I've always loved epic works. And so I've always wanted to read War & Peace. It took nothing more than our impending trip to France, and my need for a palate cleanse after so much Greek drama, to get me started.
And I loved it so much that I'll group it with two of my all-time favorite novels, both epic works in their own right, David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and The Stand by Stephen King.
The historic context of the Napoleonic wars, and the inner workings of aristocratic Russia, proved intoxicating.
And I don't know if it was this translation by Louise and Aylmer Maude, or the original text by Tolstoy, but the language was spectacular, like the best of Austen, every sentence beautifully written. Although I did follow LitCharts' analysis of the book, I found War very readable, even with the multiplicity of characters and families.
The war sections bring war to life in a masterful way, without too much technicality or detail, just enough to paint the picture. And, unlike so much war writing, it tells the story with heart and humanity.
The peace sections read like a gorgeous romance, but intermixed with the loss and poignancy unique to Russia, especially at a time of great strife.
Tolstoy strives for nothing short of explaining the meaning of life in War & Peace. Like the best of Dickens, he uses his characters to demonstrate the futility of vanity and self glorification, and the joy that comes from doggedly loving those that surround you.
Live life deliberately, work for the better of the world that surrounds you, take care of those that matter most to you, welcome them into your home and daily life, and do all you can to bring them joy.
Those are the messages I took from War & Peace.
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