#WarAndPeace2022 February 15, 2022 Update

Posted byRebecca BuddPosted in#WarAndPeace2022, Leo TolstoyTags:, , ,
#WarAndPeace2022 Readalong Photo Credit Liz Humphreys

Reading taken from Penguin Classics: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Translated by Anthony Briggs Part 1 Chapter 25 p 114

The #WarAndPeace2022 Readalong is moving through Part II and will see us in Part III on February 20, 2022. I am totally involved in the narrative, due in part to the realism that is demonstrated in the battle sequences and strategies.

I have read that Leo Tolstoy worked tirelessly to bring us a complete understanding of the complex historical milieu of War and Peace. He drew on historical events, immersed himself in history books on the Napoleonic Wars and visited the battlefields.

Remember it is never too late to join the #WarAndPeace2022 Readalong. You are always welcome to add to the conversation.

Liz Humphreys has an excellent reflection on Vol1, Part 1 #WarAndPeace2022 Readalong. I know you will enjoy meeting up with Liz Humphreys and Elisabeth Van Der Meer.

Published by Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

28 thoughts on “#WarAndPeace2022 February 15, 2022 Update”

    1. I am enjoying how Leo Tolstoy reveals his characters. He adds layers of insight as I read the story and events unfold. I am delighted that you are on the #WarAndPeace2022 adventure with me. I look forward to catching up with you.

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      1. I must share a quote. I found the most amazing comparative between Prince Andrei’s thoughts about the need for men to be employed to be happy and the ideas about working and employment expressed in Brave New World. So incredible given the different backgrounds and eras of the authors.

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  2. Your reading brought this passage to life Rebecca. Thanks so much. I feel a bit a bit of an outlier here, because I will own to still reading the book as if it were my homework, rather than something I open the pages of with eagerness to enjoy the characterisations and plot. To that extent, this year long project is helpful, because I feel a commitment to continuing that I might not have felt without a community behind me to keep me on the straight and narrow, I’m not someone who normally shies away from books from this period: I enjoy Thackeray, Trollope and Dickens for instance. I think I’m still overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters who decline to remain delineated in my head. I may have made a mistake in not getting the Briggs translation. I’ll persist.

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    1. I am listening to the audiobook of War and Peace (Briggs translation), Margaret because I love hearing words come to life in voices. I also have the book and the e-book format. My eyesight is not what it used to be and my work has me looking at the screen so listening has become a huge benefit to me. Please do persist. You are a wonderful companion to have on the journey. Hugs!

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      1. Thanks for that encouragement Rebecca. I had been wondering whether listening might be the way forward, after listening to you reading yesterday. I haven’t really embraced audio books, but maybe I should. It’s such a help being part of a reading community, with people like you at the helm, when the going gets tough! Hugs to you too.

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  3. I adore being read to, and this was beautifully read, Rebecca. I’m familiar with the story from some excellent BBC TV adaptions, but I’ve never read the book. I should. In the meantime, you have another #WarAndPeace2022 Readalong member thanks to Liz G.

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    1. I am beyond thrilled that you are joining the #WarAndPeace2022 Readalong, Chris!!!! Liz G is a wonderful support and encouragement in my literature journeys. She is a wealth of knowledge and insight. I am glad that we connected and look forward to the road ahead.

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  4. You chose a very excellent portion to read, and so well read! Thank you! This conversation between father and son gives a certain depth to the story and meaning that the author obviously wanted to make. The subject discussed between father and son is a good introduction to the following chapters, I am sure especially designed by the author, which prompts me to say that I am enjoying this book more than the one we just finished..

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    1. I agree – this conversation was an excellent transition point to Part II – the war and battle scenes. It readied me to take on a more difficult read – the war. Leo Tolstoy’s ability to reveal characters during complex exchanges is truly wonderful to experience. The characters comes alive, each with their personality and idiosyncrasies. And now we are almost at Part III.

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  7. The combination of Tolstoy’s writing and your reciting — wow, Rebecca! Parent conversations with a son or daughter can be so poignant, especially when there’s a lot at stake (war, etc.).

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    1. I am glad that I followed up War and Peace after The Brothers Karamazov. The writing styles between Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy are very different but they both possess a profound knowledge of the human spirit and condition. There is another passage further on in W&P that gave me goosebumps. It is the reflections of a man surrounded by the sound and horrors of war. By the way, I just decided to put Beloved by Toni Morrison “Beloved” on my TBR list this year. It is time…

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      1. We are kindred spirits once again – I just recently downloaded an audio version of Beloved, read by Toni Morrison herself. I think this will be a very powerful reading/listening experience.

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      2. Oh Liz – I am delighted that you will be reading Beloved this year. I confess being hesitant because of the emotional nuances that I know will be within the pages of this narrative.. It will be indeed a very powerful reading/listening experience. I had goosebumps when I read you comments, for I too recently downloaded the audio version.

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    1. Elisabeth – I am having a wonderful time on the #WarAndPeace2022 adventure. I understand why War and Peace is one of your favourite books. I am fascinated by Leo Tolstoy’s depth of research and the way in which he reveals his characters. They are real, complex, unpredictable, and so very much human. Without any doubt, this is a book that I will reread.

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  9. Beautifully read, Rebecca. I loved this scene in the book so much. I, too, am learning to appreciate the remarkable amount of detail and research which went into the battle chapters. My admiration for War and Peace grows by the day.

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    1. I feel the same way, Mandy. Leo Tolstoy weaves an unfolding narrative that captures our attention and allows us to experience the emotional upheavals as they evolve. I especially appreciate how he transitions between stories and themes. His characters are real, with complexities and eccentricities. I know that I will reread War And Peace again. Anthony Brigg’s translation is excellent.

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