War and Peace, Volume 1

By: Leo Tolstoy

Narrated by: Neville Jason

Length: 30 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

War and Peace is one of the greatest monuments in world literature. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, it examines the relationship between the individual and the relentless march of history. Here are the universal themes of love and hate, ambition and despair, youth and age, expressed with a swirling vitality which makes the book as accessible today as it was when it was first published in 1869.

In addition it is, famously, one of the longest books in Western literature and therefore a remarkable challenge for any reader. Neville Jason read the abridged version of War and Peace and proved his marathon powers with his outstanding performance of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past. These make him the ideal narrator to essay Tolstoy's epic.

War and Peace was translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude.

© and (P) Naxos Rights International

Critic reviews

"War and Peace presents us with a complete picture of human life; a complete picture of the Russia of those days; a complete historic picture of the struggle of nations; and a complete picture of the things in which men set their happiness and greatness, their sorrow and their shame." (A.V. Knowles, Tolstoy: The Critical Heritage)
"There remains the greatest of all novelists - for what else can we call the author of War and Peace?" (Virginia Woolf)

Why Read This?

OK, it's long - really long. But there is a good reason why so many people over the years have considered "War and Peace" to be one of the greatest works of fiction ever.

I read it years ago, as an English major, and mostly was just glad to be able to say I'd made it through. But this time, through Audible, I have a clearer view of why it's so impressive, aside from the sheer length. Tolstoy is not just a story teller here; he's a brilliant historian, a sociologist and philosopher, and a point-on observer of the human mind and heart.

First time, I pretty much focused on the plot. Although there are nearly countless characters to try to keep track of, the lives, fortunes, and love adventures of the major ones make for a classic romance - and they are what most abridgements and movie versions of "War and Peace" have concentrated upon.

What really captured my attention in this listen and this time through, however, was the "War." I'm not much of a fan, generally, of battle accounts and the who-was-where-and-why of war stories, but Tolstoy here gives just a genius analysis of the emotions of men in battle and the futility of planning and strategy in what is actually all confusion. Listening to the story, the phrase "fog of war" takes on real meaning. Tolstoy brings the fortunes of war down to their most basic - who is most motivated to fight. The defeat and tragedy of Napoleon's troops is the "same old, same old" story: Generals can plan and plan all they want, but what really matters is the will of ordinary soldiers to defend what means most to them - their homes, families, and native country. Invaders in foreign lands are always at a severe disadvantage, and determined gorilla warfare in defense of the homeland is most likely to prevail.

How much death, pain and expense the world would have been spared since the Napoleonic era had more people read and taken the lessons of Tolstoy to heart!

Neville Jason is a wonderful narrator. This book is a wild ride and a full course study. Persevere, because you'll be a different person when you come out the other side of "War and Peace."

I don't get the hype

I don't understand why this book is considered one of literatures finest pieces of work. Yes, it was poetic at times, and some parts were very though provoking. You can tell Leo Tolstoy was a romantic, but his character and setting building is horrible. He jumps from point to point with no transitions. He doesn't introduce characters well, and never uses references so you can get to know the characters. It makes it hard to care about anything that is happening. The small amount of war story was nice. It didn't matter if you knew the characters, the action captured you, but that was few and far between. Most of the story is just drama between families that you don't really care about.

An example of what I am talking about (spoiler warning) at one point Price Andrei gets wounded in battle and captured. When they first talking about him in the war, I didn't remember him ever being mentioned. So, I had no clue who he was and why I cared. After he was captured a the Russians went to find dead and wounded on the battlefield, they didn't find him. His father, Count Bolkonsky, assumed he was dead. There was a big moment when it talks about him almost giving up on life and declaring his son dead. He told everyone in the city. Then, out of nowhere, Prince Andrei is back and wanting to court Natasha. There was no explanation of how he got back, what the effect on his father was or anything. I didn't even know it was the same person. I had to go back and look. You have to study this book to follow it. Imo, that isn't good writing.

Excellent narration of a very great novel

War and Peace is a marvelous work by one the world's greatest novelists. The narration is superb. You simply can't go wrong with this.

My Favourite Book

I read and reread this book and Neville Jason does an excellent job narrating this book. This is a classic worth reading and this narration worth the listen to. The last few chapters could be missed as Tolstoy puts his own bent on the forces of history, but if you are a student of history, you need to know this. Otherwise, this book is entertaining, surprising easy to read or listen to and a joy to have in your heart. Great stuff this.

Well read

What did you love best about War and Peace, Volume 1?

Having read it before, I was surprised that the reader used different tones for each character--though the cockney accents for poor people felt weird. It was actually easier to follow all of the names listening to it than reading it.

What did you like best about this story?

It captures the feel of Russia at the start of the 19th century.

Have you listened to any of Neville Jason’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

I'd listen to this narrator any day--clear and capable of conveying a great deal by tone of voice.

FLOABW, OMG. Your life will change

Where does War and Peace, Volume 1 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's been over a year since I listened to both volumes of W&P. I will listen to it again and again until all the questions and beauty of life are considered. It's that good.

fantastic!

what can I say, wonderful book masterfully read or should I say performed by a superb artist

Well Done

I really enjoyed the presentation. The narrator held my interest throughout. It was a great story.

Wonderful

Perfect reading, good voices, diction, and speed. A great way to experience one of the best books ever written.

Fascinating

What did you love best about War and Peace, Volume 1?

I was never able to get through reading this wonderful piece of historical fiction. Listening to it made the journey through the complex characters and story so much easier. The world that was early 1800's Russia is painted so clearly and the nature of that centuries cultural and political intracies so vivid, I feel I could have lived and experienced it myself.