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'Almost in the centre of this sky...shone the huge, brilliant comet of the year 1812 - the comet which was said to portend all manner of horrors and the end of the world.'
Napoleon's invasion of Russia forms the backdrop for Tolstoy's masterpiece. At its centre are Pierre Bezuhov, searching for meaning in his life; cynical Prince Andei, ennobled by suffering in the war; and Natasha Rostov, whose impulsiveness threatens to destroy her happiness. As Tolstoy follows the changing fortunes of these characters and their families, scenes of domestic life are juxtaposes with magnificent battle sequences, creating a view of humanity that is both epic and intimate. Often considered the greatest novel in any language, War and Peace is also a philosophical meditation on the tension between free will and fate as the forces of history move inexorably forward.
Rosemary Edmond's distinguished translation is accompanied by an introduction and a list of the novel's principal characters.
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