War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy
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Book Reviews of War and Peace
Book Review: B. Kelso
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm working my way through this translation, after rereading War and Peace in the Briggs' translation two years ago. I'm looking forward to seeing how Pevear will handle the language of the soldiers during the battle scenes.
So far, this is a fine translation, although the use of footnotes in the opening section gets a bit tiring.
For a Knopf book, I'm kind of surprised that there are no maps for the battle scenes (as there are in the Briggs and earlier versions). I'm reminded of the classic "Inner Sanctum" edition done by Simon and Schuster in the 40s: it featured the Maude translation, and had amazing supplementary materials, including maps, family trees, and a "reader's guide" insert.
Even so, my hat's off to Pevear and Volokhonsky for their three-year journey with the Count!
Book Review: After all the superlatives, more than anything War & Peace stands as a great story
Summary: 5 Stars
Most articles on Tolstoy's mammoth War & Peace ooze superlatives, whether in regards to its length, its genius, or the trouble people have getting through its 1200 plus pages. Yet for all of that, I found it above all to be a really great story, not just epic in scope, but full of exciting human characters and entertaining dialogue. While I cannot speak to the debates that now rage on the various translations of War & Peace, I can say that having twice picked up the book before, this third translation proved for me to be the charm. Not only do Peaver and Volokhonsky bring a poetic rhythm to much of the prose, they also capture what I can only imagine was Tolstoy's dry humor and powerful sense of irony.
While not a work to be taken likely, I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
Book Review: TIP FOR COMFORTABLY MANOEVERING THIS MASTERPIECE
Summary: 5 Stars
First time I read this wonderful saga I was twenty-something and skipped all the politics, just devoured the love stories; that was in early Fifties. Next time, some years later, paid attention to the politics and loved it even more. Now I want to read it again, because of the new translation and because it's time, and would like to pass on a tip of handling a tomb of almost four pounds. I can't really hold it for more than a second these days. So I sliced through the binding between each "Volume" and now have four manageably sized books easy to hold, and less daunting to finish. To me the pedantic babblings about different translations is less important than the fact that it is a great book, a multiplicity of persons realized beautifully, and engrossing accounts of events both factual and fictional.Book Review: save your money
Summary: 3 Stars
Sure, it is a good translation. But for someone who does not read Russian (or else why would I buy a translation?) or French, it really is disconcerting to read all the footnotes about the French; but more, this is an expensive book. It is hard for me to believe anyone who is going to read this hasn't already read the Constance Garnett translation. And while they differ, it isn't as if the Garnett is mediocre: it's terrific, and has held the field for a long time. For good reason.
So, I suggest you look at this new translation as an alternative; another way of seeing the novel; but it isn't exatly a new experience. It is being over-hyped; it is good; but worth the money? I'm not so sure.
Book Review: Excellent novel, excellent translation, but is there a mistake?
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read WAR & PEACE in Russian and in various translations in English. These translators are excellent and this edition is very solid. However, I should like to point out that I work at a bookstore in Chicago and found a mistake on the FIRST PAGE! DOES ANYONE PROOFREAD!!!??? I mean, come on, it's a mistake on the first page. Where it should read "et" in the first part, it actually reads "and." Ouch...this must be an embarrassment for the publishers or for whomever is to blame for such a blatant error. Of course, we all know that the translators have an excellent command of Russian, English, and French...so let's not be hard on them. But someone is really idiotic for letting this go to the press.