Fiction
Related: About this forumA Year of War and Peace
Introducing a Daily, Yearlong, Chapter-by-Chapter Reading and Meditation on Tolstoys Masterpiece
Brian E. Denton
Dec 21, 2016
What It Is
A Year of War and Peace is the bibliotheraputic equivalent of mainlining your favorite mood enhancer.
Over the course of one year, should you choose to join me, we will read one of the 361 chapters of War and Peace per day followed by a brief reflection on the chapter published here on Medium. These reflections will focus on the novels characters and how thinking about their nineteenth-century triumphs and failings may help us to live better, more fulfilling lives today. This unique reading of War and Peace is something Ive been doing every day for the past seven years. I welcome you to join me this year.
Why You Should Join Me
The primary reason you should join me is that War and Peace is one of the greatest books ever written. Its immensely enjoyable to read. Its also just plain immense. In fact, its size is often cited as the reason people have not read it yet. A Year of War and Peace solves this problem by breaking down the gigantic novel into small, bite-sized pieces. No more than twenty minutes per day is required to read along and, by years end, with just this small investment of time, youll have a thorough understanding and appreciation of one of the worlds most celebrated books.
When It Starts
A Year of War and Peace begins on January 1, 2017.
What Translation Ill be Reading
Ill be reading Oxford Worlds Classics Maude translation. Ive read many of the English translations and this is my favorite. With the exception of the Norton Critical Edition, all the translations Ive read follow the 361 chapter convention so following along with another translation should not be a problem. The first time I cycled through the book using the one-chapter-per-day method I used this cheap digital version. There are a few minor typos but its serviceable for our purposes.
The Daily Readings
Below are the daily readings. I will link to each as they are made available.
Day 1
Day 2
https://medium.com/@BrianEDenton/a-year-of-war-and-peace-cc66540d9619#.7rmflgb51
A little background:
http://blog.oup.com/2017/01/reading-war-and-peace/
TexasProgresive
(12,294 posts)I have been reading one Russian novel a year. I have just downloaded a pdf of War and Peace translated by the Maudes from Gutenberg press. We will see.
rug
(82,333 posts)He posts a bite size chapter every day. Here's yesterday's:
https://medium.com/@BrianEDenton/pavlovnas-god-79e913b6ad33#.ju3g7c1me
hermetic
(8,627 posts)What an interesting undertaking. I read War and Peace back in high school and loved it. Your link only takes us to the main page of medium.com and I couldn't find it there. It seems that @ sign is not recognizable as a hot link, but if you paste this link in your address bar, https://medium.com/@brianedenton
it will take you to his page where the links for the discussions are.
I don't expect to reread the book but I think I will check out his daily musings. Thanks for sharing.
rug
(82,333 posts)The only way to get there is to paste the whole link into the url.
Oh well.
I haven't read the book yet but I think I will. Next New Year's Eve we can argue about it here.
hermetic
(8,627 posts)The discussion and meditations. It only takes a few minutes and I am enjoying how it makes me think about life and all. Here is today's, which I trimmed down a bit:
Unhappiness is all too common; the events in our life can really drag us down. Lifes challenges cant stop, wont stop. So what should we do? Wallow away into a sad gallon of cookie dough ice cream and binge watch Netflix? Epictetus has a pro-tip that might be more helpful: Acceptance.
True instruction is this: learning to will that things should happen as they do.
-Epictetus, The Discourses
It's an intriguing way to read a hefty book.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,729 posts)some three or four chapters in we were still at that same dinner party, or whatever it was, and NOTHING had happened.
Sigh. I suppose I could try a chapter a day.
The version I have is Penguin Classics translation by Rosemary Edmonds. So I've got Book One, Book Two, Book Three, Book Four, and an Epilogue. I wonder if the chapter divisions are the same.
rug
(82,333 posts)If you're really not into the book, it's a misery loves company approach.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,729 posts)I do get that some people love that book.
rug
(82,333 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,729 posts)of the book.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Because screw them and their 5587 characters.
My copy of the book arrives today and I'll take the chapter-a-day journey with this guy. At my age, this is probably the last chance Russian novels have to win me over. And, as an English teacher, this should probably be in my "have read" column.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)I got my copy from Amazon yesterday and read 5 chapters. Three chapters today, and I'm caught up.
I like his summaries and analysis.
There are a handful of English teachers at my school doing this with me.
rug
(82,333 posts)I really like his approach to this book.
Goblinmonger
(22,340 posts)Have done it during the summer (start reading on Bloomsday). Didn't last summer because I had 15 young adult books to read for the new teaching job.
I do like his approach. It's simple enough to read the chapter and then check in with his thoughts.
hermetic
(8,627 posts)of my daily reading. Wonderful article by a professor of Russian literature who explains the importance of united opposition.
In one of his greatest novels, War and Peace (1869), Tolstoy insists that history is propelled forward not by the actions of individual leaders but by the random alignment of events and communities of people.
Obviously, the president of the United States has tremendous power. But here is where War and Peace can provide some perspective, helping to demystify this power and sort out its more performative aspects.
...mass marches and protests broadcast united opposition as do all the petitions, safety pins, pink pussy hats and rogue tweets. Some of this might be derided as #slacktivism. But collectively they map out tenuous networks of connections among individuals.
Thinking in essentialist terms, Tolstoy felt that Napoleon failed to destroy Russia because the collective interests of Russian people aligned against him: a majority of people wittingly or unwittingly acted to undermine his agenda. Is it possible that we will see a similar alignment of grassroots interests now? Could men, women, people of color, immigrants and LGBTQIA individuals make their voices heard against some of President Trumps executive actions, which may threaten many on a personal level?
http://theconversation.com/how-tolstoys-war-and-peace-can-inspire-those-who-fear-trumps-america-71312
rug
(82,333 posts)A mark of a classic.
hermetic
(8,627 posts)It showed up between chapters 44 & 45 and appears to be an essay by one S. Nightengale, another Medium writer.
I'm not sure what it has to do with War and Peace BUT if you read on you find a reply by Denton which is one of the most depressing things I think I've ever read.
We should, however, strive to keep the liberal project alive. But the prospects dont look good.
Just wondered if anyone else saw that, and what you thought. And what's it got to do with War and Peace?
rug
(82,333 posts)I'll control myself and not give an opinion until I find the comment.