Spanning 1805-1812, War and Peace follows the Rostovs, Bolkonskys, and Pierre Bezukhov across salons, campaigns, and private reckonings, interlacing intimate realism with sweeping reflections on history and freedom. Tolstoy's shifting focalization, exact psychology, and embedded essays create a capacious, experimental epic. The Maude translation-prepared by Aylmer and Louise Maude in consultation with Tolstoy-renders military dispatches, society chatter, and historiographic argument in lucid, balanced English, from Austerlitz and Borodino to the burning of Moscow. An aristocrat turned moral inquirer, Tolstoy drew on service in the Caucasus and Crimea, broad reading in French and Russian histories, and domestic observation at Yasnaya Polyana. Composed 1865-1869 amid post-emancipation Russia, the novel rejects "great man" legend, recasting history as countless small causes. Through Pierre, Andrei, and Natasha, Tolstoy channels his oscillation between ambition, skepticism, and a quest for ethical simplicity, probing how conscience survives contingency. This Maude edition invites both scholars and first-time readers: the supple prose carries strategic analysis, domestic comedy, and metaphysical inquiry with equal poise. Seek it for a panoramic education in war, love, and responsibility, and for an enduring argument about the limits of power and historical agency.
Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the author's voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable-distilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Author Biography · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.
