War and Peace ....I'm compelled to read it

[EasyRead]

This is the reason why I joined the site.
I've always wanted to read this book.
I almost purchased it a few months back but decided to wait until I did a little research on which translation is the best.

Would anyone care to give your suggestions?

Or lead me to threads that have already discussed this, which I am sure there are many. LOL

ALSO would anyone like to start the task together.

This is my first post on the site so,.... Hello Everyone!!

[Pecksie]

Hey,

Welcome! I've read several works by Tolstoy (all marvellous), and have now embarked on "War and Peace".

I don't know if you have read any nineteenth-century Russian novelist already, but (in case you haven't) before tackling Tolstoy, or any other Russian for that matter, two things would help:

* First, learn the Russian naming conventions, use of diminutives, etc. Any Russian novel could become somewhat confusing if you can't understand why Daria Alexandrovna, Dolly, Dollenka, Dasha and Princess Oblonskaya are one and the same person :D, or why Mr. Karenin's wife would be known as Karenina, or why the brother would be called Stepan Arkadyevich Oblonsky and the sister Anna Arkadyevna Oblonskaya.

* Second, get familiar with the social system in Imperial Russia.

As to translations, I'm reading this particular book in Spanish --- but if there's a translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky (who translated my version of Anna Karenina) by all means go for it! On the other hand, I read Ivan Ilyich and The Cossacks in Rosemary Edmonds's translation and it's very inconsistent with regard to transliteration and several other issues, so I wouldn't recommend any translation by her.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[Gustavo L.]

Great choice, Easy Read!
I've read “War and Peace” only in a bad Portuguese translation. But I've read Peavar and Volokhonsky’s translation of “The Master and Margarita” (by Mikhail Bulgakov) and, as Pecksie said, they’re really good.

You can find their translation of “War and Peace” at Amazon.

[Zee.]

War and Peace - hasn't the title been translated incorrectly?

To my knowledge, it should apparantly be titled War and the World.

[bazarov]

Nope. We discussed it in War and Peace section.
You don't need any preparation; only good will and a lot of time.

[promtbr]

I am considering starting this. Are you guys going ahead with reading this? LMK, if so, that may influence whether I start it now or not. We could discuss it on this forum's W & P thread in the Author section...

Edit.

Dang, I thought I had the Pevear translation but I don't. I may have to beg off as it will be a bit before I get the Pevear translation in. After trying several translations of Dostoevsky, Pevear is the only way to go with Russians in translation (for me).

[Caspa]

I'm thinking I'm going to try and tackle this behemoth of a book next Summer. I'd love to read it, more for the fact that it's such a hulking book than me having an actual interest in the story. Will definitely try and make sure this is one of my Summer reads.

[EasyRead]

Yes I would like to start with a few folks.

Lets shoot for Feb 1st as a start date and read say,.... 4 chapters a week.

[Joreads]

I have thi book sitting in my ever increasing to read pile I jsut can not seem to get the will to pick it up and start it. Oh well I will leave it in the pile and see what happens.

[Emil Miller]

I have not read War and Peace although it's supposed to be required reading for bookworms.
It is the word 'required' that has prevented my reading it.One part of my mind keeps saying "You really ought to read this book" but another is equally adamant in saying "Why should I? After all, I don't have a particular interest in Russian novelists and those that I have read, with the exception of Goncharov and Bulgakov, haven't really impressed me."
So I guess it will stay unread.

Oh, I forgot. I am currently reading Nabokov's The Luzhin Defense which I am quite enjoying.

[Tallon]

I own it but i've never got round to reading it. It's a bit cumbersome to read in the bath tub and that is where a lot of my reading gets done. This is the only reason i've not got round to it, nothing to do with it being massive and full of Russian names.

[promtbr]

Yes I would like to start with a few folks.

Lets shoot for Feb 1st as a start date and read say,.... 4 chapters a week.

I see the thread got moved to its appropriate place.

Feb 1 would be GREAT for me! I have been working my way through the 19th century classics and that time would be about right for me to start Tolstoy. (I will have pretty much the French done and ready to do dive into Leo)

[EasyRead]

I see the thread got moved to its appropriate place.

Feb 1 would be GREAT for me! I have been working my way through the 19th century classics and that time would be about right for me to start Tolstoy. (I will have pretty much the French done and ready to do dive into Leo)

Which version would you prefer?
The version here on the site is the Maude one.

[promtbr]

I got the Pevear translation coming. I will read that. I personally don't think the reading from different translations should inhibit book discussions, in fact , it may enlighten it. I don't do the online reading thing, as I am a bookophile and own WAY way too many books..

I can confirm that I am in for a Feb 1 start date. Who's all in? Its going to be one of the great reads! I have read other Tosltoy (Death of Ivan Illych, but way too long ago to remember much).

[EasyRead]

I was thinking about reading another book, but will start this mammoth on Feb. 1st. I will go along as fast as I can with the time I have, and the fact that I'm a slow reader.

This should be interesting.

I hope we have a group to join in with us.

[mark waters]

Everybody is tempting me to read War and Peace. I don't even own the book. I have picked it up a few times at the book store, but put it back down. I'm actually considering reading it. Although, I keep making up excuses; sort of like lying to oneself. I can come up with millions of excuses for not reading it! I think I will go buy myself a copy this week; pick it up, and read it.

[EasyRead]

Everybody is tempting me to read War and Peace. I don't even own the book. I have picked it up a few times at the book store, but put it back down. I'm actually considering reading it. Although, I keep making up excuses; sort of like lying to oneself. I can come up with millions of excuses for not reading it! I think I will go buy myself a copy this week; pick it up, and read it.

These are my words also.......exactly :)

[nmstu]

I've been reading the Constance Garnett translation for about a month now and am on page 800. I dutifully bought the newest one by that couple first, but was put off by the huge amount of French at the beginning, so got another one. They may be great and everything, but I'm finding Garnett to be an easy read...and all in English! She tends to mention when a character is speaking in French. Don't worry about the names or the class system, just read and everything will make sense in a few hundred pages.

[Quark]

I started reading the novel a few days ago, but haven't settled on a translation either. I'm torn between the Maude version and the one by by Dole. The Maudes appear to have used fewer words and better diction, but the I like the rhythm of the Dole translation. I'm still a little split, but I think I'll stick with the Maude duo for now. Garnett's War and Peace is pretty common in bookstores and appears to be good as well, but I don't want to have to pay thirteen dollars for a book I could get at library. I suppose the one certain suggestion I can make is to avoid the Weiner translation which is filled with crabbed prose and clunky words.

[promtbr]

I have re-structured my 2009 reading plan and its now a toss up between War & Peace and In Search of Lost Time next (I should have my head examined for trying to read these two in sucession)...

Is the group read for W & P still a "go" starting Feb 1?

[promtbr]

OK, I see no recent response so I'm out. I am going to take on In Search of Lost Time instead. And since for some reason Proust isn't in the listed authors on this forum...(but writers like Ayn Rand are:crash:) ) I will take my leave...anon

[Melisande]

I started about 10 days ago - so count me in. I find I can't put it down. I've read Anna Karenina four times (and other Tolstoi too), but I wasn't prepared for how much I would love this book and feel compelled to continue. We're reading it aloud, my husband and I. I usually read the chapters to myself first, then I read aloud. We're already to book 4 - no way I could hold myself to four chapters a week. We are reading more like 4-5 chapters a day, but trying to slow down as now it seems it is a short book, rather than a long one!

Anyway, if anyone is also just reading for the first time - I'll be checking this thread. I have to say that I find it hard to recommend that anyone read anything else, just now!

[Logos]

.... And since for some reason Proust isn't in the listed authors on this forum...(but writers like Ayn Rand are:crash:) ) I will take my leave...anonThe "Forum" at this time does not have a "sub-forum" for Proust or Rand.

Discussion on Specific Authors & Books --> http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3156 but you can always start a thread on either in the General Literature section:

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=4

--