Tolstoy`s masterpiece and one of the greatest novels in any language. "War and Peace" is a complete portrait of nineteenth-century 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, colourful 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.