As it is World Book Day I thought I would write a little bit about one of my all time favourite books: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
Now, here’s the thing, I am pretty sure that already some of you are rolling your eyes and spluttering ‘Oh my GOD, who does she think she is?! That is SO PRETENTIOUS’ at your monitors and that’s fine, but I still think you are wrong.
You see, War and Peace is actually a REALLY GOOD BOOK. Also, and some of you may be shocked by this so I will be gentle, it’s actually a PRETTY EASY READ. Okay, it’s LONG but so what? I first read it before I left primary school, inspired by a bewitched viewing of the film with Audrey Hepburn and Jeremy Brett, and have gone on to read it several times since – each time with an increased level of enjoyment and enlightenment. If I’m feeling particularly feisty, I may well follow it up with a reading of another favourite – Vanity Fair by Thackeray, which I absolutely adore.
I get really annoyed about the way that it has become some sort of lazy short hand for ‘really long and difficult to read book that no one has ever actually read but plenty pretend to’. This has got to stop. I voluntarily read Clarissa by Richardson as part of my A Level English Literature course at sixth form and let me tell you, you haven’t experienced long winded tedium on an epic scale until you’ve done your best to penetrate the plaintive ohfortheloveofgodandallthatisholygettothebloodypoint letters of Lovelace, Clarissa and a bunch of other people that you can’t quite find it within yourself to give a damn about.
It’s actually a RELIEF when Clarissa eventually dies (if you have a go at me about spoilers, I will SMITE you) or would be, except I’m pretty sure she still manages to stick her sodding oar in from beyond the grave.
But I digress. Please stop the War and Peace snobbery and give it a chance or if you won’t give it a chance then at least stop sneering at it or if you won’t stop sneering then just STOP IT with the ridiculous ‘long book that no one has ever read and if they say they have then they are just LYING’ twoddle. Thanks.
Any other War and Peace fans out there? Come and say hello.
ROFL re Clarissa!
I haven’t read War and Peace but I have read Crime and Punishment, which I loved. I was trying to get through Anna Karenina but I got bored 200 pages in and went to read Lovecraft instead.
What a coincidence!?! I just finished the book this afternoon!?!
I have been wanting to read it, after loving Anna Karenina so much. But it had the reputation of being difficult…. So I had been putting it off.
But I totaly agree with you, it’s not that hard and it is just a beautiful story. And so nice to read about the war, but for a change not from a French view!
English Lit degree and all, I never got around to reading this and it’s about time I did – or at least added it to the growing pile that mocks me from my bedside table. Having read every Rushdie novel there is, though, I agree, don’t avoid a book just because it’s said to be long and difficult (though his books can actually be difficult…).
Thanks for posting this! I’ve never read War and Peace and never intended to, only because of its reputation. I never even bothered to look into what it is about. I’ll be downloading it to my iPad as soon as I get home this evening!
I am a total fan of War and Peace, even the weird digressive bits about Masonic ritural.
It is not one bit too long.
(But I do prefer the Penguin translation where everyone always uses the same name.)
Go Melanie! I never got what people were on about. I figured maybe they were thrown by the names, but my roots include Polish, so the name change
s didn’t bother me (of course).
It seemed like exactly the right length to me. In fact, I never noticed until I heard of people dissing it.
I have to agree. I know it’s maybe not what you may say is in the same genre but I found Lord of the Rings a far more difficult read as the writing is somewhat rambling. I love all books but War and Peace is a good classic to do every few years. Must be time again come to think of it.
Ok, I really did get halfway through War and Peace when I was twelve but then one of the young men died on the battlefield and then the fiesty grandmother died and I realized I was halfway through the book and was out of characters that I liked. I wasn’t old enough to read a book for those that I didn’t like.
For unexpectedly fun long reads try the Tale of Genji or Dream of the Red Chamber. They both have huge casts and no, nobody is really likeable. Maybe I’ll give W&P another try.