BBC's new War and Peace

[MrMiniver]

Watched the first episode of this ambitious 6 part adaptation of the Tolstoy novel. It stars James Norton (the "hot vicar" as they call him from Granchester), Paul Dano, and Lily James. Lots of great old actors as well (Stephen Rea, Jim Broadbent, Brian Cox).

 

Thought it was terrific and laughed out loud when the Guardian critic said "it's too much like an English costume drama." Exactly! That's why I like it!

[+ WilliamM]

I hope the adaptation leads people to read the novel. It's too long, but otherwise not as difficult as people think.

It does take an effort to learn the complexity of the four of five families and the Russian names. But, once learned "War and Peace" is a wonderful book, and extremely rewarding.

[TruthBTold]

I am just watching James Norton in Granchester and, of course, enjoying him, I mean it. I have to chuckle that you refer to Stephen Rea, Brian Cox and Jim Broadbent as "great old actors." Truly feeling my age.

[MrMiniver]

I hope the adaptation leads people to read the novel. It's too long, but otherwise not as difficult as people think.

It does take an effort to learn the complexity of the four of five families and the Russian names. But, once learned "War and Peace" is a wonderful book, and extremely rewarding.

 

LMAO. Are you serious? No one who watches this series is going to read the novel which is an overlong slog that makes MOBY DICK look like a fun read.

[MrMiniver]

I am just watching James Norton in Granchester and, of course, enjoying him, I mean it. I have to chuckle that you refer to Stephen Rea, Brian Cox and Jim Broadbent as "great old actors." Truly feeling my age.

 

I know what you mean. I thought that when I wrote it. But they have become that which is a more a reminder of our aging than anything else.

 

I love Norton in Granchester. The "hot vicar" indeed, as they say in the UK. Have you seen Happy Valley? He's a rapist and murderer and is brilliant at it while somehow still remaining very attractive and hot. I'm "almost" embarassed to say that.

[+ WilliamM]

LMAO. Are you serious? No one who watches this series is going to read the novel which is an overlong slog that makes MOBY DICK look like a fun read.

 

Yes, you made the point earlier that you prefer many, many other things to reading books.

 

New translations of Tolstoy's books are published almost every year and can be found easily in bookstores like B&N and on-line on Amazon. Literature majors and just regular students in every college in the U.S. read Tolstoy. You are far behind the current wave on Tolstoy, MrMiniver.

[TruthBTold]

No, have not seen Happy Valley. Sounds great. Is that a HBO, BBC, Amazon???

[Epigonos]

Of all of the Tolstoy novels WAR AND PEACE is by far the best and easiest read. The Napoleonic Era backdrop helps immensely. It is definitely true that it is too long but so are virtually all Russian novels. To claim that MOBY DICK could possibly be a fun read compared to ANY novel is completely incomprehensibly to me. As far as I’m concerned if your goal is to turn someone off to reading great novels have them read anything by Herman Melville – the only thing worse than MOBY DICK is BILLY BUDD.

[N13]

Of all of the Tolstoy novels WAR AND PEACE is by far the best and easiest read. The Napoleonic Era backdrop helps immensely. It is definitely true that it is too long but so are virtually all Russian novels. To claim that MOBY DICK could possibly be a fun read compared to ANY novel is completely incomprehensibly to me. As far as I’m concerned if your goal is to turn someone off to reading great novels have them read anything by Herman Melville – the only thing worse than MOBY DICK is BILLY BUDD.

 

Could not agree with you more. If Melville was writing the simple sentence.....He went to the store..... it would be "In the morning after the sun came up from its sleeping place and his alarm clock had awakened him its usual five minutes early, he put his feet on the floor and walked slowley - because his mother had told him never to rush or he would be bereft of whatever time he lost - into the bathroom which was off the main hallway because the builder thought that that is where it should be..........ad infinitum! I think you get the idea.

[N13]

PS imho (for Mr. Miniver) the only book that is worse that is considered a classic is "Ulysses" by Joyce! Have read both and wish I could get the time it took back!

[Epigonos]

You know N13 as far as ULYSSES goes you just might be correct Edith Wharton’s novels also rank right up there as well. But then Wharton and Joyce were friends.

[+ WilliamM]

Of all of the Tolstoy novels WAR AND PEACE is by far the best and easiest read. The Napoleonic Era backdrop helps immensely. It is definitely true that it is too long but so are virtually all Russian novels. To claim that MOBY DICK could possibly be a fun read compared to ANY novel is completely incomprehensibly to me. As far as I’m concerned if your goal is to turn someone off to reading great novels have them read anything by Herman Melville – the only thing worse than MOBY DICK is BILLY BUDD.

 

Agree about Melville and War and Peace as Tolstoy's best, disagree that War and Peace is easier to read than Anna Karenina. I remember taking a college course than ended with Crime and Punishment and then Anna Karenina. I decided to read Anna Karenina, rather than Crime and Punishment, first and took plenty of notes.

 

I can not imagine doing the same thing with War and Peace (and relying on three-week old notes).

 

War and Peace features several large families with much interaction within each family and with other families. By the time I took the course (taught by a History professor and a Russian lit professor to a very large group of students -- MrMiniver, please note the large number of sudents who were interested in reading War and Peace), I had read W&P twice already. The two professors emphasized the characters to a degree that I had not understood on previous readings. Truly, they made War and Peace even more interesting

 

I do completely agree that War and Peace is far easier to read that it's reputation.

 

The first time I saw the opera "War and Peace" in person, one of soldiers fell off the stage caught in the terrible snow storm on stage during the retreat from Moscow.

[+ WilliamM]

PS imho (for Mr. Miniver) the only book that is worse that is considered a classic is "Ulysses" by Joyce! Have read both and wish I could get the time it took back!

 

My choice is Joyce too, but Finnegan's Wake. I made the fatal mistake of trying to read F'sW at the beach.

[Epigonos]

I have ALWAYS hated the character Anna Karenina and thus the novel. If the damn bitch had just jumped in front of the fucking train 500 pages sooner she would have saved many of us a lot of pain and agony.

[+ WilliamM]

I have ALWAYS hated the character Anna Karenina and thus the novel. If the damn bitch had just jumped in front of the fucking train 500 pages sooner she would have saved many of us a lot of pain and agony.

 

I have always assumed Anna was bi-polar. So she had to wait for a particularly bad day.

[MrMiniver]

Yes, you made the point earlier that you prefer many, many other things to reading books.

 

New translations of Tolstoy's books are published almost every year and can be found easily in bookstores like B&N and on-line on Amazon. Literature majors and just regular students in every college in the U.S. read Tolstoy. You are far behind the current wave on Tolstoy, MrMiniver.

 

I never said any such thing. Are you smoking dope? I read at least 70 books per year.

[MrMiniver]

No, have not seen Happy Valley. Sounds great. Is that a HBO, BBC, Amazon???

 

It was BBC or ITV. Can't remember which one.

[MrMiniver]

You know N13 as far as ULYSSES goes you just might be correct Edith Wharton’s novels also rank right up there as well. But then Wharton and Joyce were friends.

 

I actually love Wharton especially The Custom of the Country. But for me, Henry James is the man. I've read his complete works at least 3 times in my life. Probably due for another go round. But I'm also a huge Graham Greene fan. And I've never read a work of Roth or Updike that I didn't find compelling. We simply don't have writers like that today (except for maybe Ian McEwan).

[+ WilliamM]

I actually love Wharton especially The Custom of the Country. But for me, Henry James is the man. I've read his complete works at least 3 times in my life. Probably due for another go round. But I'm also a huge Graham Greene fan. And I've never read a work of Roth or Updike that I didn't find compelling. We simply don't have writers like that today (except for maybe Ian McEwan).

 

I am very glad we agree on Henry James and Graham Greene and well as Roth and Updike.

 

My only regret is starting with James' last three novels and working my way forward, but a minor regret.

[nynakedtop]

My choice is Joyce too, but Finnegan's Wake. I made the fatal mistake of trying to read F'sW at the beach.

Have you read Dubliners? See the (to me) excellent film based on it, The Dead?

 

I teach my students that all fiction is ethnography. Makes for an interesting discussion.

[+ WilliamM]

Have you read Dubliners? See the (to me) excellent film based on it, The Dead?

 

I teach my students that all fiction is ethnography. Makes for an interesting discussion.

 

I read Dubliners as a freshman in college. I did not start reading seriously until about age 22 and 23. A good friend was a literature major at Washington and Lee. He convinced me that I could do much better in my reading. Ultimately, I read every book on his suggested list. For example, I read Crime and Punishment and The Magic Mountain in Vietnam. Then I no longer needed a reading list

 

I have told him several times he changed my life

[foxy]

I'm about halfway through War & Peace, the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation, and am totally hooked. I also have the Russian film version directed by Sergei Bondarchuk which I'd like to watch in Russian after I finish the book. The version I have does have english subtitles so I can always fall back on them if I lose my way. Released in 1967 it was at the time the most expensive movie ever made. No CGI in those days so the Battle of Borodino uses real soldiers. It was reported that 120,000 live soldiers were used but the director said he only had 13,500 and 1,500 horsemen. But whose counting? The film does run over 7 hours long so it might be fun to binge watch on a cold winter day. Maybe have some vodka and caviar with it. Vashe zdorovie!

[+ WilliamM]

I'm about halfway through War & Peace, the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation, and am totally hooked. I also have the Russian film version directed by Sergei Bondarchuk which I'd like to watch in Russian after I finish the book. The version I have does have english subtitles so I can always fall back on them if I lose my way. Released in 1967 it was at the time the most expensive movie ever made. No CGI in those days so the Battle of Borodino uses real soldiers. It was reported that 120,000 live soldiers were used but the director said he only had 13,500 and 1,500 horsemen. But whose counting? The film does run over 7 hours long so it might be fun to binge watch on a cold winter day. Maybe have some vodka and caviar with it. Vashe zdorovie!

 

Yes, the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation is especially good. But, the story is so interesting and compelling (unlike its reputation) that other translations are adequate as well. I very much need to learn more about the Russian film. Thanks, foxy.

[MrMiniver]

I am very glad we agree on Henry James and Graham Greene and well as Roth and Updike.

 

My only regret is starting with James' last three novels and working my way forward, but a minor regret.

 

With a writer like James, always best to start at the beginning. Watching the progression is amazing. To go from The American and end up with The Golden Bowl or Wings of the Dove (which I adore) is fascinating. Too bad there are no really great film adaptations unless you count The Heiress which is really an adaptation of the play which was an adaptation of the novella. I do think the contemporary set What Maisie Knew is quite terrific.

[+ MasssageGuy]

Watched the first episode last night on BBC. Loved it.

 

I also love the fact that I was able to find it without CABLE TV...

 

The Kodi Application on the Amazon Fire TV Stick works great....