Why did I decide to read War and Peace? Because happiness lies in struggling well and having faith that struggle is a worthy one. War and Peace was my way of engaging in a meaningful literary struggle. The main purpose was to mend something broken in my heart – to make myself more long-suffering and to give myself a wider view of the world. If the book helped me do that, and I believe it did, then it was worth the time and effort that I put into reading it.
What can I say about this book that hasn't been said in so many other reviews? Probably nothing. But, I will mention the things that standout to me now.
There is a lifetime of experiences contained in this one book. The book is not afraid to grapple with big, broad questions regarding life, death, war, peace, religion, family, and meaning. Through the character of Pierre we get deep, melancholy reflections about the meaning of existence.
In the middle sections, when we are given reprieve from the epic battle scenes, I found myself completely engrossed in the everyday life, arguments, struggles, and happenings of the Rostov family. I loved little moments when the family would delight in little traditions and find deeper meaning in the symbols and pageantry they had created together. For a moment, I found myself a member of that same family.
When I had reached the end of the book, I felt like I had lived several lifetimes over. I had seen youth, love, war, family life, death, renewal. Throughout these many experiences I also saw how difficult it is to explain the varied phenomena that make up life. There really is no other alternative than to live it...and that's what this book makes you do. It makes you live each moment. It makes you suffer, feel joy and despair. In short, this book tries to capture the human experience.
I started reading this book in the 40th year of my life...that seems about right...a kind of mid-life crisis, or a kind of settling into my gray hairs...either way, it's a beautiful way to move from 40 to 41 with class and style. If I am a classier gent these days, I have Leo Tolstoy to thank for that.
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Pure Writerly Moments 2 (Short Stories, Essays, Book Reviews, and More)
General FictionWhat is the connection between artistic expression and the joy of living? How can one best live a literary life? This book is a collection of small word-projects. Each examines a book, a moment, a story that helps to deepen the author's literary adv...
