Daily Archives: April 3, 2016

87% done with War and Peace

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BOOK 15 (a few chapters ago)

It’s no so much time that heals wounds, but how use we make of that time: by loving and allowing to be loved we live. Honestly, the whole point of the novel can be summed up with that statement

Her mother, however, will not really recover. Though she has Nicholas and Natasha, she will never get over the death of her youngest. And she’s only 50, too.

87% done with War and Peace

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“Her persevering and patient love seemed completely to surround the countess every moment, not explaining or consoling, but recalling her to life.” This is what we do for each other, this is what it means to live and to love. Without each other there is nothing, and Natasha recognizes this and immediately comes back from the precipice to recall her mother back to life.

87% done with War and Peace

318of364

“One thing would be terrible,” said he: “to bind oneself forever to a suffering man. It would be continual torture.” This is true not only to Natasha, but to Maria as well as it was when she stayed with her father. And is was true for Pierre as well when he looked away from Karataev.

86% done with War and Peace

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“And there is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent.”

This is the first chapter where Tolstoy comes right out and mentions Christ. He is plain about his intentions, about what standard he believes men should be held. And he’s also wagging his finger at historians who have always gone on and on about how great Napoleon was. He has no use for those who deify any man.

page 35 of 198 of The Tartar Steppe

Humanissimi Viri Francesci Angloisi virtutibus. I can’t translate this but maybe something like civilized men with the power of angels?

A fake Sabre carved into the wall.

I love the image, “He put out the lamp; little by little the pale rectangle of the window emerged from the dark and Drogo saw the stars shining.”

It’s sort of Dr Strangelove the way the password system works, but without the humor.

page 27 of 198 of The Tartar Steppe

“A slight breath of wind made a flag, which before had hung limply entangled with the flagstaff, billow out over the Fort.” Everything is lethargic but maybe there is at least a breeze? The soldiers walking the ramparts seem like mechanical toys

Many things when seen up close are not very impressive, especially in the military. But is that because so many things are fake or because we take them for granted?

page 14 of 198 of The Tartar Steppe

I like how he thinks about his room being shut up, with only dust and the streaks of light getting in. As if this would await a happy return. It’s just stillness. Everything changes, he’s an officer, his best friend is now fat.

Shift in POV : we get a someone telling us to look at Drogo, not the usual 3rd person. We are told how small he appears against the mountains. Shadows chase him.

page 7 of 198 of The Tartar Steppe

What city? It’s unspecified. It doesn’t really matter.

I like how he looks annoyed at himself in the mirror, having giving up so many of his youthful years for something he now can’t define how he feels about it..

Quiet, tired, deserted… then ‘miraculous birth of the sun.’ everyone is to preoccupied to see how beautiful the world is