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Cover of War and Peace

Historical · Classics

War and Peace

by Leo Tolstoy

Bestseller: about 36 million copies (estimate)

4.1 out of 5, from 505 ratings from Hardcover readers

Following several aristocratic Russian families across the Napoleonic Wars, this enormous novel moves between drawing rooms and battlefields while its characters search for love, purpose and meaning.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published
1869
Pace
Slow
Length
Long
Pages
838
Format
Standalone
Borrow free with Libby Compare prices Save to my shelf

Read this if you want a monumental novel that is far more readable and human than its reputation suggests.

Skip this if you don't have the time or patience for essays on history and a very large cast.

The feel

Content warnings

  • War
  • Death
  • Violence

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Misogyny
  • Suicide

Quick answers about War and Peace

What is War and Peace about?
Following several aristocratic Russian families across the Napoleonic Wars, this enormous novel moves between drawing rooms and battlefields while its characters search for love, purpose and meaning.
Who should read War and Peace?
Read it if you want a monumental novel that is far more readable and human than its reputation suggests. Skip it if you don't have the time or patience for essays on history and a very large cast.
How long and how fast is War and Peace?
It is a slow-paced, long read of about 838 pages, first published in 1869.
Does War and Peace have content warnings?
Content we flag: War, Death, Violence.
Can I borrow War and Peace for free?
Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends War and Peace; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after War and Peace?
Readers who liked it often move on to Anna Karenina, Les Misérables, A Gentleman in Moscow.

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