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Sir Niall Ferguson: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy | The Book Club | PragerU

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How does war reshape not only nations—but the souls of those who live through it? In War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy sets Napoleon’s invasion of Russia as the backdrop for what many consider the greatest novel ever written.
‪@MichaelKnowles‬ is joined by renowned historian and author ‪@niallferguson5684‬ to explore how the chaos of war ripples through the lives of everyday citizens—from peasants and soldiers to aristocratic families. More than a historical epic, War and Peace is a powerful meditation on love, destiny, and the human spirit in times of upheaval.

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20 Comments

@justin266 1 year ago

I’m just now nearing the end of Brothers Karamazov and this gets recommended to me? The algorithm is trying to make my book count for 2025 be less than 2.

@christymccormick880 1 year ago

I read it on a dare when I was 16. In my 40s I was house sitting and found it on a shelf, and now with a general understanding of the Napoleonic Wars, I read it with enjoyment. I told professor friend who taught Tolstoy of my amazing experience, saying that I could not think of a book that was worthy of my attention after that. "So read it again," he said. And I did with even more enjoyment and appreciation.

@BobSaget-j6z 1 year ago

You know, I'm just going to say it, Tolstoy is not a hard read. Anna Karenina and war and peace are both page turners, it's not that hard guys. Also best novelist of all time.

@ak203 1 year ago

Never forget -- this, Proust -- all these were written BY HAND!!!

@loxleymoon 1 year ago

Man, this was possibly the best interview I've heard in about 6 months at least.

@thekirkwoodcenter 1 year ago

I have a 1942 "Inner Sanctum" edition of War and Peace with a Foreword by Clifton Fadiman, where Fadiman, in the second half of his essay, is predicting Hitler's failure in Russia by comparing it to Napoleon's. The Foreword alone is priceless.

I read War and Peace at the age of 20, while a student overseas. I would say the best time to read War and Peace (for the first time) is between 17-21 years old, at least for young men. It can change the trajectory of a life.

@abuyusef27 1 year ago

Like Naill, I read this as a teenager growing up in Scotland and still wonder why so few people I’ve met have read what is such an interesting and entertaining novel.

@khaledadams4329 1 year ago

I loved Niall's comment describing history as the net outcome of everybody's free will decisions.

@Strider-bl5sq 1 year ago

I love that you got my absolute favorite historian for this!! I love his books because he not only picks great topics but is an amazing and dynamic storyteller. War of the World introduced me to him and Civilization- the West and the Rest has become probably my favorite nonfiction book along with Will Durant's The Lessons of History.

@kevinpeet3581 1 year ago

I have huge respect for Dr. Ferguson, and for Michael Knowles for bringing these books to our attention. But this one seems to be two or three times the length of the other episodes-- and rightly so!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

@ak203 1 year ago

I red it in college, where I minored in Russian literature. Best book I ever read. Favorite scene is Napoleon inside his carriage, where he installed reins he could hold to give him the sen of always being in control.

@bayreuth79 1 year ago

Niall Ferguson is fantastically mistaken when he claims that Tolstoy had a tremendously unhappy marriage. I have read all of the extant English language biographies about Tolstoy (A N Wilson, R Bartlett, etc) and the opposite is true: they were very happily married until the very end of the marriage, when Tolstoy became a religious zealot. Tolstoy even writes that he was "terrifyingly happy" for most of his marriage.

@catpad 1 year ago

This is the book you don’t read; you live in it. That’s why it’s the greatest novel ever written

@ILucky7753191 1 year ago

What a great conversation! I’ve read War and Peace four times, and it’s an amazing read and incredibly addictive. Every time I reach the last page, I immediately want to start reading it all over again. Sir Niall Ferguson is a great speaker and Michael proved to be a very worthy conversation partner. Thank you!

@SebKent1 1 year ago

I didn't read War and Peace until I was in my 40's. To my surprise, almost from the very beginning, it was engrossing and not a particularly difficult read. The mixture of all the concepts such as philosophy, political science, military science with the domestic drama of the characters was masterfully natural. You can see yourself in some of these characters. Prince Andrei and Field Marshall Kutuzov, among many others, were especially memorable to me. Thank you for this wonderful discussion of what has become, to this day, my favorite novel.

@paradiseisland786 1 year ago

Literacy is amongst the few, and reading is a vital exercise.

@ונדימור 1 year ago

Everyone today needs this book.

@user-gc8uk9if9f 1 month ago

This was amazing !
Thank you both 👍

@JohnHenrysaysHi 1 year ago

Thank you Michael for this discussion on War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Hope you, Sir Niall Ferguson, and everybody here have a light-filled peaceful joyful blessed week!

@LbrtyNJustus 11 months ago

Reading War and Peace now for the first time at 60. A rewarding reading experience. I was overwhelmed by the introduction of so many characters at first. The advice by the guest to focus on the 3 main characters is helpful.