The Russian Novel

Today is a perfect snow day. If only it weren't Saturday, because I have the day off already. If only I didn't have a 6" stack of papers to grade. I'm serious, I do!

Last night and this morning, I sat down and watched a movie that's been on my Netflix instant queue since I subscribed: Tolstoy's War and Peace. It was the perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot chocolate, a warm fuzzy puppy snuggled up in my blankets and the quietness of a new blanket of fallen snow.

I've always had the best intentions to read melodramatic and complicated Russian novels, but I haven't had the motivation to make it past the first chapter. Hence, watching the 1956 production of War and Peace has succeeded in giving me an appetizing taste for the real, yet much more convoluted novel by Tolstoy.

Auburn and Fonda

I liked the movie more than I imagined I would. Hepburn sometimes annoys me - I think she's far too overrated an actress at times, but her style is iconic, I'll give her (or her costumers) that credit. What really inspired me were the deep characters of the male protagonists. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky played by Mel Ferrer, was so serious, sensitive and sad, yet honorable. One couldn't help but want the best for him. Pierre Bezukhov, played by Henry Fonda, was a little more complicated in that he would switch his idealistic outlook on an off throughout the film. I can only imagine how much more intense these characters would be in the novel itself.

Auburn and Ferrer

It was a long movie, comparable to GWTW, also another excellent classic that I've enjoyed time and time again.

So now I've added War and Peace to my summer reading list... I have 2 months to read 5 books. Piece of cake! (No seriously, I read Vanity Fair in 2 weeks. It is entirely possible for me to do this. I am a reading fiend!)

Summer 2012 Reading List

1. The Hunger Games (because everyone else seems so excited for the movie coming out soon)

2. War and Peace, Tolstoy

3. Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand

4. The Guns of August, Barbara Tuchman

5. TBD

Have a happy & snowy weekend!