Should I read War And Peace? Would you recommend it? I've read that the author doesn't consider it a "novel", since it becomes a philosophical discussion later in the book.
What do you think /his/? Have you read it?
It's excellent. Read the Maudes Translation published by Everyman.
>>507543
Any reason for reading that translation? Is it easier to read? I was thinking about just reading the version up on gutenburg.org.
>>507555
It's a good translation -- the one Tolstoy approved personally. You can find it online easily. The edition doesn't matter too much, but Everyman are great quality.
>>507575
Sounds awesome. The fact that Tolstoy approved it personally is good enough for me. Thanks for the recommendation.
>>507625
They were friends aswell: Aylmer Maude met Tolstoy in 1888, introduced to him by Peter Alekseyev,[6] a doctor married to Maude's sister Lucy.[7] Maude was a frequent visitor, an admirer and friend, playing tennis and chess, enjoying long discussions, but not always agreeing with the great writer 30 years his senior. Tolstoy made return visits, getting to know Louise and the family, even showing the boys how to make "paper cockerels."[8] After the Maudes settled in England, Tolstoy and Aylmer Maude kept up a regular correspondence, with Maude making occasional trips to Russia to see Tolstoy at his Yasnaya Polyana estate. During his 1902 visit Tolstoy authorized Maude to write his biography.
>>507532
It's an epic, not a novel, because it's fucking huge and intertwined.
It's a great book, hard to read but still great. However, I'm skeptical of its /his/ value because essentially all of it is Tolstoy placating his own opinion on how the world works, and Tolstoy exercises a particular brand of historical determinism outright denying leader factor.
Personally I do agree with him on that. I mean, historical process is a humongous thing and the train comparison (you can either run under it or ride it) he makes is quite fitting, but that's not something everyone can agree on.
>>507652
You don't need to agree with a work to enjoy it; I do see your point, though.
>be Russian
>supposed to read W&P in high school
>didn't because it's huge and boring
Don't you have anything better to do?
>>507668
Just remember that it's a work of fiction first and foremost, and in fiction real historical figures are not to be portrayed as close to reality as possible but rather as close to achieving the goals author stated.
