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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol I, Part Three, Ch XV: On the Field at Austerlitz
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Monday, December 19, 2011. Vol I, Part Three, Ch XV: On the Field at Austerlitz. It belatedly occurs to me that Tolstoy's readers (during his lifetime) would have been as familiar with the Battle of Austerlitz and all the rest of them as people in the late 19th century US would have been familiar with the Battles of the Civil War. He writes for them- there are so many references that have to be explained in footnotes and yet, he also writes for the ages. Kutuzov vs the Emperor. Seems an eternal story.
readingtolstoy.blogspot.com
Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol IV, Part Three, Ch IV - XI: Petya Rostov / Point of View / Psychic Distance
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Monday, December 26, 2011. Vol IV, Part Three, Ch IV - XI: Petya Rostov / Point of View / Psychic Distance. The novel becomes exquisitely vivid and engaging once again with the story of Petya Rostov (Natasha's little brother). Denisov reappears as a senior officer, as does Dolokhov. On my paperback, I noted oodles of admirable detail, etc, but as I've become repetitive already, I'll skip blogging about that. But to nitpick, the last sentence could have been cut. PS I was amused to find this blog post.
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol IV, Part Three, Ch I - III
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Saturday, December 24, 2011. Vol IV, Part Three, Ch I - III. Another sinker of an opening sentence, p. 1031:. The battle of Borodino, with the subsequent occupation of Moscow by the French and their flight without any new battles, is one of the most instructuve phenomena in history. So there's a bit of lecture. it's interesting, but it's not fiction. But it's. I see now why Tolstoy himself claimed it was not a novel and Henry James called it a "large loose baggy monster.". Epilogue, Part Two. Charlotte L...
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: And So I Have Finished and I Conclude
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Saturday, December 31, 2011. And So I Have Finished and I Conclude. Was all the adventure I had hoped. Though I cannot say I found it immaculate as a work of art,. Loose baggy monster" that it is, has so very many virtues, and so much I can learn from as a writer, that I only wish I'd read it years sooner. I also feel immensely grateful to have had the chance to enter into this long ago world of Russia before, during, and after Napoleon's invasion. To fight in the Battle of Austerlitz? Epilogue, Part Two.
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol IV, Part Four, Chapters IV -XI
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Vol IV, Part Four, Chapters IV -XI. It becomes textbookish again here: a history lesson, but an interesting one. Military strategy. Internal politics. Kutuzov (in praise of). Napoleon ("that most insignificant instrument of history, who never and nowhere, even in exile, displayed any human dignity"). Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom). And So I Have Finished and I Conclude. Epilogue, Part Two. Epilogue, Part One, Chapters V-XVI. Epilogue, Part One, Chapters I - IV. Reading W...
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol IV, Part IV, Chapters XV - XX Pierre Loves Natasha
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Vol IV, Part IV, Chapters XV - XX Pierre Loves Natasha. Oh so Jane Austen-y. But well done. I'm reading. A technical note- Tolstoy uses summary to excellent effect on p. 1114:. The princess [Marya], wincing from the desire to hold back her tears, sat beside Natasha and for the first time listened to the story of those last days of the love btween her brother and Natasha. This tormenting and joyful story was evdiently necessary for Natasha. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom).
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol III, Part One
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Thursday, December 22, 2011. Vol III, Part One. In Part One, it's back to war. I'm taking another flying leap with the blogging. This part begins to sag as Tolstoy indulges in philosophizing. Why does it sag? For me, John Gardner's concept of the novel as a continuous "vivid dream," is key to explaining that. (The author of several novels, Gardner is best known for his beloved if controversial The Art of Fiction. Read his Paris Review. For the first time! Gone with the Wind. So, in interrupting the "vivi...
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol I, Part Three, Ch XIX Napoleon Takes Prince Andrei Prisoner
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011. Vol I, Part Three, Ch XIX Napoleon Takes Prince Andrei Prisoner. By this date I am actually further ahead with the reading, on schedule to finish before December 31st.). Napoleon takes Prince Andrei prisoner! Well now this is one Burger King of a coincidence but it's such a good story and so well told, who cares? Tolstoy uses this to show how Andrei has changed, from naive hero-worshipper to a man of profound wisdom:. If not, why? And / or, what if they were to change? Vol IV,...
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: In Which I Offer a Preparatory Note
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Sunday, October 23, 2011. In Which I Offer a Preparatory Note. It just occured to me the other day that one of my resolutions for 2011 was to read. So this seems a lickety-split time to get cracking. It's quite a tome to digest: over 1,000 pages. And I have to confess, the book- bigger than a brick- has been gathering dust on a table in my office for over a year. I did get started several months ago but the book is so heavy I couldn't travel with it, and since I had to travel. Solution? So why this blog?
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Reading Tolstoy's War and Peace: Vol IV, Part Three, Ch XII- XIX
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011. Vol IV, Part Three, Ch XII- XIX. Wrapping up the war. Dreadful details, e.g. p. 1061. On all sides lay the flesh of various animals, from men to horses, in various stages of decay. The walking men kept the wolves from coming near, so that Gray [a friendly dog] could eat as much as he liked. Pierre looked at the soldier and remembered how, twodays before, this soldier had burned his shirt while drying it over the campfire, and how everybody had laughed at him. The last chapters...
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