War and Peace Readalong thread 2022

[VikingNorthUtsire]

Interest thread for the 2022 War and Peace readalong

THIS OP WAS UPDATED on 4/1 BY MNHQ (THANK YOU) TO ADD MORE DETAIL TO THE READING SCHEDULE AND UPDATE THE AMAZON LINKS

"The finest novel ever written on this planet"
"Here is a novel that is worth whatever time one gives to it. There is more life between its cover than in any other existent fictional narrative"

This is a really helpful blog post by someone who has done the challenge: nicksenger.com/onecatholiclife/announcing-the-2020-war-and-peace-chapter-a-day-read-along

1. Translations

The main complication seems to be which edition to choose. The blog post above contains some commentary of the different tranlsations that are available and their merits. There's also a pretty comprehensive guide here including samples from some of the best-known translations: welovetranslations.com/2021/08/31/whats-the-best-translation-of-war-and-peace-by-tolstoy/

The main differences that I can see are:

• some editions (including the free download on Project Gutenburg) have a different chapter structure. I think/hope we would manage to find one another if some are reading versions with more or fewer chapters but I have based the readalong on the versions with 361 chapters.

• there's quite a lot of French in at least some parts of the book. Some editions translate it into English, others keep it in French but use footnotes

• some translators have chosen to anglicise the characters' names. I guess its personal preference whether you prefer Mary, Andrew and Basil or a more Russian version.

Looking at the editions recommended and reviewed in the above blog:

The Vintage Classics edition, translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky: ]]

NB also this link for the kindle version: ]]

The Signet Classics edition, translated by Anne Dunnigan: ]]

The Penguin Classics edition, translated by Anthony Briggs: ]]

As a general rule I would definitely recommend downloading a sample of any kindle edition before buying, so you can be sure that you are happy with it.

Obviously, some people will prefer to avoid Amazon! Feel free to use the weeks in the run-up to Day 1 to share any tips on what you are buying and where from. Can I suggest though that we stick where possible to the editions with 361 chapters otherwise we will all get very confused!

1. Reading timeline

Nick, of the blog post, has very helpfully done the calculations for which chapters fall on which days, except he did it in 2020 which was a Leap Year. So feel free to take a look at nicksenger.com/onecatholiclife/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Nicks-2020-War-and-Peace-Chapter-a-Day-Reading-Schedule.pdf but see below the schedule for the Mumsnet Readalong.

Again, different editions name and number their chapters differently - some refer to four books divided into parts (as below), others refer to fifteen books although it's essentially the same structure just with different numbering. Hopefully there's enough info below to keep us all in sync, and always happy to let anyone know via PM what's happening in today's chapter so we can keep together.

Book 1: 1805
Book 1 Part One (25 chapters): 1/1 - 25/1
Book 1 Part Two (21 chapters): 26/1 - 15/2
Book 1 Part Three (19 chapters): 16/2 - 6/3
DAY OFF: 7/3
Book 2: 1806-1812
Book 2 Part One (16 chapters): 8/3 - 23/3
Book 2 Part Two (21 chapters): 24/3 - 13/4
Book 2 Part Three (26 chapters): 14/4 - 9/5
Book 2 Part Four (13 chapters): 10/5 - 22/5
Book 2 Part Five (22 chapters): 23/5 - 13/6
DAY OFF: 14/6
Book 3: 1812
Book Three Part One (23 chapters): 15/6 - 7/7
Book Three Part Two (39 chapters): 8/7 - 15/8
Book Three Part Three (34 chapters): 16/8 - 18/9
DAY OFF: 19/9
Book 4: 1812-13
Book Four Part One (16 chapters): 20/9 - 5/10
Book Four Part Two (19 chapters): 6/10 - 24/10
Book Four Part Three (19 chapters): 25/10 - 12/11
Book Four Part Four (20 chapters): 13/11 - 2/12
DAY OFF: 3/12
Epilogue One 1812-20 (16 chapters): 3/12 - 19/12
Epilogue Two (12 chapters): 20/12 - 31/12

Phew!

I would suggest that we meet at the end of each section (so 17 times over the course of the year) to discuss what we've read, but with (non-spoilerish) chatter welcome at any time in between. According to my guru, Nick, each chapter is around 4 pages long, so it should be do-able.

1. Chapter "meditations"

This looks like another really interesting blog post from someone who has done it, with thoughts and meditations on each chapter: brianedenton.medium.com/a-year-of-war-and-peace-cc66540d9619#.yabefbbgz

Come and join me! This time next year we will almost have finished reading the finest novel ever written on the planet.

PS Some may feel that each day off deserves a shot of vodka or two. I couldn't possibly comment.

I don’t know much about that, do you have a link I could read @SanFranBear? I did history gcse where the modules covered ww1 and 2 in the trenches of the western front, eastern front was very much glossed over. I’m realising how little I know about Russia reading the book, only “othering” media output.

I enjoyed the banter between regiments at the end of that chapter amongst the cannon. I can totally imagine the Hussars swanning along on their horses whilst the infantry trudge on.

Yes, the banter between the regiments was entertaining, very well done, I thought. The last line of the chapter made me smile; 'Put a stick between your legs-that's your kind of horse,' the hussar called back :)

BakeOffRewatch - this is an old article but given its talking about old events, doesn't negate it and is based on a book written by a well respected military historian.

www.theguardian.com/books/2002/may/01/news.features11

@SanFranBear @BakeOffRewatch I highly recommend A Woman in Berlin which is written by an anonymous journalist at the end of the second World War as the Russians are coming into Berlin. Its brilliant but rather harrowing.

I'm finding the Briggs Kindle edition a bit annoying in that I don't seem to easily be able to skip between chapters only parts. I've read ahead and am more a bit confused as to where I'm meant to be!

Thank you for the link @SanFranBear. At school, and through cultural events like at the Imperial War Museum, I learned a lot about how the German government at the time dehumanised others and the propaganda. I honestly didn’t know about this and how the Germans themselves were dehumanised. The account is horrific. The Partition of India is a recent part of my family history, and the line about “the thin veneer of civilisation” is so true, neighbours slaughtering each other overnight. The same happened in Cyprus and we have grandparents who remember villages being burned and children screaming.

I guess this is what the book will cover, the thin line between war and peace. I pray to god I never have to worry about having to protect my daughter like that.

Also want to add: that article adds a much more sinister element to their “joking” about the nunnery. A joke to the officers, a nod for the troops that follow behind.

I have been wondering about the reading through the years and different sensibilities. Pierre using prostitutes and it being his favourite pastime really bothered me and I can’t get past it to the rest of his character, when I guess it was meant to be Bullingdon Club style japes.

[quote Stokey]**@SanFranBear* @BakeOffRewatch I highly recommend A Woman in Berlin* which is written by an anonymous journalist at the end of the second World War as the Russians are coming into Berlin. Its brilliant but rather harrowing.

I'm finding the Briggs Kindle edition a bit annoying in that I don't seem to easily be able to skip between chapters only parts. I've read ahead and am more a bit confused as to where I'm meant to be![/quote]
Chapter Eight tomorrow Stokey!

I've just managed to get myself back to the right place having read ahead - but I think now if I go back & re read each day's chapter, I'll get everything clearer in my head.

Thanks @IsFuzzyBeagMise!

@Stokey

Thanks *@IsFuzzyBeagMise*!

Wouldn't want you wandering off and getting lost @Stokey!

I just read today’s chapter, the family crossing over I really felt the fear and shame having read the article above. Not mentioned at all in today’s meditation, I’m really diverging from the take aways in that.

I don’t know what’s going on today and yesterday’s chapter. Is this a battle? Where’s the enemy? They all seem pretty chill? There’s a family crossing over? Will take @StColumbofNavron’s advice not to overthink!

I'm not enjoying the War bits that much but am enjoying them more than last time I read W&P. It's funny some of the things I can put down to context but others I'm finding creepy and a bit off putting.

After reading today's chapter (I know I'm very early so hopefully not posting spoilers!), I'm pretty sure that the excitable hussar in Mb76's picture is actually Denisov. And whilst he doesn't have a mane as such, he definitely has tossable locks! Poor old Nikolai was certainly not enjoying his new job - and can't say I blame him.

I thought the way that Tolstoy wrote about the dawning horror of the reality of war was quite beautiful... one step across that dividing line, so like the one between the living and the dead, and you enter a world of suffering and death... you dread crossing that line, and yet you still want to cross it. You know sooner or later you will have to go across and find out what is beyond it, just as you must inevitably find out what lies beyond death.. Yet here you are, fit and strong, carefree and excited... and full of life.

War was so very different in this book compared with modern warfare and, whilst I hold my hand firmly up to say neither appeal to me in the slightest, I cannot imagine the terror of watching your enemy approach you from across a battlefield, seeing their clothes and their weapons. Utterly terrifying!

I very much can ‘see’ the bridge and the enemy etc. I’ve no idea if it’s what Tolstoy is describing but it is very clear in my head. War then was a lot of waiting around until the charge wasn’t it (I think). We’ve had some cannon but they seem more relaxed about that. There are very clear rules of engagement I think, I agree it’s totally weird that they can see the enemy just wandering about.

That was an excellent chapter. The tension was palpable. Poor Rostov, he's so young and naive; he is clueless about what is going on. He seems to only have the vaguest notion of thrusting with his sword. Did he get any training, I wonder. That moment of realisation on the bridge was hard; 'And the dread of death and of the stretchers, and the loss of all sunshine and life, everything fused into a single sensation of sickening horror.' That was a rude awakening for him.

I’d like to point the thread to the mention of ‘Bagration’ - one of my Pointless answers when I, one day, appear on the show and get to the final.

What is significant about Bagration, StColombofNavron?

Yes SanFranBear, I wondered the same about the illustration! Denisov seems a good candidate.

I agree about Tolstoy's description of the realisation of what's to come – it was very haunting. As well as Nikolai's reflections on the beautiful surroundings and blue skies and wishing he could be happily enjoying those rather than facing battle.

BakeOffRewatch, it seems that Brian's meditations are more about reflecting on Stoic philosophy than the history and realities of war!

@IsFuzzyBeagMise no significance, sorry. Early on in the thread I mentioned I had an ongoing silly dream of being on Pointless and in this silly dream the final category is named characters in War and Peace and Bagration was one I remembered and thought would be pointless. It’s very silly.

[quote StColumbofNavron]@IsFuzzyBeagMise no significance, sorry. Early on in the thread I mentioned I had an ongoing silly dream of being on Pointless and in this silly dream the final category is named characters in War and Peace and Bagration was one I remembered and thought would be pointless. It’s very silly.[/quote]
Ha ha I think it's going to stick in my head now for that reason @StColumbofNavron !

Was he a fictional or 'real' character...I must look him up.

There really was a Prince Bagration!

'An immobile face of the Oriental type..' I am literally reading about Orientalism/Orientalisation right now for my work.... eugh.

He is rather dashing. Also, I note that Franz is above and is Bilibin's servant. Bilibin is my 'most likely to be pointless' answer.

Apologies for the derail.

Today's chapter was a tough one. I really had a lump with Nikolai not really knowing what was happening or what he should be doing. I do think he will have had some training, but commissions were often bought weren't they and there was talk of him joining the regiment en route so I suspect not particularly in depth.

SanFranBear thank you for posting that Guardian article. It is such a harrowing read though but really hits home just how horrific war & the aftermath was. It's made me realise just how naïve I am about how women are treated in war.
I didn't think I would enjoy the war chapters but they are so brilliantly written & really poignant. The part where Rostov is looking longingly at 'the warm glow of the water' of the River Danube & the blue, calm sky above is heartbreaking:
‘I would ask for nothing, nothing in the world if only I could be there,’ thought Rostov. ‘In me, only in me and that sunshine, there is so much happiness, and here … all this groaning and agony, this feeling of dread, all the uncertainty ...... and here is death – hanging over me, all around me … One flash, and I’ll never see that sunshine, that water, that mountain gorge ever again …’

Thanks from me too for posting that article, SanFranBear. That's a horrific bit of WW2 history that I was ignorant of

I was also very struck today by Rostov's rude awakening. He seems to have been a kind of golden boy, someone who finds himself able to do most things effortlessly, and he thinks he's going to be good at this war gig, until reality hits and he realises with amazement and mortification that he's a coward -- not that he IS a coward, he's having a completely human reaction to the fact of him and his comrades being so close to death.

I'm having more trouble keeping the military names straight than I was with the family names earlier in the text. A lot of the military names don't appear in the handy name list at the start of my book edition either [hmmm]