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2019 Reading Project: War and Peace Book Nine

I’m about 330,000 words into W&P and Tolstoy still has me humming along with his narrative. Book Nine is mostly about Napoleon finally launching into Russian. We all know how this turns out for the French but I don’t know how it will turn out for the characters…and I want to know.

1FK-160-E1812-10-B (15946) ‘Napoleon zu Moskau, 1812’ Napoleon I. Bonaparte, Kaiser der Franzosen, 1769-1821. – ‘Napoleon zu Moskau, 1812’. – (Rußlandfeldzug 1812. Napoleon im bren- nenden Moskau, 14./16. September). Lithographie, koloriert, um 1850, von R. Werbezahl nach Zeichnung von Friedrich August Frenzel (1814-1888). E: ‘Napoleon in Moscow, 1812’ Napoleon I Bonaparte, emperor of the French (1804-15); 1769-1821. – ‘Napoleon in Moscow, 1812’. – (Russian campaign 1812. Napoleon in burning Moscow, 14-16 September). Lithograph, coloured, c.1850, by R. Werbezahl after a drawing by Friedrich August Frenzel (1814-1888). F: ‘Napoléon à Moscau, 1812’ Napoléon Ier Bonaparte, empereur des Français ; 1769-1821. – ‘Napoléon à Moscau, 1812’. – (Campagne de Russie, 1812. Napoléon dans Moscou incendié, 14-16 septembre). Lithographie, coloriée, v.1850, de R.Werbezahl d’ap. dessin de Friedrich August Frenzel (1814-1888).

What I’m most impressed by is not only how episodic the story telling is but how deeply thought out it is yet how accessible it is. Again, I’m terribly intimidated by Tolstoy.

One last observation: I love it’s genre-lessness. War and romance. politics and family squabbles. He writes about it all and he writes it all so truthfully. Incredible.

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War and Peace – Book Eight My 2019 Reading Project

Natasha “thinking”

Natasha is sweet but you can’t leave a woman in her prime on the shelf for a year like Andy does. Sooner or later hormones and biology are just going to do what they do. They’re explosive enough but when you add Moscow nightlife and then Anatole to the mixture. Pow!

So you have the downfall, in the eyes of 1812 Moscow culture of a nice girl who was treated poorly by a grumpy old count, his too-obedient son and a rich playboy. Not to mention her own dad who didn’t prep her for reality.

But wait, near the end of the book Pierre seems to be nice…he could make her happy…if it weren’t for that nasty yet beautiful Ellen. What shall happen? What shall happen?

Onward!

This is a brilliant guide, btw: https://medium.com/@BrianEDenton/a-year-of-war-and-peace-cc66540d9619

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Roland Sardines with Chili Peppers

Country: Morocco
Calories: 220

  • The reverse side of the box is in English but reading the Spanish side makes me feel an international.
  • Good look fish. But how spicy?
  • Thankfully, only one pepper spicy. I’m not a spicy fish kind of guy.
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Sardimar

Country: Packed in Costa Rica
Calories: 160

  • My first Costa Rican sardines
  • Must like other sardines
  • Except this one is huuuuge
  • Big as the can huuuuuge.