Ever read War and Peace?

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Stormy Peak
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Ever read War and Peace?

Post by Stormy Peak »

Over the decades, it's crossed my mind to do so...but then with a bad back, I wasn't sure if I wanted to lug that thing out of the library or not. ;)

I do listen to audio books, and right now, Audible has it on their free offerings to members...it's 'only' a 61 hour long book. :P

I've read a lot of books that the critiques hated, and enjoyed it. (like a lot of Stephen King)
And I've read books the critiques loved and I loved the books too...but...more often than not, I've read books that critiques love and I just could not get into it...and I have a huge variety of interest when it comes to books and writing styles.

Examples of some books I just could not get into that are all considered great novels by critiques:
Moby Dlck by Herman Melville
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Musashi - By: Eiji Yoshikawa , Charles S. Terry - translator

I'm tempted to take a stab listening to War and Peace. I love history, and the Napoleonic War caught my attention back in the early 1990's when the Sharpe's Rifles movies came along. I started to do some actual real research into that war because of those movies.

I'm willing to give the book a go, but just don't know how many hours I should put into it before deciding to give up on it...lol. Some books grab ya right away, others it takes an hour or two...but for a volume of this length... I am wondering if I should stay with it longer if I'm not getting into the story right away. :P

Anyone else ever tackle this novel, and if so, did it catch your attention quickly or did you slowly get into it - do you think the critiques are off their rockers for rating it as one of the best novels ever written?

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Eric Gray
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

Post by Eric Gray »

I haven't but have always kind of wanted to. Like you, I read a lot of Stephen King, so with books like It and The Stand, I am used to reading behemoth books. Just never have got around to it.
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Stormy Peak
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

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Eric Gray wrote: 3 years ago I haven't but have always kind of wanted to. Like you, I read a lot of Stephen King, so with books like It and The Stand, I am used to reading behemoth books. Just never have got around to it.
At Audible, The Stand is a 47 hour long book. Most novels are around 18 to 20ish hours long. So, yeah, you've seen how thick The Stand was in novel form...and War And Peace is like that plus that of another thickish novel. :P

I loved the Stand... really enjoyed Stephen King...bought Carrie when it first came onto the market... I was a teen, and the shop here that most just referred to as 'the news stand' ...the clerk there wasn't going to sell it to me because I was like 12 or 13 years old and he heard it was a very scary novel. So I had to give him my dad's telephone number and he called my dad and asked him if it was ok to sell me the book. My dad told him to sell me the book, and we would talk about it later that evening.

Dad got home around 5:30pm, scanned the book over for about a half hour, told me it was a little bit more on the adult side, but gave me permission to read it. And told me if I woke up with any nightmares...the book was going in the trash. lol.
I'm glad he never scanned Salem's Lot...that book scared the bejabbers out of me...although I didn't mention that to him, and fortunately never had nightmares from it either.

I think one of the other huge books I feel in love with besides The Stand back then, was Shogun. My school's library had the book in 2 hardbound volumes. I would LOVE to get my hands on a set like that one. I have seen the same or at least a Very similarly bound set sold on line, but sure don't have almost $100 dollar for it...by the time one bought it and had it shipped. But too with this site...shipping might be a deal if they went off the weight listed :lol: I know each book weighed Much Much more than that. :lol:

SHOGUN

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Maria Schreuder
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

Post by Maria Schreuder »

I've read it but maybe I am just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it. I persevered till the end but never got really interested.

edit: I thought that as someone who isn't English and reading a Russian book translated into it, a lot of the subtleties might have been lost on me. Realized this when I got an edition with lots of explanatory notes.
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The Harlequins
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

Post by The Harlequins »

I have heard it said Stormy, if you read it at 20 then again at 50,you would be forgiven for thinking they were different books.
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Brad Fabman
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

Post by Brad Fabman »

I probably haven't read a book in 40+ years. I bought two this week. Got one today. George Orwell's 1984.
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Stormy Peak
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Re: Ever read War and Peace?

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Brad Fabman wrote: 3 years ago I probably haven't read a book in 40+ years. I bought two this week. Got one today. George Orwell's 1984.
I can't imagine not having a book to be reading every day...or in my case I mostly listen to audio books anymore, as I can do other things while doing so.

I've read 1984 about 3 times in my life (I'm 57). The first time when I was probably in the 8th grade. The next time, not too long out of high school, and the last time was probably when I was in my 30s. I got more out of it with each read of course, as I became more aware of totalitarianism type governments and the way human under extreme duress can behave, and believe in things that they would not otherwise do.

You've picked a pretty serious read for your first book in 40 years, but in my opinion, also an Excellent one! Animal Farm was another one of Orwell's books that I have read a couple of times, although I thought 1984 was a better book.

I've read about every genre under the sun...sci fi is probably my favorite, followed by a good murder mystery, and well researched historical novels. I love true history too, especially midlevel Europe.... I know quite a bit about the Plantagenet rulers and the Tudors.

I hope you enjoy your book : )

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