
War and Peace, Book 14: 1812
by Leo Tolstoy
'War and Peace, Book 14: 1812' Summary
Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace chronicles the lives of five Russian aristocratic families during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Many considered this book to be the best Russian work of literature of all time and it is massive in scale. The book is divided in four volumes and the chapters don't just contain the narrative of the plot to the novel but philosophical discussions as well. This may be intimidating to average book readers but they shouldn't be discouraged to try reading War and Peace. After all, this book was written for all and not just for intellectuals.
The five wealthy families followed are the Bezukhovs, Bolkonskys, Rostovs, Kuragins and the Drubetskoys in the early 19th century especially during the time when Napoleon invaded Russia. Like with Tolstoy's other novels, it also tells about the different social problems in Russian high society like the fathering of illegitimate children of wealthy Russians, financial ruin of some families due to incompetence, their vanity despite the poverty which surrounds them and so on. The lives of the main characters from the different families are intertwined in the novel with friendships and conflicting interests.
War and Peace is also a historical novel. Napoleon himself is one of its main characters and a huge part of the book was about him. It's very impressive that Tolstoy was able to depict him very accurately in this novel. Besides him, Tolstoy was also very accurate about his descriptions of the historical events during that time like the Battle of Borodino, Napoleon's invasion of Moscow and others.
This book doesn't just narrate the trials, problems and conflicts between the different characters in the novel but also provides philosophical insights to historical events. It's always interesting to learn about history from another point of view not just from what was told in history books.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
Russian, with some French and GermanPublished In
1869Authors

Leo Tolstoy
Russia
Leo Tolstoy was a significant figure in Russian literature, known for his novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." These works are celebrated examples of realist fiction, examining human experience...
Books by Leo TolstoyDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Swoop! by P. G. Wodehouse
The Swoop! tells of the simultaneous invasion of England by several armies — "England was not merely beneath the heel of the invader. It was beneath t...

Majoor Frans by A. L. G. Bosboom-Toussaint
Een arme jonker, Leopold, wordt onverwacht een grote erfenis in het vooruitzicht gesteld na de dood van een oud-tante – onder één voorwaarde: hij moet...

Maarten Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens
Martin Chuzzlewit is a young man caught between his desire for love and his pursuit of a family inheritance. He finds himself tangled in a web of dece...

Commentaries on the Laws of England. Book 2: Of the Rights of Things. by William Blackstone
Delve into the depths of legal intricacies as Blackstone guides you through a captivating exploration of property rights, ownership, and the foundatio...

Onze Wederzijdsche Vriend by Charles Dickens
Onze Wederzijdsche Vriend (Our Mutual Friend) is a complex novel that explores the themes of wealth, social hierarchy, and the transformative power of...

Group of Noble Dames by Thomas Hardy
This collection of interconnected stories delves into the lives of noble families, exploring their relationships, secrets, and the impact of their pas...

Helena by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
Helena, a young woman of unknown origins, is unexpectedly thrust into the wealthy and influential family of the deceased Conselheiro Vale. As Helena...

Rough Justice by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
In the bustling streets of Victorian London, Detective John Thorne finds himself entangled in a complex murder investigation. Lisa Rainer, a woman of...

War and Peace, Book 02: 1805 by Leo Tolstoy
War and Peace is an epic novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published from 1865 to 1869 in Russki Vestnik, which tells the story of Russian society during th...

misterio de la casa roja by A. A. Milne
En 'El misterio de la casa roja', el reconocido autor de Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Milne, incursiona en el género del misterio. La historia se desarrolla...
Reviews for War and Peace, Book 14: 1812
No reviews posted or approved, yet...