Adam Dalva's Reviews > War and Peace
War and Peace
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In this frightening, isolated time, let me direct you to War and Peace. People resist this book - they do it because it's something of a punch line as a monolithic, difficult novel. But this is one of the frothiest soap operas of a novel that I know of, with far more narrative propulsion than the excellent (but sometimes slow) ANNA KARENINA. Two nations at war - great world leaders and generals, yes, but also trench life, and even more so, relevantly, now, the way war alters lives at home.
The thrills of this novel should not be spoiled, but the memories are indelible (a dramatic entrance in an opera house, a medical sequence as harrowing as it is moving, Pierre, in Moscow aflame). Tolstoy's creations in the book are near-perfect: Natasha, Andrei, and Pierre, that most lovable of teddy bears, and dozens of spectacular supporting characters, intertwining in complex ways. It is not a difficult book - just a long one. And it as spell-binding and transporting reading experience that I know of. Tolstoy is the ur-novelist for a reason. It's probably already on your shelf. It's been there for years, since college, maybe.
Start it this evening. Trust me.
The thrills of this novel should not be spoiled, but the memories are indelible (a dramatic entrance in an opera house, a medical sequence as harrowing as it is moving, Pierre, in Moscow aflame). Tolstoy's creations in the book are near-perfect: Natasha, Andrei, and Pierre, that most lovable of teddy bears, and dozens of spectacular supporting characters, intertwining in complex ways. It is not a difficult book - just a long one. And it as spell-binding and transporting reading experience that I know of. Tolstoy is the ur-novelist for a reason. It's probably already on your shelf. It's been there for years, since college, maybe.
Start it this evening. Trust me.
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Reading Progress
February 8, 2010
– Shelved
Started Reading
March 21, 2020
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Finished Reading
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Sandra
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Mar 21, 2020 12:41PM
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I should have also mentioned that the French can slow people down! But I wonder how much of this is a disorientation problem that most novels have, compounded by the length and scope of this? Excellent thoughts.
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What did you think of the P+V translation? :)
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It was originally published in 4 tomes (books), so maybe it would be best to lookfor something like that. I have it that way and its not a pain for the eyes to read :)
Totally agree. Such a good reccomendation for this time.
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