War and Peace - Tolstoy

[constantreader-nz]

Hi, I'm looking for a copy of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. As there are numerous translations of this book, each with their own differences, I was wondering which is preferred by the masses.
A friend suggested the Rosemary Edmonds version, but others say the Maude version is best.

So I thought I would reach to the readers of SKMB, and see what your view on this is.

[GNTLGNT]

Maude version? When the heck did Bea Arthur publish a book? (I'm just askin')

[Srbo]

Well, don`t know the answer to that one.
It`s always best to read books in their original language, but yeah, nobodys knows every language.

Anyhow, now comes blasphemy:
War and Peace is one of the most over-rated books in the history of literature, IMO.
It bored me to death, I was chocking on it. That was when I`ve read it the first time, when i was 15.
15 years later, I thought about reading it again, maybe I was to young to understand it then, and well...I found it even more boring the second time around.

Just sayin`.

[PatInTheHat]

If Bea Arthur would have wrote it, maybe me & Srbo could have enjoyed it...well, at least maybe appreciated it more.
I don't have a clue which translation I read years ago, but this is the one I ended up getting the most out of...
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_gui...ce.id-160.html
No I'm not proud of it, but as a much younger man back then, I didn't require that much sleep...loved the movie though.

[Lina]

I've read War and Peace, but only in Russian. I have never even seen it in translation, so I can't say if there are good translations. But I can say that for me this was the most boring book ever, I don't really like it. I fully agree that this book is over-rated! (IMO)

[adrianmarley]

I have a recent translation by Anthony Briggs which seems to be a pretty decent and clear translation. The Maude version, if I remember correctly, is pretty old and maybe a bit antiquated. There is also a new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Both of these were published in the last few years and are up to date. I don't have the Pevear, but the Briggs one seems to be a good translation.

[JohnDalglish]

Hi,

Let's see if there's a FREE online version.

Tolstoy

War and Peace

Yup, good ol 'Project Gutenberg.

Obviously I can't speak for the quality of translation, but I've had several Russian friends complain bitterly about translations of Russian literature in general.

Long days and pleasant nights

[josi]

Some months ago I tried to read that book but I stopped after 'bout 300 pages. It was boring. Maybe I tried it later again - maybe not. Maybe it just as some said an overrated book not worth reading. I don't know.