tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post2619424225420144993..comments2024-02-09T16:13:32.416-08:00Comments on Classical Carousel: War and Peace by Leo TolstoyCleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-81732825129045446822016-07-30T11:05:26.627-07:002016-07-30T11:05:26.627-07:00Thanks, Joseph! It was a difficult review but I w...Thanks, Joseph! It was a difficult review but I was happy with the outcome. I'll pop over to check yours out.Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-13923681013199022302016-07-30T03:36:55.966-07:002016-07-30T03:36:55.966-07:00Nice review Cleo. I was also lost at how to attemp...Nice review Cleo. I was also lost at how to attempt a review...not because it's so long, but because it encompasses so much. http://100greatestnovelsofalltimequest.blogspot.com/2016/06/war-and-peace-by-leo-tolstoy-69-down-31.htmlJosephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00466108789532345790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-12138151001083658292014-08-19T09:50:11.483-07:002014-08-19T09:50:11.483-07:00It was so interesting how Tolstoy emphasized that ...It was so interesting how Tolstoy emphasized that heroes are made by circumstances, and by how history decides to perceive them. I believed this intuitively, but it took his philosophical orations to really cement my ideas.<br /><br />I tend not to have difficulty keeping characters in Russian literature straight, but if you do, it might be a challenge at the beginning. When I was reading it, I tried not to overload myself. I did read sections at a time and often would put it down, but I also spent a little time mulling over what I had read. I was constantly asking myself why a certain character would behave a certain way (I tend to do that with Russian lit!) and it helped the story come alive and kept it in my mind.<br /><br />Thanks, Ruth and all the best with your War and Peace journey! :-)Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-89675322057737852392014-08-19T05:23:07.260-07:002014-08-19T05:23:07.260-07:00I finally got a minute to read your review. I lik...I finally got a minute to read your review. I like how you summarize war as just men doing what they must to survive. It really is all a struggle for survival. Man can't help it b/c there is always some madman challenging the world, and the world must decide to play dead or fight and survive. But that's me interjecting my opinion.<br /><br />I have had such a difficult time sticking to W&P. Everything in my heart tells me I love the writing. But it is not easy to stay focused. I am trying to read a little bit every week, but I find it challenging to make connections. I suppose reading it so broken up is not a good idea, and I will never be able to make connections that way. <br /><br />I know what you mean about finding a way to write about it. This is definitely a story that needs to be read again and again. <br /><br />Well, congratulations for completing it.Ruth @ with freedom and bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15531827758868215023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-78883376093751580272014-08-17T14:31:40.601-07:002014-08-17T14:31:40.601-07:00You're very welcome! I hope you have the time...You're very welcome! I hope you have the time and inclination to read it one day!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-82316467007715079012014-08-17T05:13:27.452-07:002014-08-17T05:13:27.452-07:00At some point I'd like to read this book. Than...At some point I'd like to read this book. Thank you for thoughtfully sharing what it was about and your thoughts about it. Harvest Moon by Handhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18026575111937500816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-45369909679317343532014-08-16T08:57:39.700-07:002014-08-16T08:57:39.700-07:00Yes, you're absolutely right in your assessmen...Yes, you're absolutely right in your assessment, but to be fair, considering the length of the book, he didn't switch gears all that often. And I did think while he may have had general thoughts, he did relate many of these philosophical monologues to some of the characters: Napoleon, Kutuzov, etc. who were all real people. (ie. why was Kutuzov viewed in a certain light after the war, what did he do to deserve a certain appellation, did he <i>mean</i> to do this or that, etc., which morphs into how heroes are created, do they deserve to be heroes/villians, etc.)<br /><br />I haven't read Moby Dick yet so I can't compare, but I have read Hugo's Les Miserables. Hugo's digressions for the most part, while very interesting, I didn't feel added to what he wanted to say in the novel. With War and Peace, I do think Tolstoy's "digressions" were important if you wanted to fully understand all the themes in his "novel". <br /><br />I think Tolstoy himself realized the uniqueness of his work when he said that it was "not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less an historical chronicle." It is a book that you have to read with an open-mind and allow your expectations to have some malleability. Once I let Tolstoy take the lead, I really enjoyed his style; it was almost like getting three different genres for the price of one! ;-)<br /><br /> Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-60296414797114230762014-08-16T06:39:38.066-07:002014-08-16T06:39:38.066-07:00I think it isn't so much the war parts are les...I think it isn't so much the war parts are less interesting than the peace parts (after all, the war parts have some of the most stirring and moving episodes in the entire novel), but it's during the war parts that Tolstoy sometimes stops the action of his story and starts writing long-winded philosophical essays on history and the nature of warfare without much reference to the characters. It feels almost like he switches from fiction to nonfiction mode. Anna Karenina lacks the interspersed essays of War and Peace, which is why I find it the more engaging read. <br /><br />It has some similarities to Moby Dick in that the story will essentially halt as we read snippets about whales from other types of discourse. <br /><br />I suppose it depends on one's taste. Does one prefer a mostly uninterrupted story-driven narrative or a narrative that tells the story in roundabout (somewhat unusual and experimental) ways. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-67222269924749340482014-08-15T08:30:17.288-07:002014-08-15T08:30:17.288-07:00Thanks! That surprises me! After your Proust-aga...Thanks! That surprises me! After your Proust-aganza, I thought that you would be able to read anything! ;-) This book might be good to read as a buddy read; that way you have someone to keep you going. Good luck with your third attempt!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-89448606632144758602014-08-15T08:21:58.433-07:002014-08-15T08:21:58.433-07:00Well done! I've never got into War and Peace, ...Well done! I've never got into War and Peace, I've read it twice and neither times were successful. This year I bought a different translation (recommended to me by someone obsessed with this novel!) so I'm hopeful. :)ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01245931629228090133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-76696214313152046192014-08-14T20:45:48.848-07:002014-08-14T20:45:48.848-07:00Oh, good! Hopefully I'm selling enjoyment!Oh, good! Hopefully I'm selling enjoyment!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-69497928124827308602014-08-14T20:45:19.173-07:002014-08-14T20:45:19.173-07:00Thanks, Dale! I read your posts and enjoyed them ...Thanks, Dale! I read your posts and enjoyed them as well. I liked how you pinpointed that the setting is around the time Austen had her novels published. It's helpful to have a tie-in from another country.<br /><br />Like you, I found that Tolstoy's novel is so much more than plot. I would have liked to have taken some more time to mull over his thoughts, but the book was so long that I had to keep going. Perhaps during my re-read! :-)Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-15491782799509899962014-08-14T15:00:37.592-07:002014-08-14T15:00:37.592-07:00This is a fantastic post! I read W&P from Sep...This is a fantastic post! I read W&P from Sept 2012 to Jan 2013. I would read other things in between each section, but I made sure I went back to it. And I'm glad I finished it! It was well worth it. And you are right, if you are reading only for plot, there are sections you could skip, but I would recommend buckling down and reading the whole thing. Tolstoy's insights can helpful and very interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-30559509116227679692014-08-14T12:59:19.090-07:002014-08-14T12:59:19.090-07:00You are a good saleswoman!You are a good saleswoman!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-64687098707992575322014-08-14T10:10:43.356-07:002014-08-14T10:10:43.356-07:00I used the Aylmer & Louise Maude translation. ...I used the Aylmer & Louise Maude translation. They knew Tolstoy personally, which I find fascinating as it must have added more depth to their translation. Pevear-Volonhonsky have been popular but I'm convinced it's only because of marketing. They simplify the language and completely deaden the story; I absolutely hate their translations. I read an Anna Karenina translation of theirs and I'm convinced that I still haven't really read Anna Karenina. :-Z Personally I quite like Constance Garrett too, but the complaint with her is that she tends to embellish. The story is wonderful but if you're a Tolstoy-purist, she might not be the right one for you.<br /><br />I do hope you get the chance to read it one day!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-54755465942194604392014-08-14T10:05:43.299-07:002014-08-14T10:05:43.299-07:00Thanks, Sam! Initially I was hoping to read this ...Thanks, Sam! Initially I was hoping to read this with a buddy but as I got into the book, I was glad that I could go at my own pace; sometime I got so engrossed that I had to keep going, and sometimes it was nice to put it down for awhile. I hope you like it when you get around to reading it!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-12412805021991185492014-08-14T10:03:18.277-07:002014-08-14T10:03:18.277-07:00It would be a great winter project! ……….. Curled u...It would be a great winter project! ……….. Curled up by the fire in a big comfy chair, a cup of hot tea, the rain/snow falling outside ………. just think ……… ;-)Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-56557267543793701912014-08-14T09:36:53.198-07:002014-08-14T09:36:53.198-07:00Congrats on finishing this behemoth of a novel. Pe...Congrats on finishing this behemoth of a novel. Perhaps one day I'll muster up the courage to read it...<br /><br />Btw, what translation did you use?Jason Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08334917645691982404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-14216313157640023642014-08-14T08:48:42.414-07:002014-08-14T08:48:42.414-07:00I really enjoyed reading this post. I'm looki...I really enjoyed reading this post. I'm looking forward to reading this in the future as I just added Anna Karenina when I read it a few years algo. Sam (Tiny Library)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16375434438465319913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-22016008999076583932014-08-14T00:45:25.352-07:002014-08-14T00:45:25.352-07:00Now, at least due to your words the book is on the...Now, at least due to your words the book is on the table. I'm one stap closer to opening it! "Eh bien, mon prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now no more than private estates of the Bonaparte family." This book sounds like a 'winter project' . :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-22657274099075047392014-08-13T17:06:50.352-07:002014-08-13T17:06:50.352-07:00I actually think you'd really enjoy this one, ...I actually think you'd really enjoy this one, Nancy, and you read quite quickly so it probably wouldn't take you as long as you fear.<br /><br />You certainly can skip some sections. Tolstoy has moments were he intersperses …… I don't want to say his philosophy, more like his opinions as to what happened in the war and the historical errors or inconsistencies of the views people had about it. Yet, if you skip these sections, you really skip the point of what Tolstoy had to say. His views on how history is made are quite illuminating and do tie into the rest of the story. it would be a shame to miss it. However, we all know our limits and if the thought of his digressions prevent you from even picking it up, it's better to skip them than not read it at all.Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-27394811019944540442014-08-13T15:39:46.207-07:002014-08-13T15:39:46.207-07:00I'm glad to hear that you're on track to r...I'm glad to hear that you're on track to read it some day, Emily. It really is very good!Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-20426699276196916712014-08-13T14:50:02.597-07:002014-08-13T14:50:02.597-07:00It is always a great feeling when you have finishe...It is always a great feeling when you have finished a book, thoughts are on paper and the blogpost is uploaded. In your case you have managed to write an informative report about one of the longest novels in history! Congratulations are in order for just having read the book! War and Peace is not on my classic list but hiding behind other books on my shelf. I just cannot bring myself to read it. With all respect for your efforts.....were there any sections that you could consider ' skipping' without losing too much of the narrative? I found in Don Quixote there were chapters one could easily overlook. Just curious....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7495382709151625398.post-30190953306782241682014-08-13T12:53:02.920-07:002014-08-13T12:53:02.920-07:00It's on my Classics Club list...I'm glad t...It's on my Classics Club list...I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14777243283548102053noreply@blogger.com