War and Peace (Wordsworth Classics)

This book has been on my reading list for a long time, but for some reason I have avoided picking it up - Perhaps because of the size (I am against Kindles in principle), or perhaps because of the stigma attached to this mammoth classic, I just assumed it was going to be beyond my mental faculties and I was certain I was never going to be able to finish it. I could not have been more wrong. It took me a month to read, it was never a chore to pick up and now that I have finished it, I miss it. This book is many things - It is a study on how war affects life of men and women, it is a detailed analysis of the was tactics during the Napoleonic war with Russia, it is a family saga, a coming of age tale, a quest for the meaning of life, a romance, an ode to Russia and, above all, a 900-odd page tale of what makes us human. Don't let the huge cast put you off, as the central cast is small enough, and the characters vivid enough to pose no problem in telling them apart. We have large, awkward, well-meaning lost soul Pierre, illegitimate and massively wealthy, and his devastating and unfaithful wife Helene. Then we have Prince Andrew; moody, elegant, intelligent, capable, vulnerable, a perfect masculine hero. His pious sister Princess Mary is one of the strongest female characters; She starts out plain, timid, terrorized by her father, resigned to her destiny as a spinster, but as we get to know her we see she has a heart of gold and incredible strength. Then we have the Rostovs, with the distre Count Ilya at the head of the family slowly driving them to financial ruin, the over-bearing and hysterical Countess and her children - Nicholas, Petya and not least, Natasha - Enchanting, innocent, impetuous, full of life and energy and vivacity. There is Sonya, the poor relation living with the Rostovs whose only comfort is her unwavering love for Nicholas and her satisfaction in sacrificing herself for her benefactors. There are beautiful villains like the dangerous Dholokov and Helene`s selfish, spoiled brothers, Anatole and Hippolyte. Then you have comrades in arms like Denisov, the hairy, loud well meaning friend of Nicholas Rostov and Platon, Pierre`s companion as a prisoner of war. There are cameos by Napoleon himself as well as Tsar Alexander, and a myriad of characters slipping in and out of the tale whose only importance is to create the rich, detailed and heady backdrop of this epic tale. I found myself gasping, laughing, crying and shuddering (make no mistake - the scenes of war and its aftermath are - as they should be - graphic and disturbing), as well as blown away by some of the profundity of Tolstoy's observations of human habits. I think this book should probably be read more than once, as all the intricacies are too many and too tightly packed on the page to be picked up in one read-through. My advice is, invest in a hard-back copy, try to rid yourself of any preconceptions before you pick it up for the first time, and go back to it every now and then. This is the hum-dinger of all classics, and an absolute must for all dedicated readers.

Given its vast size, with nearly 1000 pages at such a small font, I'm convinced that nobody actually reads War and Peace. Therefore, I'm forced to conclude that its intended purpose is that of a projectile weapon. Having performed my own experiments against the unwitting people of Southampton I have found that in this capacity it has a 96% combat effectiveness, serving as an incredibly effective distraction to any kind of target. When deployed against targets of lesser intelligence they will be rendered immobile as they attempt to decipher the markings that adorn the cover. Depending on the target, the effects could last anywhere between 2 minutes or, in the case of one individual, 6 days, in which time it is thought that he died of dehydration (although he may simply have forgotten to breath). Against targets of somewhat higher intelligence the device, will cause them to immediately retreat to their place of residence, device in hand, under the misguided notion that they'll 'get around to reading it eventually'. Against targets of yet higher intelligence, the device will cause the target to consider the potential symbolic interpretations of having 'war and peace' thrown at them, during which time it is recommended that you follow up with a similarly themed book, to assure them that the book choice wasn't random and thus leaving them pondering for some significant time longer. In one instance, before the follow up ordnance could be delivered, the target returned fire whilst shouting "I'll take the war but I can't keep the peace". The device is not recommended for use against the most intelligent targets, as, having anticipated the eventuality of being assaulted with classic fiction whilst on their way to buy milk , they are likely to return fire with a hardbound copy of Atlas Shrugged, which can be lethal up to a distance of 200 yards. It is recommended that you only engage such targets if brandishing a complete print of The Oxford English Dictionary. Perhaps unexpectedly, the weapon is most effect against targets that have already read War and Peace. In these cases there are two possible outcomes: a direct hit to the head is likely to lead to a loss of consciousness in the target; any other hit will successfully distract the target, with them exclaiming "Hey look! A free copy of War and Peace; I could throw this at someone..."

الحمدلله انه متبهدلش من محتويات كرتونه امازون🥹 الكتاب رائع وسعر اروع الخط صغير جدا جدا بس طبعا عشان عدد الصفحات ضخم

The book cover is lovely and so are its contents. War and Peace is the kind of novel that draws you in with its depth and emotional richness. Every page feels alive with meaning, and even though it’s a long read, it’s deeply rewarding. It’s a story that makes you reflect on life, humanity, and the passage of time in a way few books can.

If you made the text a little bigger and increased the price a little more, no one would complain.

Great addition to my library Classic books should be collected and read. Good quality printing and binding.

Well the review is regarding the delivery and condition of the book. I received the book on 2nd day after placing order. so yes the delivery was pretty fast but it might vary in your case depending upon the location where it has to be delivered. Speaking about the condition of the book, as you can see in the pictures it is excellent. The print too is very good,there is no over printing or faded text which is generally the main issue with paperbacks. The text size is a little small but you have to bear with it as i guess it is similar in other publications too since the book is quite elaborate with more than 500000 word count. But that wont be the problem as after a while you get used to it. For just 130 rs + delivery it is value for money. Though i was expecting a bookmark too, which was not delivered with the book . Summing up! It is an excellent purchase.