War and PeaceWar and Peace
Score Classic
What it's about
War and Peace follows five aristocratic Russian families from 1805 to 1812, through the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's invasion of Russia. At its center are three people: Pierre Bezukhov, an awkward, searching heir to an enormous fortune; his friend Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, a brave, disillusioned officer; and Natasha Rostova, a lively young woman who grows up over the course of the book. Battles like Austerlitz and Borodino alternate with balls, love affairs and family life.
Why it's worth reading
It's widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written. It's on the Bokklubben World Library, the BBC's Big Read and the PBS Great American Read, and has sold tens of millions of copies. Despite its size, it's full of warmth and human detail.
You'll love it if you liked
Anna Karenina
Les Misérables
MiddlemarchGood to know
It's around 1,300 pages, with a huge cast. A modern translation and a character list help a lot. Tolstoy's essays on history, mostly in the second epilogue, can be skimmed.
By the numbers
- Readers75 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller75 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #20 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #60 of the 762 classics we rank
- #189 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking, Epic
More by Leo Tolstoy
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Quick answers
Is War and Peace worth reading?
Yes. It's widely considered one of the greatest novels ever written. It ranks #189 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is War and Peace about?
War and Peace follows five aristocratic Russian families from 1805 to 1812, through the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's invasion of Russia. At its center are three people: Pierre Bezukhov, an awkward, searching heir to an enormous fortune; his friend Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, a brave, disillusioned officer; and Natasha Rostova, a lively young woman who grows up over the course of the book. Battles like Austerlitz and Borodino alternate with balls, love affairs and family life.
How long does it take to read War and Peace?
About 21 hours (838 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after War and Peace?
If you liked it, try Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo or Middlemarch by George Eliot.