--- product_id: 11041786 title: "War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics)" price: "£19.88" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/11041786-war-and-peace-oxford-worlds-classics store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics) **Price:** £19.88 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics) - **How much does it cost?** £19.88 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/11041786-war-and-peace-oxford-worlds-classics) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics): 9780199232765: Tolstoy, Leo, Maude, Louise and Aylmer, Mandelker, Amy: Books Review: Translation Matters - I have read several versions of War and Peace. If the Maude translation were half as good as it is, it would be the TWO best versions I had ever read of this masterpiece. Published in 1869, this great saga works on many levels. It is an intimate snapshot of the cultured classes of Tsarist Russia around the time of Napoleon's ill-fated invasion: glittering, provincial, backbiting and sublime all at the same time. It is a study of the fog of war, the clash of ambition, the lust for promotion, and the petty, toxic vanity of those who prefer to be in charge of a loss than a mere part of a victory. It is a contemplation on the "great man" and the "great events" theories of history. (Spoiler alert: it rejects both as inadequate and pretentious). It is a meditation on religion, the meaning of life, on what constitutes real happiness. All of this is accomplished through the day-to-day interactions of ordinary people - with Napoleon, the Tsar, and General Kutuzov all painted in the same ordinary terms. There are moments of staggering sagacity. In an early scene, the primary character, Pierre Bezukhov, unintentionally insults a devout religious pilgrim whose beliefs he finds silly. When she understands the insult and tearfully goes to take her leave, Pierre (now deeply mortified) apologizes with such heart-felt penitence that she forgives him the offense. Would that such magnanimous solicitude for another, even when we disagree with him, would make a comeback. Just before Napoleon enters Moscow to take it captive, the glitterati of the military and the Imperial Court are busy jockeying for position, maliciously attacking and slandering each other, ever looking for an opportunity to make others the ledge upon which their ambitions might climb. It is petty, grasping and pathetic - and it is all wiped away in a moment as the French Emperor shows how grubby their little ambitions are in the face of his concentrated force. But once he has taken the city, Napoleon has nowhere to go and no subjects to cheer him, as Moscow's inhabitants have fled and set fire to the city. The "liberator" of Moscow finally realizes he has gone a bridge too far, removed from his supply lines, and with a Russian winter coming on, no less. His hubris and success have undone him - and the folksies of Moscow did NOT play to script by welcoming him as their liberator. Thus the wages of stratagems turned obsessions. When Moscow was captured, Pierre was taken prisoner by the French. A staggeringly wealthy, titled man, he lived in complete poverty and fear for several months. After the French retreated and he escaped, considering his sufferings, Pierre asked himself, "Would you rather be what you were before you were taken prisoner...we imagine that when we are thrown out of our familiar rut all is lost, but that is only when something new and good can begin." Pierre's captivity completed him. Already a good man, it forged something of greatness in his large heart. The Maude translation keeps the substantial passages written in French from the original (while helpfully offering translations in footnotes). I read French, so it was not jarring - and actually a little pleasing - to me. It may be disruptive for those who have to constantly go to the footnotes to see what was said. But Tolstoy actually used this as a literary device. Those things written in French were to be shown as artificial and contrived, while those written in Russian to be earthy and authentic. Even if you don't read French, knowing what he intended with this device will help you see the author's point of view more clearly. It is not an accident that the main character, Pierre Bezukhov, uses the French first name, "Pierre," instead of the Russian "Pyotr," while his last name is robustly Russian. It hints at the character's trajectory. In the last third of the book, Tolstoy embarks on several extended passages of pure political philosophy. Quite bluntly, he is a far more astute philosopher in his narrative than in his actual political opining. If this is your first read of the book, you will probably want to trudge through these muddled passages. I skip them over now, for they add nothing to the narrative and, I think, badly interrupt its flow. He does the same thing in Anna Karenina. It is annoying tic, but it is the tic of a genuine literary genius. When you start the novel, you may well think, "How am I ever going to get through 1,300 pages of this?" By the time you finish, you have come to so love the community of characters you wish you could remain with them for another 1,300 pages. All of Tolstoy's characters are deeply complex and authentic. The best have significant flaws, the worst, unexpected virtues. Review: Great gift - Great gift, my mom loved this book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #24,319 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #12 in Russian & Soviet Literature (Books) #501 in Family Saga Fiction #638 in Classic Literature & Fiction | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (773) | | Dimensions | 7.6 x 1.8 x 5 inches | | Edition | New | | ISBN-10 | 0199232768 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0199232765 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 1392 pages | | Publication date | November 10, 2010 | | Publisher | Oxford University Press | | Reading age | 18 years and up | ## Images ![War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Qrhyrk9tL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Translation Matters *by M***M on October 23, 2017* I have read several versions of War and Peace. If the Maude translation were half as good as it is, it would be the TWO best versions I had ever read of this masterpiece. Published in 1869, this great saga works on many levels. It is an intimate snapshot of the cultured classes of Tsarist Russia around the time of Napoleon's ill-fated invasion: glittering, provincial, backbiting and sublime all at the same time. It is a study of the fog of war, the clash of ambition, the lust for promotion, and the petty, toxic vanity of those who prefer to be in charge of a loss than a mere part of a victory. It is a contemplation on the "great man" and the "great events" theories of history. (Spoiler alert: it rejects both as inadequate and pretentious). It is a meditation on religion, the meaning of life, on what constitutes real happiness. All of this is accomplished through the day-to-day interactions of ordinary people - with Napoleon, the Tsar, and General Kutuzov all painted in the same ordinary terms. There are moments of staggering sagacity. In an early scene, the primary character, Pierre Bezukhov, unintentionally insults a devout religious pilgrim whose beliefs he finds silly. When she understands the insult and tearfully goes to take her leave, Pierre (now deeply mortified) apologizes with such heart-felt penitence that she forgives him the offense. Would that such magnanimous solicitude for another, even when we disagree with him, would make a comeback. Just before Napoleon enters Moscow to take it captive, the glitterati of the military and the Imperial Court are busy jockeying for position, maliciously attacking and slandering each other, ever looking for an opportunity to make others the ledge upon which their ambitions might climb. It is petty, grasping and pathetic - and it is all wiped away in a moment as the French Emperor shows how grubby their little ambitions are in the face of his concentrated force. But once he has taken the city, Napoleon has nowhere to go and no subjects to cheer him, as Moscow's inhabitants have fled and set fire to the city. The "liberator" of Moscow finally realizes he has gone a bridge too far, removed from his supply lines, and with a Russian winter coming on, no less. His hubris and success have undone him - and the folksies of Moscow did NOT play to script by welcoming him as their liberator. Thus the wages of stratagems turned obsessions. When Moscow was captured, Pierre was taken prisoner by the French. A staggeringly wealthy, titled man, he lived in complete poverty and fear for several months. After the French retreated and he escaped, considering his sufferings, Pierre asked himself, "Would you rather be what you were before you were taken prisoner...we imagine that when we are thrown out of our familiar rut all is lost, but that is only when something new and good can begin." Pierre's captivity completed him. Already a good man, it forged something of greatness in his large heart. The Maude translation keeps the substantial passages written in French from the original (while helpfully offering translations in footnotes). I read French, so it was not jarring - and actually a little pleasing - to me. It may be disruptive for those who have to constantly go to the footnotes to see what was said. But Tolstoy actually used this as a literary device. Those things written in French were to be shown as artificial and contrived, while those written in Russian to be earthy and authentic. Even if you don't read French, knowing what he intended with this device will help you see the author's point of view more clearly. It is not an accident that the main character, Pierre Bezukhov, uses the French first name, "Pierre," instead of the Russian "Pyotr," while his last name is robustly Russian. It hints at the character's trajectory. In the last third of the book, Tolstoy embarks on several extended passages of pure political philosophy. Quite bluntly, he is a far more astute philosopher in his narrative than in his actual political opining. If this is your first read of the book, you will probably want to trudge through these muddled passages. I skip them over now, for they add nothing to the narrative and, I think, badly interrupt its flow. He does the same thing in Anna Karenina. It is annoying tic, but it is the tic of a genuine literary genius. When you start the novel, you may well think, "How am I ever going to get through 1,300 pages of this?" By the time you finish, you have come to so love the community of characters you wish you could remain with them for another 1,300 pages. All of Tolstoy's characters are deeply complex and authentic. The best have significant flaws, the worst, unexpected virtues. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great gift *by M***. on January 24, 2026* Great gift, my mom loved this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and above all love, and gives us insight into the Russian aristocratic ... *by N***E on April 28, 2016* Don't let the size of this magnificent novel intimidate you, or make you weary. Tolstoy pours himself into his characters, research, and storytelling, in such a way that he leaves you asking all the important questions. He has covered everything, from humility, forgiveness, loss, pain, suffering, dignity, grandeur, and above all love, and gives us insight into the Russian aristocratic life, and the lives of the military leaders, heroes, soldiers, and more. His style puts you in the heart of the situation and you feel as though you see and understand everything immediately. This version is indeed richer and more nuanced than the Garnett translation and enhances the experience. I have read Anna Karenina and intend to read his later work, The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Tolstoy is a must read!!!! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/11041786-war-and-peace-oxford-worlds-classics](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/11041786-war-and-peace-oxford-worlds-classics) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-23*