Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace: A Companion (Companions to Russian Literature) - Tapa dura

War and Peace is widely viewed as one of the world's greatest novels, but oddly, no reader's companion to the text was written in English until now. This volume fills that gap. For scholars, it will synthesize the critical heritage and present new perspectives on the novel. For the general reader, it will provide the sort of guidance that will enrich the reading experience and help the reader navigate the long and rewarding journey to the novel's end. The annotations provide a thorough background on the historical contexts, notes on the character and plot development, discussion of the various English translations, and other explanatory notes that will clarify the fundamental ideas and aesthetic devices of the novel.

William Nickell (PhD University of California, Berkeley) is currently assistant professor in the department of Slavic languages and literatures at the University of Chicago. He has frequently taught a seminar on War and Peace that has served as the foundation for his new companion to the novel. His numerous publications on Tolstoy include The Death of Tolstoy: Russia on the Eve, Astapovo Station, 1910.