OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS War and Peace

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The story of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace denotes French and the Russians in the year 1812. (2) During this period, the peace period, it describes the life of the Russian aristocracy, the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, Rostovs, Kuragins, and Drubestkoys. I will touch a little on the life of Perre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov who had returned to Russia after gaining his education in France. He had acquired his wealth from his father who left all his inheritance to him before he died. He was ensnared by the fortune hunting, the Countess, Helene Kuragina, whom he married. There were rumours that his wife was unfaithful to him, and being depressed, he left all possessions for her and moved to Petersburg to live in his mansion and to oversee his estate and his peasants. He was approached by a desciple of the Freemasons who implored him to relinquish all his wealth and to travel and preach the Gospel of the Lodge. He did not give up his possessions but he freed his peasants, built schools and hospitals and eased the lactating mothers from working on the estates when their children were young. In 1812, Napoleon, being the Emperor of France and directly above the Commander in Chief, Murat, crossed the Nieman River into Russian territory, captured Vilnius and then Smolensk. Napoleon had aimed for a quick battle but the Russian forces led by Barclay de Tolly used the strategy of retreat and drawing the French deeper into Russia. As the Russians retreated, they burned cities, crops and supplies. The French faced hardships from storm, disease and desertion. They then captured Borodino and Smolensk and then marched the four hundred kilometres to Moscow. There was no engagement between the two armies from Smolensk to Moscow. His Excellency Alexander of Russia declared a proclamation that all the wealthy inhabitants should pack their most needed household items and take their carriages and vacate the city. He then directed that the peasants would burn the important buildings and make life unpleasant for the French soldiers. Meanwhile, the Russian soldiers under the Army General, Kutuzov, marched behind, and as they neared Moscow, circumvented the city, and kept his army in neighbouring villages. The French soldiers, as ordered by the Generals, began looting of the stores and barns and even the houses. It must be noted that when the French soldiers entered the city, there was at least six months supply of food, booths, and winter clothing for all the soldiers but they never thought of loading the carriages for the retreat. In the latter part of 1812, when the French soldiers were retreating, the question was asked whether the Russian soldiers did not cut them off and capture them. These are the answers: Firstly, it was senseless to capture the French soldiers when they were disorganized and fleeing from Russia. Secondly, it would be senseless to block the passage of men whose whole energy was directed to flight. Thirdly, it would be senseless to sacrifice their own army in order to destroy the French army since it was destroying itself by the cold and frost and hunger. Fourthly, it would have been senseless to take captive the Army General and Emperor whose capture would have been the highest degree of embarrassment to the Russians. After the war had concluded, at a ceremony in honour of Kutuzov, he was presented Russia’s highest Order by the Emperor and praised for his shrewd leadership in saving Moscow and Russia from Napoleon. Almost nearing the end of his journey, Leo Tolstoy was trapped between two identities. Leo Tolstoy the literary genius, the author of the most celebrated War and Peace and Anna Carenina, and Leo Tolstoy the spiritual seeker. But his wife, Sophia and his children paid the price of his greatness. Sophia bore him thirteen children, read and reread and edited his War and Peace seven times, managed the home and estate, and negotiated with the publisher, and in the end, Tolstoy wanted to relinquish everything and put everyone on the street because of his religious belief. But Sophia objected to his scheme and enquired about what would happen to their children. He was eighty two when he snuck out of the house with his youngest daughter Alexandra, leaving a note for his wife who had loved him for forty eight years. They boarded the train and he travelled third class and the cold took a toll on his body. At Astapovo the stationmaster gave up his apartment to make him comfortable. He died ten days later surrounded by the deciples and journalists, but his wife was not allowed to see him although she begged them to let her in. Only after he died they allowed her in and she hugged and kissed him and asked for forgiveness. After the war had concluded, at a ceremony in honour of Kutuzov, he was presented Russia’s highest Order by the Emperor and praised for his shrewd leadership in saving Moscow and Russia from Napoleon. Almost nearing the end of his journey, Leo Tolstoy was trapped between two identities. Leo Tolstoy the literary genius, the author of the most celebrated War and Peace and Anna Carenina, and Leo Tolstoy the spiritual seeker. But his wife, Sophia and his children paid the price of his greatness. Sophia bore him thirteen children, read and reread and edited his War and Peace seven times, managed the home and estate, and negotiated with the publisher, and in the end, Tolstoy wanted to relinquish everything and put everyone on the street because of his religious belief. But Sophia objected to his scheme and enquired about what would happen to their children. He was eighty two when he snuck out of the house with his youngest daughter Alexandra, leaving a note for his wife who had loved him for forty eight years. They boarded the train and he travelled third class and the cold took a toll on his body. At Astapovo the stationmaster gave up his apartment to make him comfortable. He died ten days later surrounded by the deciples and journalists, but his wife was not allowed to see him although she begged them to let her in. Only after he died they allowed her in and she hugged the body and begged for forgiveness. Tolstoy wrote two of the greatest novels, War and Peace and Anna Carenina- stories about the complexity of human relationships, but he could not live those values. He preached compassion but showed cruelty to his wife. He wrote beautifully about love but could not show love to his wife. “Because greatness does not exclude cruelty. Brilliant ideas do not justify abandoning the people who love you. And philosophy means nothing if it destroys the human relationships it is supposed to improve.” Prepared by: A. Sharma.

This is only a review of the translation. Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude who knew Tolstoy well and he approved of the translation. So counted as the most faithful one. This one is revised and edited by Amy Mandelker and has a very good flow when reading it. (I have 3 different War and Peace translations) I have the one who's not edited but prefer this one. It also have a nice font and size with makes it comfortable to read. So I highly recommend this one. Side note. A plus for having maps.

The edge of the book cover is peel off

Great!

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