but, again, hey, start now. Dear friends, in these unsettled times, like many of you i. War and peace by leo tolstoy contents penguin random. It is, i think, exactly as easy, or as hard, to discern characters and character relationships in war and peace as it is in real life. Stretching over a period of several decades, it masterfully describes the history of russia from the end of.

Jan 18, 2011 but as tolstoy indicates in his appendix a few words apropos of the book war and peace, his book is not a novel, still less, an epic poem, still less a historical chronicle page 1217. Most of the characters are introduced at a party, including pierre bezukhov, andrey bolkonsky, and the kuragin and rostov families. War and peace broadly focuses on napoleons invasion of russia in 1812 and follows three of the most wellknown characters in literature. Only rivaled by in search of lost time by marcel proust. If youre watching bbc one drama war and peace by leo tolstoy and want to get a quick overview or summary of the plot to enjoy it more as research suggests, here it is 587,287 words of the book summarised in just 1,945 words which is 0. It is not a novel still less an epic poem, still less a historical chronicle. Tolstoy rus 424 fall 2010 professor hilde hoogenboom tr 1.

In his, a few words apropos of the book war and peace included as the appendix in the pevear volkonsky translation, tolstoy says. The project gutenberg ebook of war and peace, by leo tolstoy this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. From a few words apropos of the book war and peace 1868 5 the divergence between my description of historical events and the accounts of historians. Osmania university library call no l accession no 95 gg author j 4. Beyond the social forms of life in modern critical. With any classic book, but especially a book the length of tolstoys epic war and peace, its easy to be intimidated and avoid reading it. A few words apropos of the pamphlet the confessions of nat turner submitted by krm on mon, 20170220 6. Carleton university department of english engl 5606w. Tolstoys genius is seen clearly in the multitude of characters in this massive chronicleall of them fully realized.

In 1868 tolstoy published a brief essay entitled a few words apropos of the book war and peace in which he made a deliberately provocative assertion. War and peace is what the author wanted and was able to express, in the form in which it is expressed. Looking at their boots he several times shook his head sadly, pointing them out to the austrian general with an expression which seemed to say that he was not blaming anyone, but could not. It is part of an article that tolstoy wrote that was originally published in the russian archive magazine in 1868 entitled a few words apropos of the book war and peace, and is a response to the question what is war and peace. In war and peace, like the title says, you get equal measures of each. At over 1400 pages long, this book may seem daunting but i urge anyone to read it, and like me, you may find it the one of the most rewarding book you will ever read. Reading the war and peace in this sense is no different to reading a book from the game of thrones.

War and peace by leo tolstoy first paragraph well, prince, genoa and lucca are now no more than private estates of the bonaparte family. Check out some of my favorite war and peace quotes and my analysis of them. Thisunique alliance derives from tolstoys careful craftsmanship, only a few significant devices of which we have space here to discuss. It expresses tolstoys view that history is an inexorable process which man cannot influence. He published an article in 1868, even before the final parts of book had come out, called a few words apropos of the book war and peace. Read and discuss war and peace with yiyun li and a public space. Contents may have variations from the printed book or be incomplete or contain other coding. In russias struggle with napoleon, tolstoy saw a tragedy that involved all mankind. Jun 22, 2010 the two sentences i wanted to share from the introduction come from page xiii. Elizabeth goudge was an english author of novels, short stories and childrens books. Three new versions of tolstoys monumental war and peace first published 186569 have appeared in print during the last few years and they have managed to create some controversy. War and peace is as much an historical treatise as it is a novel and i became as engaged in the story of the napoleonic war in russia as in the lives of the principal characters. Table of contents for war and peace by leo tolstoy.

I got the cliff notes 1979s version of spark notes and had the general premise and players down before i watched the series. Tolstoy suggests that books that do fall easily into such categories cannot be anything better than mediocre. Text fly within the book only tight binding book co uj ft m oup 2273 191 179 10,000 copies. The first viking, 2005, an english academic version, by anthony briggs.

Theres also pierres good friend andrei bolkonsky, who is a little too smart for his own good. Well, thats the end of the characters, but not the end of the book. A few words apropos of the book war and peace reddit. Stt y title w this book should bcrcturned on or before the date last marked below. Jan 22, 2016 the book is the product of a very big mind, who lost interest in almost everything war and peace was about before he died. In the journal russian archive, tolstoy wrote an essay titled a few words about the novel war and peace which, being tolstoy, was much more than a few words. It is regarded as one of tolstoys finest literary achievements and remains a classic of world literature the novel chronicles the french invasion of. I have to say that i regret not having read it earlier in life, as the characters are so very true to life, and the story, while specific to its time, has themes that are universal and timeless. But as tolstoy indicates in his appendix a few words apropos of the book war and peace, his book is not a novel, still less, an epic poem. War and peace by leo tolstoy, first 2 paragraphs of. Technical devices used in war and peace cliffsnotes.

From the awardwinning translators of anna karenina and the brothers karamazov comes this magnificent new translation of tolstoys masterwork. War and peace is a book that i put off reading for quite a long time. May 08, 20 to be told in advance natasha rostov is the heroine of the book is not much help either. R 107 war and peace, epilogue, parts 12, 11291215 appendix. As you know, there are many translations of tolstoy. Born on rbooks, well read war and peace one chapter per day and well discuss it here.