Considered one of the greatest novels ever written, "War and Peace" masterfully captures an intimate view of humanity on an epic scale. In this sweeping narrative, Tolstoy utilizes a large cast of characters to brilliantly depict the impact of war on society. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the novel centers its story on five aristocratic Russian families. These characters, particularly Count Pyotr Kirillovich (Pierre) Bezukhov, Prince Andrey Nikolayevich Bolkonsky, and Countess Natalya Ilyinichna (Natasha) Rostova, demonstrate different human struggles that are affected by their history, present era, and culture. They simultaneously develop the concepts on which Tolstoy expounds in the thematic essays interspersed throughout the narrative. "War and Peace" is a work so groundbreaking that it was not even considered a novel when first published in 1865. In redefining the fictional genre, Tolstoy's genius has explored the human condition with a sensibility that is reflective of the nature and spirit of Russia itself. This edition follows the translation of Louise and Aylmer Maude and is printed on premium acid-free paper.