War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Book Review)

Love this!! Just discovered your channel ☺️ and btw, the aristocracy in Russia at the time spoke exclusively in French and Russian language was for the peasants. So although Napoleon invaded them, they can't change how they communicate overnight because suddenly they are being invaded by the French.. Ironically the aristocracy thought French culture was superior to Russian culture so it wasn't so cut and dry in seeing them as the "enemy".. Tolstoy himself was educated in French like most highborn landowners and the practice went on until the time of writers like Vladimir Nabokov who had to leave Russia and his family estates because of the Russian Revolution. He and his family migrated to Paris, where a great many Russian aristocrats sought refuge. It was a second home 🌝

Thank you very much. I recently finished the book and thought it was wonderful. I'm 25 and have no experience of the military or religion, so it was very interesting to have your perspective. When reading i recognized myself and things I've felt in the characters in the book. I'm sure that I will read it again when I'm older and it will be interesting to see it with a different perspective.

I read it when I was in my teen, the story didn’t stay with me, but jus the atmosphere of it stayed. Now in my 40s, I picked it up and living through all the characters again. It is amazing how Tolstoy brings life to the fictional characters, I mean Napoleon maybe really existed but all the other fictional characters must have been really there, too! Thank you for your insights, very interesting to hear from someone who had experience in the army.

Hi Helen - thank you for such a thoughtful video! It's funny you brought up Ben's video and book club because I am part of the club :D I personally finished the book a few days ago and have not been able to stop thinking about it. It really encompasses so much of life and took me for an emotional rollercoaster ride to say the least. I am 28 with very different life experiences from our main characters but I felt myself resonating with their anxieties, aspirations, and fears in one way or another. Greatly looking forward to re-reading this many more times and to fall in love with the story all over again when I do so. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and takeaways!

Interesting review, I like how you focused on life lessons instead of on the plot. I have not red the book yet, but i did see the show minisearies by a&e 2016 and I really liked it. Thank you

I cried, I laughed and felt being part of the story as I was reading it. I am so happy 😊 that you loved it too. I just finished the audio book version of the first volume of Proust's masterwork The Swan Way.

Great book. Don’t let the size daunt.

👍 I've not read W&P, but I watched the 4-part film on the Mosfilm channel this weekend. It's a bit stilted in parts (e.g. stolid, salt-of-the-earth, simple RU soldiers fighting for mother RU against eogistical tyranny), but overall a stunning film - to be recommended. I'm old enough to remember the 1972 BBC adaptation - also recommended and available on YT - it gives a less heroic take on the novel. On Russians speaking FR: Catherine the Great (a German) introduced FR to the RU court. FR was felt to be the language of culture and learning, and in highly stratified European court societies (e.g. in the German nations), it added another welcome layer of social distinction. The indigenous languages (e.g. DE / RU) were for the uncouth and uneducated, and EN was mainly still only spoken by the unspeakable nation of shopkeepers.🙂 BTW: Have you read Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann? I expected it to be boring and ponderous, but it is actually an excellent read.

I'll give you a piece of advice, read Anna Karenina. 🤩

Really this book is very boring.... events are over excessive... I couldn't finish the first tome in fench language