War and Peace (1869) is a novel by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.
Serialized between 1865 and 1867, it was published in book form in 1869
and has since been recognized as a masterpiece of world literature.
Notable for its epic scale, War and Peace encompasses hundreds of
characters, diligently following its five central families across
fifteen years while featuring detailed imaginings of such historical
figures as Napoleon Bonaparte. In Books XI-XV, Tolstoy depicts the
loss of Moscow, the final struggle against French forces, and the
beginning of a new era for Russia, Europe, and the world. French forces
under Napoleon Bonaparte leave the Russian military and people with no
choice. Not only must they abandon Moscow, they must burn it to the
ground in order to slow the Grande Armée's advance. The Rostov family
leaves in a hurry, bringing with them the mortally wounded Prince
Andrei, who is nursed by his beloved Natasha. Meanwhile, Pierre hatches
a plan to assassinate Napoleon, but is soon captured and threatened with
execution. As he awaits his fate in prison, guerrilla fighters manage to
repel the French, forcing Napoleon's disastrous retreat. With its
depiction of the brutalities of war on individuals and society alike,
Tolstoy's story brings history to life while reminding us that the past
is always closer than we care to think. As ambitious as it is
triumphant, Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece is an epic novel of history and
family, a story of faith and the will to persevere in the face of
unspeakable catastrophe. War and Peace is a work that transcends both
history and description, not just for the scale of its narrative and
setting, but for the scope of its philosophical interests. Since its
publication, it has been praised as an essential work of literature by
Ivan Turgenev, Gustave Flaubert, Thomas Mann, and Ernest Hemingway, and
has been adapted for film, theater, and television countless times. With
a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this
edition of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is a classic of Russian
literature reimagined for modern readers.
