War and Peace collide in this masterful novel as opposing forces and worlds that determine the fate of its main characters during the Napoleonic Wars. The vibrant life of the peace episodes—family celebrations, duels, births, and death scenes—contrasts with the mechanics of war, featuring troop displays, marches, and strategy meetings. In both realms, Tolstoy delves beneath the surface of a historically authentic sequence of events to reveal what defines humanity: character and action. This translation follows the original version from 1867.