War and Peace

　　Set against the sweeping panoply of Napoleon invasion of Russia, War and Peace resented here in the first new English translation in forty years s often considered the greatest novel ever written. At its center are Pierre Bezukhov, searching for meaning in his life; cynical Prince Andrei, ennobled by wartime suffering; and Natasha Rostov, whose impulsiveness threatens to destroy her happiness. As Tolstoy follows the changing fortunes of his characters, he crafts a view of humanity that is both epic and intimate and that continues to define fiction at its most resplendent.

　　* Includes an introduction, note on the translation, cast of characters, maps, notes on the major battles depicted, and chapter summaries