Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
War and Peace  By  cover art

War and Peace

By: Leo Tolstoy
Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $27.26

Buy for $27.26

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Often called the greatest novel ever written, War and Peace is at once an epic of the Napoleonic wars, a philosophical study, and a celebration of the Russian spirit. Tolstoy's genius is clearly seen in the multitude of characters in this massive chronicle, all of them fully realized and equally memorable. Out of this complex narrative emerges a profound examination of the individual's place in the historical process, one that makes it clear why Thomas Mann praised Tolstoy for his Homeric powers and placed War and Peace in the same category as The Iliad.

War and Peace was translated by Constance Garnett.

Public Domain (P)2009 Blackstone Audio

Featured Article: Essential Russian Authors to Know in Audio


Don’t be daunted by the towering reputations of Russia’s literary giants. Listening is the perfect way to appreciate the masters. Russia is a sprawling country with a rich and complex history, which is reflected in its literature. Whether you’re keen on brushing up on classic Russian literature or you want to find a new author to explore, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best Russian authors, classic and contemporary, whose work you should know.

What listeners say about War and Peace

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,623
  • 4 Stars
    994
  • 3 Stars
    552
  • 2 Stars
    261
  • 1 Stars
    334
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,264
  • 4 Stars
    691
  • 3 Stars
    358
  • 2 Stars
    181
  • 1 Stars
    309
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,333
  • 4 Stars
    720
  • 3 Stars
    412
  • 2 Stars
    142
  • 1 Stars
    135

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A classic but too long

I have nothing against long fiction. I have the Bible and Lord of the Rings among others. I just didn't relate to the characters or care much about them. The book itself is great however.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read

A must read for an historian whom is looking for a view into the people and society of the time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Couldn't get through the narration.

I really like this type of story but the narrator is just terrible. It's really hard to make distinctions between characters. Especially the females when 95% of them sound like the same 70 year old lady. Listened for 2 hours which I think is enough for me to say I gave it a fair shot.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Insightful, but could have been shorter

This book provides a rich insight into the lives of the wealthy in early 19th century Russia.

I however feel that the book could have been much shorter. I believe that if I had started the book in the middle, I would have gotten 95% of the value.

My views may be shaped by the fact that I normally don't read fiction. I am also used to the efficiency with which more recent books are written, i.e., every scene is written because something important follows from it. Not so in this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My first time listening...

...and definitely won't be my last. The portrayal of "War and Peace" was truly enjoyable and easy for me to follow. It gave me a chance to familiarize myself with the story and it's characters as well as Tolstoy's personality and opinions. I feel better prepared to tackle the print version.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent telling of epic story

I absolutely loved this fabulously rich and elaborate story. The narration is excellent and is well-suited to the context and setting of the tale. I recommend printing out one of the helpful charts (available via Google) of the military persons to best follow the generals and their retinues. This audiobook is a jewel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Hard to get through

This reminds me of Citizen Cane as billed to be the best of the best but just hard to stay with.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very hard listen

Why they decided to use a snobbish and disinterested voice is beyond me. The narrator's lack of range makes listening and distinguishing characters nearly impossible. His only apparent talent is to swallow the last sound in a sentence and kill the sound in his throat. He could do a single character well, but this book demands much more than he can deliver.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Epic story

The story of the Napoleonic Wars and their effects on Russian society including romance and changes of fortunes of families.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

This was on my bucket list.

It’s very well written, and it stands the test of time. But there is no hero or lead character that you can get behind so, this left me with a story that was essentially a narration of events. I didn’t look forward to listening. I ended up putting it on double speed so I could get through it quicker.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!