Tolstoy's masterpiece and one of the greatest novels in any language, War and Peace is a complete portrait of nineteenthcentury Russian life. Fluctuating between times of turbulence and bloodshed and lavish bouts of opulence, it is swept along by Tolstoy's evocative, vibrant prose.

The novel opens at a sumptuous party, where a group of aristocrats are discussing the notion of war, an early indication of troubles ahead. Napoleon's invasion of Russia rocks the nation, but Tolstoy's concern is primarily with the personal crisis created. Centring around the joys and misfortunes of the Rostov family, he weaves a web of diverse, colcurful characters - among them Pierre Bezukhov, vacillating between Freemasonry, philanthropy and mysticism in his desperate search for truth; the beautiful heroine Natasha, full of lively spontaneity; and the tragically disillusioned Andrew Bolkonski. War and Peace is a magnificent achievement, blending the historical, social, moral, psychological and personal in its broad depiction of human insight and experience.

The Principal Characters arranged in Family Groups

Dates of Principal Historical Events

Book I

Book II

Book III

Book IV

Book V

Book VI

Book VII

Book VIII

Book IX

Book X

Book XI

Book XII

Book XIII

Book XIV

Book XV

First Epilogue

Second Epilogue

List of Maps