Books

TOLSTOY, Leo. Voina i Mir [War and Peace]. Moscow: 1868-1869. First edition. Six books in seven parts, bound into three tall octavo volumes (9 1/4 x 6 inches; 236 x 153 mm). Book I, Part I: [2], 297, [1, blank]; Part II: 146; Book II, [4], 186, [2, blank]; Book III: [4], 284; Book IV: [4], 336; Book V: [4], 323; [1, blank]; Book VI: [4], 290, [2, blank] pp. With the map on p. 239 of book IV. Complete with all half-titles, except for Book I present. Additional original very rare front wrappers bound in for books II, IV, and VI. (Front wrapper for book VI states second edition on the wrapper, however the text is first edition like the other books as the title-page has no second edition statement. Text first issue points, Part III, page 227 for 127; page 265 for 255. Part IV page 153 for 253. Three volumes uniformly bound in contemporary half brown morocco over marbled paper boards. Some minor repairs to heads and tails of spines with no new leather. Some minor rubbing to boards. Previous owner's ownership stamp on front free endpaper of each volume and light old ink signature on title-page of Book I, and half-titles of books III and V. Book I with some small repaired closed tears to inner margin of title-page and the following eight leaves. Book III with a small ownership stamp in the blank margin of page 251. Book IV with a small ownership stamp in the blank margin of page 51. Book IV with some light dampstaining, mostly to top margin. Book V with a large closed tears repaired on pages 3 and 13, with no loss. A number of outer upper corners repaired in book 5, with no loss. Ownership stamp to wrapper of Book VI. Some general light foxing throughout and a few pages with some smudges. Overall a very good set. "The heart of this drama is the metamorphosis of five families, some peasant, some aristocratic, amid the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Each individual is immersed in experiences and conversations elucidating Tolstoy's themes of self-sacrifice and self-indulgence, anguish and ecstasy, diplomacy and deception, and religion and perdition. The complexities of character and plot are sometimes enigmatic, and names are often exhausting to recollect, but the genius of this book is everlasting. An entire universe is created by one of the foremost thinkers of the 19th century" (B. Mann). Kilgour 1195. HBS 68937. $37,500.

War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published serially, then in its entirety in 1869. It is regarded as one of Tolstoy's finest literary achievements and remains a classic of world literature. The narrative chronicles the history of the French invasion of Russia through the eyes of five Russian aristocratic families and reflects on the philosophical themes of war, peace, and the human condition.