Whose novel is War and Peace?
Quick Answer
Leo Tolstoy, the Russian writer, who published it in the 1860s. It follows Russian families through the Napoleonic Wars.
The Full Story
War and Peace was written by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy and first appeared in instalments from 1865, with the complete book published in 1869. It follows several aristocratic families, especially the Rostovs and Bolkonskys, and the thoughtful Pierre Bezukhov, during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812. The novel mixes personal stories of love and loss with detailed battle scenes and long reflections on history. It features more than 500 characters and runs to well over 1,000 pages in most editions. Tolstoy’s wife, Sophia, is said to have copied out the manuscript by hand several times.
Key Facts
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"More than 500 characters — is War and Peace worth reading?"