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Returning to peace after weeks of war, I found the contrast quite striking. I think Tolstoy structured this book very intentionally in regards to where we spend our time.

In part 1, we spent all our time at parties. We knew there was a war going on, but it felt distant and impersonal.

In part 2, we were practically in the trenches and got to know soldiers and officers on a personal level.

Now in part 3, we are back to peace, but it is not the same. The horrors of war are not easily forgotten, and now we know of experiences which our peaceful party goers do not. The drama going on almost seems trivial compared to the life or death scenarios seen by the soldiers.

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I think you're right. The whole way we look at the parties has changed. And now there's an uneasy dark nightmarish quality to what is going on. I feel like Pierre and Marya are also on some sort of invisible front line.

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Feb 18Liked by Simon Haisell

What a world wind of emotions this week was. I appreciate the little bit about reading W&P in the cloud forest and happy your snake bite wasn’t worse. I especially love the line …”this is how it is. This thing called life. And it’s alright”. What I love about Tolstoy is while he creates textual characters, I can feel their emotions in me, he always seems to write about how they cope with their bleak spots, how they feel they can overcome them, even for just a moment. The last few paragraphs Marya is speaking to herself I felt so wrought with emotion for her. I’m 50, and I wonder if I’d feel the same way towards the characters if I’d been 20 or 30 when I read this. I keep hearing Joni Mitchel’s “Both Sides Now” come into my head as I read this book.

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I think that's it. It all seems more black and white in your twenties, but now you see each character trapped within their own world, full of contradictions. This could be unbearably dark, but Tolstoy has a way of making the truth bearable.

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I really love your humane response to Zherkov. I sympathized with him too, because I know myself to be a coward, and I have no illusions that I would have behaved any differently than he did.

But courage can take different forms. I’m reminded of Tim O’Brien’s devastating observation in his story “On Rainy River,” that he lacked the courage to flee to Canada. He believes that his fighting in Vietnam was an act of cowardice.

But then we have the even more devastating example of the extraordinary courage and martyrdom of Alexei Navalny this week. Maybe courage at this level is an inborn trait, like having perfect pitch. Yes, we all can cultivate and make the most of the gifts we have, but we can also extend compassion to those who, like Zherkov, fall short. Maybe they just didn’t have it in them. I doubt many of us do.

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Absolutely. I was thinking about Navalny at this weekend. The level of courage is so hard to comprehend.

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Thank you for this beautiful comment, and for noting Navalny’s sacrifice 😨

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Feb 18Liked by Simon Haisell

What a whipsaw of a week! From those horrible battle scenes to a prettified snuffbox (and that is a very beautiful example there in your post). With all the horror on display, what does it say about me that the worst thing I read up there was that the "Kuragins are circling"?

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The Kuragins are rarely welcome!

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Feb 18Liked by Simon Haisell

Thanks for including the link to Adam Roberts essay on cowardice. I really enjoyed reading it!

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Feb 18Liked by Simon Haisell

Totally agree @Mimi - a really excellent essay!

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author

Good stuff!

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Most excellent! I have passed it on.

The German government is currently trying to decide what to do about Ukrainians who have fled here and have avoided the draft. What if a 16-year-old came here two years ago with his mother and siblings (older men were turned back at the borders anyway), and now has to face the grinder that is Putin’s dreadful war machine? It seems to me that cowardice has a lot going for it …

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founding

Yes, that was a fascinating perspective, with lots to reflect on in the present day.

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Feb 18Liked by Simon Haisell

I have really enjoyed reading the chapters this week and am so into the book now! Thanks for the great summary again, Simon!

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Thanks Debbie!

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Feb 22Liked by Simon Haisell

Loved reading about your Snakes and Ladders account.

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Thank you!

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Feb 20Liked by Simon Haisell

Another stellar post, Simon, but I’m very worrried about our correspondent! 🧛‍♂️

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Me too!

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First, thank you @Simon . The joint reading of War and Peace has allowed me happy moments in my routine. I loved the weekly roundup and your's account of how you fell in love with the book. As a biologist in a tropical region, I was curious - do you know what species of snake had bitten you?

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Last night found me 5 chapters, filled with battle scenes, behind schedule. So I made like Madame Defarge, grabbed my knitting, and turned on the audiobook War and Peace narrated by the incredible Thandiwe Newton. What an enjoyable evening! The chapters flew by thanks to Ms. Newton’s excellent performance and Tolstoy’s brilliant writing. And knitting is the perfect accompaniment. I didn’t want to stop listening. So, for all my fellow knitters, I highly recommend this combination.

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That sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday!

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Another rich, multilayered commentary by @Simon Haisell, packed with interesting links and that personal Tangent. Isn’t it interesting how vulnerability increases one’s awareness of our surroundings especially in nature? Your tangent ties in so well to this past week’s readings. So much heady stuff to ponder! Thanks for confirming why I like Tushin, et al!

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Entertainment correspondents 😂. Love and appreciate your work, Simon.

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