My Favourite Books

Number 2 - War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy This IS the greatest book I've ever read. It is one of those books which is often voted to the top or near the top of 'best book' lists by people who've never read it. These lists have no validity for that reason. For example, almost everyone agrees that Shakespeare is the greatest English writer, though relatively speaking, hardly anyone has read any of the plays. In the case of 'War and Peace' anyone who has 'actually' as opposed to 'theoretically' read it will know what a magnificent work it is. It is proverbially a 'big' book and many people say it is far too long to be enjoyable. On the other hand, I agree with George Orwell who wrote, "....my sole quarrel with this book was that it did not go on long enough. It seemed to me that Nicholas and Natasha Rostov, Pierre Bezukhov, Denisov and all the rest of them, were people about whom one would gladly go on reading for ever." The edition featured here is the Pan books one published in 1972 to tie in with the BBC's quite magnificent serialisation, which incidentally drew from a young Anthony Hopkins his greatest ever performance as Pierre Bezukhov - totally eclipsing all the lightweight bilge (Silence of the Lambs etc) for which he later received so much acclaim. The BBC serial also featured a quite stunning performance from the late Scottish actress, Morag Hood, as a bewitching Natasha. I bought the book for 75p in 1972 when I was a first year university student. I have read it about ten times since - it has never failed to entertain and delight. It is, however, as Orwell said, far far too short.