War and Peace

This article is about the novel by Leo Tolstoy. For other uses, see War and Peace (disambiguation).
War and Peace
Front page of War and Peace sixth volume, first edition, 1869 (Russian)
AuthorLeo Tolstoy
Original titleВойна и миръ
TranslatorThe first translation of War and Peace into English was by American Nathan Haskell Dole, in 1889
LanguageRussian, with some French and occasionally German
GenreNovel (Historical novel)
PublisherThe Russian Messenger (serial)
Publication date
Serialised 1865–1867; book 1869
Publication placeRussia
Media typePrint
Pages1,225 (first published edition)
Followed byThe Decembrists (Abandoned and Unfinished) 
Original text
Война и миръ at Russian Wikisource
TranslationWar and Peace at Wikisource

War and Peace (Russian: Война и мир, romanized: Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: Война и миръ; [vɐjˈna i ˈmʲir]) is a literary work by the Russian author Lev Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An early version was published serially beginning in 1865, after which the entire book was rewritten and published in 1869. It is regarded, with Anna Karenina, as Tolstoy's finest literary achievement, and it remains an internationally praised classic of world literature.[1][2][3]

The book chronicles the French invasion of Russia and its aftermath during the Napoleonic era. It uses five interlocking narratives following different Russian aristocratic families to illustrate Napoleon's impact on Tsarist society. Portions of an earlier version, titled The Year 1805,[4] were serialized in The Russian Messenger from 1865 to 1867 before the novel was published in its entirety in 1869.[5]

Tolstoy said that the best Russian literature does not conform to standards and hence hesitated to classify War and Peace, saying it is "not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle." Large sections, especially the later chapters, are philosophical discussions rather than narrative.[6] He regarded Anna Karenina as his first true novel.

  1. ^ Moser, Charles. 1992. Encyclopedia of Russian Literature. Cambridge University Press, pp. 298–300.
  2. ^ Thirlwell, Adam "A masterpiece in miniature". The Guardian (London, UK) October 8, 2005
  3. ^ Briggs, Anthony. 2005. "Introduction" to War and Peace. Penguin Classics.
  4. ^ Pevear, Richard (2008). "Introduction". War and Peace. Trans. Pevear; Volokhonsky, Larissa. New York: Vintage Books. pp. VIII–IX. ISBN 978-1-4000-7998-8.
  5. ^ Knowles, A. V. Leo Tolstoy, Routledge 1997.
  6. ^ "Introduction?". War and Peace. Wordsworth Editions. 1993. ISBN 978-1-85326-062-9. Retrieved 2009-03-24.