BOOK ONE: Part 1, Chapter 3-5

I don't like Prince Andrew...or at least the way he treats his wife. And I am now less sure about Pierre after his comment about Napoleon being of soul. 

My favorite quote from the book so far is: 

"'From what I have heard,' said pierre, blushing and breaking into the conversation, 'almost all the aristocracy has already gone over to Bounaparte's side.' 

'It is the Bounapartits who say that.' replied the vicomte."

Hmmm...must I hate all the men in this book? 

BOOK ONE: Part 1, Chapter 2

I came across a new word that I have never seen before in this chapter- not surprising, eh? Chimerical- 

A thing that is hoped for or wished for but is in fact illusionary or impossible to achieve.

Existing only as the product of an unchecked imagination. 

Pierre was the character who said it. He used it to describe Abbe Morio's 'scheme for perpetual peace.' I think I like Pierre... not liking the Abbe's version on peace tickles my fancy.

I quite like this word, it could have so many uses in my day to day life... in my musing of Communism to when I write about Fairy Tales...Perhaps I like things that are chimerical a bit too much, I wonder why that is? Probably it is because my potent imagination got too mixed up with pop culture. 

BOOK ONE: Part 1, Chapter 1

It is now almost a year after I first learned about the pastor who left us War and Peace- and this evening I began at Anna Pavlovna's  party (or chapter one). My favorite part was when Prince Vasili asked Pavlovna for a cup of tea in the midst of discussing the war. I felt that was something Tolstoy himself would have been caught doing during the span of his life time. I caught myself smiling at this thought and realized how incredibly nerdy the smile on my face was. Oh well, a smile is a smile. 

I just finished reading the Twilight series, so every now and again when I see the word 'price' on the page I think of that character looking somewhat like Edward- like a greek statue that should not be from this world. But War and Peace is far away from Twilight, and when ever a new prince is introduced shortly afterwords he is always described as bald or (and) have multiple imperfections. I know that should be some of the lure of this book- it does not play with girls minds about fake beauty in the world, it talks about our harsh realities... or at least I think it will. But for now... most of the Princes still look like Edward in my mind.  Sorry Tolstoy. 

I am waiting for my friend Toby to arrive from LA via Australia so I might get a few more chapters read this evening...but I do realize now that this might take longer then I thought it would.

How it began...

Hello, my name is Megan Metzger. Over last summer I lived in the woods far away from 'civilization' with a few of my close friends. We spent days doing absolutely nothing but climbing mountains and playing in fresh hot springs. Everything seemed blissful and at peace until one of my friends got word from home that her pastor had passed away.

Rest in peace pastor.

In his will we learned that he left my friend his copy of War and Peace by Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (or Leo Tolstoy). It is to the pastor's memory that a few of us have taken on the challenge of reading War and Peace.

When I finally came down from the mountains I did not have time to immediately start t read the book. However, I recently was able to visit my favorite place on earth Powell's City of Books where I bought my copy of War and Peace. I decided on the Oxford Edition if you would like to follow along.

I belive I will start this adventure in the summer of 2008. So you have some time to obtain a copy of the book if you would like to get ready for the event!