Voyna i mir (War and Peace) was first published serially in the journal The Russian Messenger (Russkiy vestnik) between 1865 and 1869, then in book form in six volumes (1868–1869). The novel is approximately 1,225 pages and 580,000 words — one of the longest major novels in world literature. Tolstoy was in his late thirties when he began writing it, living on his estate at Yasnaya Polyana with his young wife Sophia, who copied the manuscript (reportedly) seven times.
The Novel
War and Peace follows five aristocratic families — the Rostovs, the Bolkonskys, the Bezukhovs, the Kuragins, and the Drubetskoys — through the years 1805 to 1820, encompassing Napoleon’s campaigns against Russia (including the Battle of Austerlitz, the French invasion of 1812, the burning of Moscow, and Napoleon’s catastrophic retreat). The novel’s three principal characters are:
Prince Andrei Bolkonsky — aristocratic, intellectual, disillusioned. He seeks meaning in military glory, in love (Natasha), and finally in a mystical acceptance of death.
Pierre Bezukhov — awkward, searching, enormous. The illegitimate son of a count, he inherits a fortune, marries disastrously, pursues Freemasonry, is captured by the French, and finally finds peace in the simplicity of common life and in his marriage to Natasha.
Natasha Rostova — vital, impulsive, passionately alive. She is the novel’s animating principle: wherever Natasha is, life is at its fullest. Her transformation from impetuous girl to settled matriarch is the novel’s most controversial trajectory.
Tolstoy’s achievement is to render the full scope of human experience — from ballroom to battlefield, from peasant hut to emperor’s tent — with equal attention and equal authority. The war scenes (particularly Austerlitz and Borodino) are among the most vivid and psychologically accurate depictions of combat in literature. The domestic scenes (particularly the Rostov family’s chaotic warmth) are among the most loving.
Collecting War and Peace
Russian first edition (1868–1869): Six volumes.
- Complete sets in original bindings: $20,000–$60,000
- Extremely rare in any condition — most copies were read to pieces
First English translation (1886, William Smith Elder, London): Translated by Clara Bell.
First American edition (various translations):
- Values vary widely by translation and edition
Value trajectory (2016–2026): Russian-language first editions have appreciated approximately 2×. The extreme rarity of early Russian editions in collectible condition limits supply permanently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really the greatest novel? Many critics, writers, and readers consider it so — for its combination of scope, psychological insight, philosophical depth, and narrative mastery. Whether any single work can be “the greatest” is debatable, but War and Peace appears on more “best novel” lists than any other work.
Which translation should I read? The Maude translation (by Aylmer and Louise Maude, friends of Tolstoy) is the standard. The Pevear/Volokhonsky translation (2007) is more contemporary. Both are excellent.
Is the philosophy necessary? Tolstoy interrupts the narrative with essays on the philosophy of history (arguing against “great man” theories of historical causation). Many readers skip these. They are integral to Tolstoy’s purpose but not to the reader’s enjoyment of the narrative.