Reading your wonderful post, Simon, it’s hard to believe how much ground we’ve covered this week—and it feels like we’ve read a series of short stories, each one so powerful and complete in itself…
I found this beautiful fragment by the artist Ilya Repin, talking abotu meeting Tolstoy:
… In truth, I was even pleased when I finally decided that I wouldn’t have his visit: I was afraid to be disappointed somehow, for more than once in my life I had seen how talent and genius did not harmonize with a person in private life. But Leo Tolstoy is different – he is a whole brilliant man, and in life he is as deep and serious as in his creations … I felt like such a trifle, insignificance, a boy! I wanted to listen to him and listen endlessly… And he was not stingy, thanks to him, he spoke a lot, heartily and fascinatingly. Ah, all that he said, I would like to write down with golden words on the tablets of marble and read these commandments in the morning and before going to bed …
It’s so nice that I’m finally caught up after starting in April, so that now I can read these weekly essays. It really helps to consolidate and understand what I’ve just read. There are so many memorable scenes in this week’s chapters: Green plums, white flesh, Prince Vasily’s vacillating, cannon fodder, the cook, and that beautifully descriptive scene of the troops marching on the dusty road.
I love what you said about Nikolai’s death being like a mirror. I remember having similar thoughts about my mum when she was in her final weeks. It’s all so human and so relatable.
Great to have you. I remember last year this chapter was met with many readers sharing their own stories of loss. Today's chat thread has showed again how universal and personal this writing is. So many stories and so much resonance.
Your question for chapter 4 about the difference in the war chapters from earlier to now really made me think. (Probably all of my thoughts were sparked by the chat thread, but I have been thinking them again while going through your summary!)
LT has successfully spun the perspective around. In the first half, the men went to war and now, war is coming to them. Instead of soldiers observing villagers, we have villagers observing soldiers. Literally hitting close to home.
Hey Georgia! No worries at all. War and Peace will be available next year to paid subscribers. Haven't confirmed next year's line up yet, but it will likely include Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
Tolstoy in person was probably best appreciated in small doses — his wife’s diary shows that he was insufferable as a husband, but it cannot be doubted that he was serious about everything he did. @John Halbrooks has written on his Substack that Tolstoy disliked Shakespeare intensely, and not for superficial reasons: he read all of Shakespeare’s plays *twice* before coming to this conclusion, and wrote a strong argument for his views.
Reading your wonderful post, Simon, it’s hard to believe how much ground we’ve covered this week—and it feels like we’ve read a series of short stories, each one so powerful and complete in itself…
Exactly! I often think of it as a book of 360 short stories.
Hello. I've not posted for some time because I regret to inform you that I couldn't do the slow read of War and Peace.
I HAD to keep reading at breakneck speed and finished the book two months ago!
I'm posting now to let you know, if you don't know already, that there is a critically acclaimed film adaptation in Russian from the 1960s by Mosfilm.
In four episodes. Each episode is over two hours long.
Free to view on YouTube.
I've just started to watch it and so far so good. It is done on a grand scale and is very evocative of the period.
You don't need to be regretful! The first time I read it I gobbled it up! Maybe one day you'll come back for a slower read?
I haven't seen the 1960s Russian version yet, but I've heard that it is epic!
If this is the Bondarchuk version, it’s also available from Criterion, with extras…
I found this beautiful fragment by the artist Ilya Repin, talking abotu meeting Tolstoy:
… In truth, I was even pleased when I finally decided that I wouldn’t have his visit: I was afraid to be disappointed somehow, for more than once in my life I had seen how talent and genius did not harmonize with a person in private life. But Leo Tolstoy is different – he is a whole brilliant man, and in life he is as deep and serious as in his creations … I felt like such a trifle, insignificance, a boy! I wanted to listen to him and listen endlessly… And he was not stingy, thanks to him, he spoke a lot, heartily and fascinatingly. Ah, all that he said, I would like to write down with golden words on the tablets of marble and read these commandments in the morning and before going to bed …
Ilya Repin to Vladimir Stasov, 8 October 1880.
Such a wonderful description of being with Tolstoy - he seems more real after reading someone’s experience with him. Thank you.
What a wonderful quote. Repin sounds well and truly smitten! Thanks for sharing.
It’s so nice that I’m finally caught up after starting in April, so that now I can read these weekly essays. It really helps to consolidate and understand what I’ve just read. There are so many memorable scenes in this week’s chapters: Green plums, white flesh, Prince Vasily’s vacillating, cannon fodder, the cook, and that beautifully descriptive scene of the troops marching on the dusty road.
I love what you said about Nikolai’s death being like a mirror. I remember having similar thoughts about my mum when she was in her final weeks. It’s all so human and so relatable.
Great to have you. I remember last year this chapter was met with many readers sharing their own stories of loss. Today's chat thread has showed again how universal and personal this writing is. So many stories and so much resonance.
Your Footnotes are always so illuminating. Thank you.
Thanks Phil!
Your question for chapter 4 about the difference in the war chapters from earlier to now really made me think. (Probably all of my thoughts were sparked by the chat thread, but I have been thinking them again while going through your summary!)
LT has successfully spun the perspective around. In the first half, the men went to war and now, war is coming to them. Instead of soldiers observing villagers, we have villagers observing soldiers. Literally hitting close to home.
That's a very good way of putting it. It is all coming home now and there is no separation between war and peace.
So sorry to have discovered this group read too late to join. any chance will be offered again? Also, what “reads” do you have coming up? Thank you
Hey Georgia! No worries at all. War and Peace will be available next year to paid subscribers. Haven't confirmed next year's line up yet, but it will likely include Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
Great news - thx
Thanks, Simon - I love reading your notes on Sundays - a highlight 🥰
Wonderful to hear!
Hello. I've not posted for some time because I regret to inform you that I couldn't do the slow read of War and Peace.
I HAD to keep reading at breakneck speed and finished the book two months ago!
I'm posting now to let you know, if you don't know already, that there is a critically acclaimed film adaptation in Russian from the 1960s by Mosfilm.
In four episodes. Each episode is over two hours long.
Free to view on YouTube.
I've just started to watch it and so far so good. It is done on a grand scale and is very evocative of the period.
Tolstoy in person was probably best appreciated in small doses — his wife’s diary shows that he was insufferable as a husband, but it cannot be doubted that he was serious about everything he did. @John Halbrooks has written on his Substack that Tolstoy disliked Shakespeare intensely, and not for superficial reasons: he read all of Shakespeare’s plays *twice* before coming to this conclusion, and wrote a strong argument for his views.