UPDATE: I’m going to have start War and Peace over.
I had made it to page 175 when I came across an internet article discussing the different versions of War and Peace. The article weighed the pros and cons of each of the major translations. I found the article interesting but realized that the translation I was reading was not discussed. I also saw a substantial page length difference between my version and those listed in the article.
So I looked closer in the inside cover of my book and to my horror saw that the Barnes and Noble edition I have is an abridged edition. Abridged! I was reading a well known abridgment by Alexandria Kropotkin that cuts over 300 pages from the original work. My stomach sank.
So an internal debate swirled. I’m 175 pages in, do I really want to start over especially since it has not been a super exciting experience so far? There were many articles online that debated the abridged edition and whether or not it counted if you read it.
I have a free version on my Kindle, the Maude translation actually authorized by Tolstoy himself. I began to compare this edition with the abridged edition and noticed immediate and vast differences.
So I sighed and realized that I would never be satisfied with my long term read of War and Peace if it was an abridged one. Silly I know. But whatever. I’ve decided to read the free unabridged Kindle version, the Maude translation.
The Maude translation does have its shortcomings. Apparently it Anglicizes many of the characters names and is a bit dry. Alymer and Louise Maude were friends of Tolstoy and knew his work well. He approved of their work and many say it’s the most faithful translation. More importantly to me is that it’s free and I already have it. Although I prefer to read actual books to my Kindle, at least I won’t have to lug that heavy thing around anymore!
Alright. Back to it.
