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War and Peace  By  cover art

War and Peace

By: Leo Tolstoy
Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
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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

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no complaints

The narration was pretty good and no complaints since this comes free in the audible membership

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  • Overall
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    4 out of 5 stars

An excellent slow tale

This has managed to grow on me over the time I was listening to it. It starts off not being much but eventually grows right on you. I felt for Princess Maria, felt bad for Natasha for what she went through. The performance really adds a lot or the story.

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Truly a great novel

I struggled through the war chapters about specific troop movements which really slowed down the narrative but the character development is so great!

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Enlightening

I wish I would had read this as an early adult! I’d recommend to anyone!!!

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Hxf chic

It'd rd vjg djg j through its it suud ducks they is hairs I. ditudt idtidt idt ustudt dudut idyidi

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historical enlightened rendition

a well put historical perspective on man's concept of war and its many introspection. a complex read with lively purposes.

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    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.

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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.

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    5 out of 5 stars

A Work of genius

I first read the book when in High School many years ago. Only now do I realize that much of the complexity and substance had escaped my first encounter.This is a timeless classic and a work of genius. The narration was superb. I was sorry to see it end.

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    3 out of 5 stars

How much time to you have?

I have to be honest, this has been a rough go! I really appreciate Frederick Davidson's narration - he did a wonderful unabridged reading of Brother's Karamozov that I really enjoyed, and I LOVE Tolstoy's work ... but, I have to admit, this has been a really LONG and difficult story to follow audio-wise! There are so many characters and SO many detailed accounts of everything under the sun - it's obvious authors were paid by the word in Tolstoy's era - the entire chapter dedicated to the wolf-hunt just about did me in! In my opinion, reading the novel so that it's possible to go back and forth just to keep all the characters straight would have been a better option! Or, downloading an abridged version of the work probably would have sufficed! I usually do not like abridged versions of anything, but, unless you have a major surgery that will put you in bed for months on end in the near future, I would advise you to consider an abridged version. I wish I had!

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31 people found this helpful