War and Peace Newbies Tag
Alright, readers-along! We’re mere weeks away from go time, and I have some questions. Respond in the comments, or, in your own post or video.
Tags are very popular on Booktube, and I even made a video of my own today:
Here are the questions, and my answers:
- Have you read (or attempted) War and Peace?
Nope. I’ve owned it for a few years, never even cracked it.
- What edition and translation are you reading?
Vintage Pevear & Volokhonsy translation on paper, Maude translation on Kobo.
- How much do you know about War and Peace (plot, characters, etc)?
Before I watched the adaptation: nothing! I think it’s bizarre that W&P doesn’t have an iconic quote or character, like other classics. Or, maybe it does, and I live under a rock.
- How are you preparing (watching adaptations, background reading, etc.)?
I’m doing a lot more preparation than I usually do. I watched the adaptation a few months ago, to familiarize myself with the characters. Russian classics are notorious for many characters, each of whom have several names. I’m also skimming through Give War and Peace a Chance, which would have been a great name for this read-along, and the diaries of Sophia Tolstoy, to confirm that Leo was indeed a dick.
- What do you hope to get out of reading War and Peace?
Checking it off the list (you know, that 1,001 Books list I’ve neglected for the past couple years). Reading pleasure – I usually love these big, meaty classics. And if I don’t, I have snarking rights (I insist on reading a book before I make fun of it.) It’s a win-win.
- What are you intimidated by?
The Russian name thing, see #4. Also, the Freemasonry stuff, which I assume is to War and Peace as farming is to Anna Karenina – hundreds of pages of booooooring philosophical asides.
- Do you think it’s okay to skip the “war” parts?
No!! I wouldn’t even ask, but I’ve seen it come up a few times in discussions. Just no. If you don’t read all the words, you haven’t read the book.
So. You’re all tagged. Let me know where you’re at with W&P, down in the comments, or make your own post or video.
I challenge you to do this tag!
Reading in Bed 
Only watched the mini series. That’s it. Don’t know how I will do on actually reading. Made it through Cecilia because it was female author and lead, and also my cup of tea generally. Think this might be more angsty, which just isn’t me. But I will read your summaries with relish! I might even make some relish so I can literally do everything with relish….
Please post your recipe, I love relish! ;P
1. Have you read (or attempted) War and Peace?
Yes, I read it a long long time ago – 30 years.
2. What edition and translation are you reading?
Maude translation on Kindle.
3. How much do you know about War and Peace (plot, characters, etc)?
It’s been so long that I don’t remember much about the book
4. How are you preparing (watching adaptations, background reading, etc.)?
The Maude Translation has a really good introduction, so I plan on reading that, but that’s it.
5, What do you hope to get out of reading War and Peace?
Re-reading classic, along with people looking to enjoy the read along the way.
6. What are you intimidated by?
The Russian name thing.
7. Do you think it’s okay to skip the “war” parts?
Nope.
We are much on the same page, except for the read-it-30-years-ago thing. In my defense, I was only six, thirty years ago 🙂
Looking forward to joining in – I’ll post my answers in a day or two! 🙂
You can see my answer to the questions here: https://travellinpenguin.com/2017/06/19/war-and-peace-for-winter/
I am looking forward to this. Enjoying your blog.
I’m in! Got excited after I read Pam’s post at travelinpenguin. Now, I have to get a copy and I think it will be the Penguin Deluxe Classic Edition. I’ve not read this yet, so I’m looking forward to starting!
Nice! I like the look of that edition. I’m reading Dostoyevsky in chronological order (probably take a break during this read-along though!) and I’m collecting the Penguins for that.
Whoops, I forgot to comment here when you posted this. I posted my tag response! Something I quite like so far is how different each of our editions are. I kind of assumed everyone would have the version you have (it seems to be the most readily available one). Kinda cool to see the different old school versions some people have.
Thanks for reminding me to respond! Yes I’m loving all the editions. This would be a great book to collect. I know people do that for Moby-Dick too, get all the editions they can find.
Inside the Tolstoy Family Reunion –
http://mentalfloss.com/article/85918/inside-tolstoy-family-reunion
1. Have you read (or attempted) War and Peace?
I’ve read the first ten pages or so a few times, but that’s as far as it’s gone.
2. What edition and translation are you reading?
Pevear & Volokhonsky (Vintage Classics)
3. How much do you know about War and Peace (plot, characters, etc)?
It’s set during the Napoleonic Wars. In Tsarist Russia. And there will be a bazillion characters with names that seem to whimsically change from page to page.
4. How are you preparing (watching adaptations, background reading, etc.)?
Also skimming through Give War and Peace a Chance by Andrew Kaufman. Very helpful so far. (But no adaptations until I finish the book. Hopefully, that will help motivate me to finish!)
5. What do you hope to get out of reading War and Peace?
It may sound trite, but I just hope to immerse myself in the historical detail and Tolstoy’s immense power to portray the human experience. Plus, carrying around a book this big will make me feel like I’m in college again. My consumption of coffee will surely increase.
6. What are you intimidated by?
The footnotes – so, so many! And, of course, the names.
7. Do you think it’s okay to skip the “war” parts?
Would it be okay to skip the “pride” part of Pride & Prejudice?!? Heck no.
Haha yes, I like the Pride and prejudice comparison! I was taken aback that people do this. Plus, I’ve started the first war part, and it’s fine. The various titles are a bit confusing, I might need a cheat sheet… but not boring.
1. Have you read (or attempted) War and Peace?
I have never read it, nor have I ever attempted to read it. I never had any desire to read it until now.
2. What edition and translation are you reading?
I will be reading the Barnes and Noble Classics edition published in 2005 and translated by Constance Garnett.
3. How much do you know about War and Peace (plot, characters, etc)?
I know that it is long, like really long (1011 pages). I know it is about Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. I know that it has a great many characters. I know it’s by Leo Tolstoy. Literally, that’s it.
4. How are you preparing (watching adaptations, background reading, etc.)?
I’m really not preparing at all. I have marked off the pages I need to read in order to finish on schedule, but that’s about it. I think I should probably watch an adaptation to help squish down some of my confusion once I start reading it, though.
5. What do you hope to get out of reading War and Peace?
I would love to be able to say, “yeah, I read War and Peace, I can do anything!” I would love to check it off of my list of 1001 books to read before you die. I’d like to also be able to have the accomplishment in common with my favorite bloggers and Booktubers.
6. What are you intimidated by?
The size. It’s a large book.That is my biggest intimidation. I’m also intimidated by the French, the Russian names, the large cast of characters, and the amount of time it will take to read this beast!
7. Do you think it’s okay to skip the “war” parts?
I won’t skip, but I may skim. I will still read all of the words, just not as in depth as I read the other parts. Does that make sense? I hope so.
1. Have you read (or attempted) War and Peace?
First time!
2. What edition and translation are you reading?
First of all, I’m reading it in Portuguese. It’s a Cosac Naify edition, translated by Rubens Figueiredo. It’s one of the finest we have got in Brazil, since it’s translated straight from Russian. (Most of classical books were first translated to English or French – if they were not written in any of those languages, of course – and then to Portuguese.)
3. How much do you know about War and Peace (plot, characters, etc)?
I have watched the series by BBC. (just in case I would never have the guts to read the book…)
4. How are you preparing (watching adaptations, background reading, etc.)?
I don’t really like preparing for reading books, but I love to search everything I can about it afterwards. (stuff like lectures or classes available on youtube).
5. What do you hope to get out of reading War and Peace?
Well, I just love Russian literature. Even now I am taking theatre classes and I had to read “An actor prepares” by Stanislavski, and I was amazed at the general russian ability to describe human psychology. I think War and Peace must be one of the deeper dives in the human soul, and I am eager to experience it.
6. What are you intimidated by?
Size, of course. I am a bit used to the names issue, but that can become a problem considered the number of characters…
7. Do you think it’s okay to skip the “war” parts?
I am not a fan of skipping parts. I certainly will not in a first reading.
I posted my answers to your tag today on my blog https://fangirlarya.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/war-and-peace-newbie-tag/