How historically accurate is War and Peace?

War and Peace is broadly accurate in terms of the historical events and figures involved in them. But while true to the facts, Tolstoy put a spin on them to serve various purposes in the novel.

Why is War and Peace such a great novel?

War and Peace is known for its realism, something Tolstoy achieved through intensive research. He visited battlefields, read history books on the Napoleonic Wars, and drew on real historical events to create a novel of living history.

What is the most accurate translation of War and Peace?

Aylmer and Louise Maude translation Critics generally say this is the most faithful translation of War and Peace. The Maudes knew Tolstoy well, spent a long time living in Moscow, and spoke impeccable Russian. Tolstoy even gave the Maudes his approval for their translation.

Should I read Anna Karenina or War and Peace?

Both books must be read. Life is ordinary without them. But it is my experience that readers are more likely to read War and Peace if they have first read Anna Karenina, so I always recommend reading Anna Karenina first. Every new reader of Anna Karenina is a possible reader of War and Peace.

Was Tolstoy right about Napoleon?

Contrary to generally accepted views, Tolstoy portrays Napoleon as an ineffective, egomaniacal buffoon, Tsar Alexander I as a phrasemaker obsessed with how historians will describe him, and the Russian general Mikhail Kutuzov (previously disparaged) as a patient old man who understands the limitations of human will and …

Is Tolstoy or Dostoevsky better?

Tolstoy emphasizes the ways in which people relate to one another in a societal context. Dostoevsky digs deeply into the individual human psyche. Tolstoy paints a world in which extreme things happen to ordinary people. Dostoevsky shows us the extremes of which people are capable.

Which is easier to read Anna Karenina or War and Peace?

But it is my experience that readers are more likely to read War and Peace if they have first read Anna Karenina, so I always recommend reading Anna Karenina first. Every new reader of Anna Karenina is a possible reader of War and Peace.