From a popular Tolstoy scholar: an entertaining, thought-provoking, and accessible argument for why War and Peace is more relevant to readers now than ever.

"Anna Karenina is one of the most nuanced characters in world literature and we return to her, and the novel she propels, again and again. Remarkably, there has not yet been an examination of Leo Tolstoy specifically through the lens of this novel. Critic and professor Bob Blaisdell unravels Tolstoy's family, literary, and day-to-day life during the period that he conceived, drafted, abandoned, and revised Anna Karenina. In the process, we see where...

"In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders guides the reader through seven classic Russian short stories he's been teaching for twenty years as a professor in the prestigious Syracuse University graduate MFA creative writing program. Paired with stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, these essays are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it's more relevant than ever in these turbulent times. Saunders approaches...

Leo Tolstoy’s literary masterpiece comes to life in this epic film classic, featuring the talents of some of the greatest names from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Starring Audrey Hepburn as Natasha, Henry Fonda as Pierre, and Mel Ferrer as Prince Andrei, WAR AND PEACE is a compelling **Oscar**-nominated drama of international conflict, spectacular adventure, gripping intrigue and tragic romance set against the sweeping backdrop of Napoleon’s invasion...

The fates of three souls-- the blundering, good-hearted Pierre; the heroically tragic Prince Andrei; and the radiant, tempestuous Natasha-- collide amid the tumult of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia. The film conjures a sweeping vision of grand balls that glitter with rococo beauty and epic breathtaking battles.