Rating: 
Summary: And the Aristocrats Spoke French
Review: "War and Peace" is the original epic. It tells the story of a bewildered little boy who suddenly becomes a fabulously wealthy count. There is a hush across the room as this nephew is brought into his uncle's house and had the title of count foisted upon him. The reader, like the former count's hangers-on, are awed by this saintly presence and mightily impressed with his new-found wealth.The youngcount, an aristocract whose life I assume is based on the true situation in Csarist Russia, lead a life of unimaginable wealth. The count was an important private person who served a crucial role in government. His many estates were so vast that they had their own hospitals and schools. The count had so many people in his employ that when the country went to war the count and other aristocrats were expected to summon their own divisions to join the army. Regarding war, the count became a Freemason. These are a group of Christians who are opposed to war. (I imagine that modern-day Masons and maybe Quakerism sprang from this movement.) So late in the novel we witness the scene of the unarmed count wandered the Russian battlefield where Napolean's army has just been engaged. Leo Tolstoy, the author, was a freemason as well. War and Peace is so long that it's length has become a cliché. It takes well 100 pages for one character (I won't give his name and ruin the novel for you) to die. But it is a fabulous 100 pages and holds your interest. We watch that character crawl into bed and slowly begin to die. The light in his eyes glows dimmer and his life is slowly snuffed out. When I read that I felt a heavy burden bear down on me until it pushed be into a kid of sad calm. This book is a great novel but also an important work of history. Its historical import comes from it's discussion of the war with Napoleon and the life of the Russian aristocrat. The princes, counts, nieces, and nephews in the novel glide from one ball to another it seems. In this regard the novel is reminiscent of Tolstoy's novel "Anna Karenina". It seems the young females in the novel lived exclusively for these grand formal dances. Even though the aristocrats in the novel are Russia they did not speak Russian. Rather they spoke French, because that is what Russian aristrocrats did. Another interesting point: the women in the novel have a slightly different last name from their spouse. It is diminutive of their husband's last name. I am not sure if that is why the practice was followed, but it is certainly more elegant sounding than the current fashion e.g. "Hillary Rodman-Clinton". In case you haven't heard this yet, Leo Tolstoy, the author, was an aristocrat himself who foreswore all his worldly goods and lived his waning days piously as a recluse in quiet contemplation. This was much to the consternation of his family. If you have not seen it I also recommend "Woody Allen's" cinematic parody of the novel "Love and Death". This is not the first time that Woody Allen has taken a great work of literature or philosopy as his theme.
Rating:
Summary: Peace and War
Review: The epic War and Peace describes the lives of five aristocraticfamilies during the Napoleonic Wars between Russia and France. Hissubtle psychological insights and realistic details create an entireworld from various points of view. Tolstoy's own future views areforeshadowed by the esoteric philosophy of the Freemasons who initiatePierre into their mysteries. He is exhorted to an active life ofvirtue, and although they endeavor to reform society, they renouncethe use of violence. "Every violent reform deserves censure, forit quite fails to remedy evil while men remain what they are, and alsobecause wisdom needs no violence." (Tolstoy). The answer lies inpersonal transformation which Pierre undergoes during the course ofevents. The moral evil of the war is summarized by Tolstoy in thesewords, "An event took place opposed to human reason and to humannature. Millions of men perpetrated against one another suchinnumerable crimes, frauds, treacheries, thefts, forgeries, issues offalse money, burglaries, incendiarisms, and murders as in wholecenturies are not recorded in the annals of all the law courts of theworld, but which those who committed them did not at the time regardas being crimes." Tolstoy does not lay the blame on theleaders and "great men" whom he believes are merely puppetsof history, a history that is shaped by the millions of choices madeby the countless individuals participating. A monumental work offiction, Tolstoy's masterpiece of love and loss, tragedy and triumphis set against the panorama of the Napoleonic Wars at the dawn of the19th century. An unforgettable story of two Russian families whoselives become intertwined amidst a collision of empires... END
Rating:
Summary: Ends too soon
Review: Compared to Proust or Mann, this is an easy read. All the major characters are vividly portrayed -- Tolstoy shows us the strengths and weaknesses of his large cast by their gestures and verbal tics, by their actions when confronted with adversity or unexpected opportunity, by their habit of dress, and by the gossip of other members of society which Tolstoy's narrator shares with us. The book is chockful of action and dramatic scenes -- everything from Pierre standing shackled in a line of prisoners awaiting execution before a firing squad, to Natasha's frenzied excitement when she debuts before Petersburg's society on New Year's Eve 1810, to the battle of Borodino where the Russian forces inflict lethal damage on Napoleon's forces, to a duel between Pierre and Dolohov, to the pillaging and burning of Moscow by the French army. If you're not interested in free-will vs. determinism, you can safely skip the last 40 pages of the book (as well as a few other selected passages when Tolstoy basically rants and raves). Yes, it does end too soon; I still wanted to know more about the 'old Countess', and Pierre, Natasha, 'little Petya', Marya, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Long.
Review: War and Peace is a long book. I mean it is long. Very long. Long, long, long, long, long. Way long. Not only is it long but it's got a lot of Russian names in it. I mean a lot. Now don't get me wrong, I know it takes place in Russia and most of the characters are Russian and it was written by a Russian in Russian, but still give me a break. War and Peace is a long book very long with a lot of Russian names a lot. This is my review of War and Peace, a long book with a lot of Russian names.
Rating: 
Summary: war and peace
Review: What can I say.....it's a great book. What bothers me, however, is that the story only revolves around the upperclasses. Aside from Katayev, Tolstoy doesn't delve into the live's of the serfs and peasants. The Bezuhov's, Rostovs and Bolkonsky's aren't really that interesting a group to convey all the emotional impact of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, it's long...
Review: and yes, people do remark on it if you read it in public. But this book is more than worth the time and the comments. I can't imagine there's another novel out there that covers military strategy, theology, historiography, and social status in nineteenth century Russia - and still has all the plot of Gone with the Wind! I picked it up in a bookstore, thought "Oh, I really *should* read this", and I found it to be a real pleasure. I'm actually looking forward to reading it again. It is so crammed full, even at 1400+ pages, that I'm sure I'll take different things away from it next time.
Rating:
Summary: A big book of big ideas
Review: Tolstoy's epic novel is a suprisingly quick 1400 pgs. It takes a bit of determination to get through the first sections of the book, as the number of characters grows faster than many readers can remember. The effort, however, is well rewarded. The book consists of several essential themes interwoven into a single story. It is a heroic epic, a romance, a spiritual quest, and a treatise on history. It succeeds on all accounts, leaving the reader with deep insights into the nature of love and religion, the causes of the Napoleonic wars, and the role of heroes in history. The large time investment in this novel is justified by what the reader takes away from it.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the time to read
Review: Yes, the sheer size of the book is daunting. But the story is engrossing, the characters are fabulous, the plot(s) are mesmerizing - it really is the best book ever written. Even reading it at face value (who cares if its "literature"), ignoring the minutae and witty criticisms of intellectuals, the book is fabulous. I don't want to give anything away - so let me simply say that if you can read the first sixty pages, you will be so involved in the story the rest of the book will fly by. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: This is a fine book!
Review: I will not kid you: this book is not going to take you a day to read. It will take you many days. But I believe that it is a fine examination of a family through war and peace, and an interesting story it is. There are a lot of names, but they are repeated so many times throughout the story that you just learn who everyone is. Also, Tolstoy's depiction of the characters are so powerful that you will love Natasha and hate Anna Mikhailovna. Now, I leave it to you to read the book and find out who they are.
Rating:
Summary: Staggering yet remarkably clear
Review: It takes an act of courage and determination to begin reading "War and Peace"-- not only because of its size but also because of the staggering reputation that precedes it. If you have the time to read a 1400+ page novel and the patience to sift through a large variety of Russian characters, then I promise you won't be disappointed. "War and Peace" is many things to many people. It is a love story, a heroic military epic, a vast panorama of Nineteenth Century Russian society, and possibly the most incisive spiritual essay produced in the West to date. The core component of the story is the adventures of three characters, Count Pierre Bazukov, Prince Andrei Bolkansky, and Natasha Rostova. Prince Andrei is a cynic whose battlefield experience in the early Napoleonic campaigns has left him bereft of his idol, Napoleon. His dour outlook on life is changed when he meets Natasha at a ball and falls in love with her. Pierre is also smitten with Natasha, but his close friendship with Prince Andrei prevents him from revealing his feelings or acting on them. Prince Andrei and Natasha become engaged, but this turns to disaster when Natasha attempts to elope with a man who has beguiled her. Pierre intervenes to save Natasha's honor but the damage is done and the heart broken prince Andrei exiles himself to the countryside. The lives of each character are irrevocably altered by Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Prince Andrei is mortally wounded at the Battle of Borodino and transferred to a field hospital outside of Moscow. Natasha and her mother arrive in the same location as refugees while Pierre remains in Moscow and attempts to assasinate Napoleon. While Prince Andrei lies in the hospital bed he sees his nemesis--the man who tried to steal Natasha from him--in the process of having his leg amputated. At that moment he feels immense compassion for the man and bears no more rancor towards him for destroying his relationship with Natasha. Prince Andrei's only wish is to see Natasha again so that he can forgive her. Later that night Natasha goes to the hospital in hopes of seeing Prince Andrei. When they meet again, Prince Andrei says, "I love you." This is probably the most powerful moment in the book since the love Prince Andrei expresses is not the adulating, possessive love a man feels for his bride. Prince Andrei loves her with a universal compassion and gentleness. He loves her as another human being, not as in instrument of his happiness. Prince Andrei has reached a point of spiritual evolution and in this sense, both Natasha and his rival are his teachers. Back in Moscow, Pierre lines Napoleon's figure in his gun sights but is unable to shoot. He does not have it in him to alter the course of history. Instead, Pierre is captured and marched off with the French Army until he is liberated near the Russian border. He returns to Moscow and marries Natasha. And this is just a summary of the core of the story. It omits many of the most interesting characters such as Prince Andrei's stern, ascetic father, or Natasha's temperamental brother, Nikolai. Entire sections of the novel are essays in themselves. For example at the beginning of the battle of Borodino, Tolstoi argues that the course of battle is not a matter of command or control but of fate. Many readers have claimed that Tolstoi was a genius, but it would be more accurate to say that he was a genius on several levels. Tolstoi was a gifted writer, as well as a brilliant philosopher and social scientist. He was also a spiritual genius on par with Ghandi. Tolstoi's interpretation of love is a universal one that transcends any belief system. But this is hardly surprising from the man who said that if most Russians practiced true orthodoxy then the government would deem it a heresy.
| 
