War and Peace by Tolstoy
The epic story of the lives of a network of aristocratic families trapped in a brutal war. One of the greatest novels in world literature - but also one of the longest. The full version nearly 600,000 words (around 1300 pages).
Setting/Time Period: Russia during the Napoleonic Wars (1805–1812).
- The story starts with a ball in St Petersburg as the country prepares to go to war with the French. In over 1000 pages the action takes place in multiple locations. Many are in and around Moscow but we also visit major historical battles, including Borodin and Austerlitz.
There are over a hundred characters and many major ones. But the story revolves around the three characters represented in the photo
Pierre Bezukhov (left) and Natasha Rostova (centre) are childhood friends. Through Pierre, Natasha meets and falls in love with Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (right)
“What is War and Peace? It is not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less an historical chronicle. War and Peace is what the author wished and was able to express in the form in which it is expressed.” Leo Tolstoy
English language level: A2 (low-intermediate
Adapted for audio by Kieran McGovern. With free worksheets & learning activities. English language level: low intermediate level (A2-B1)