This place sounds like a crazy college party house to me! Such a contrast to the unhappy family home of Lisa and Andrew and the formality of that old maid's party. If we ever open a bar, we should call it "Pierre and the Bear".
One of my favorite things about reading Tolstoy is to investigate the differences between St. Pete and Moscow. It comes up pretty quickly in Volume 1, and I found this fun little article about the two cities today, which I bet sheds light on them 200 years ago as well http://students.sras.org/10-differences-between-moscow-and-saint-petersburg/
What beautiful cities! St. Petersburg might be my first choice if I were to visit Russia, but Moscow would be a very close second. Only four hours apart by bus, says Google.
I perceive that dinner at the Rostov's was an interesting affair! Marya is such an interesting addition, and a delightful exchange between precocious (petulant? it's hard to tell just yet) Natasha and Marya.
Of course, Pierre continues to be Pierre. There's something to be said for his consistency: "Of the two soups he chose turtle with savory patties and went on to the game without omitting a single dish or one of the wines. These latter the butler thrust mysteriously forward, wrapped in a napkin, from behind the next man’s shoulders and whispered: “Dry Madeira” . . . “Hungarian” . . . or “Rhine wine” as the case might be. Of the four crystal glasses engraved with the count’s monogram that stood before his plate, Pierre held out one at random and drank with enjoyment, gazing with ever-increasing amiability at the other guests."
Book 2, I bid you adieu! What a long journey, and now the prose is interjected with "our" from time to time in reference to the Russian troops. What does it mean, Leo?
Pierre! You may not drink your rum on the outer ledge like your friend Dolokhov!
ReplyDeleteThis place sounds like a crazy college party house to me! Such a contrast to the unhappy family home of Lisa and Andrew and the formality of that old maid's party. If we ever open a bar, we should call it "Pierre and the Bear".
DeleteOne of my favorite things about reading Tolstoy is to investigate the differences between St. Pete and Moscow. It comes up pretty quickly in Volume 1, and I found this fun little article about the two cities today, which I bet sheds light on them 200 years ago as well http://students.sras.org/10-differences-between-moscow-and-saint-petersburg/
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful cities! St. Petersburg might be my first choice if I were to visit Russia, but Moscow would be a very close second. Only four hours apart by bus, says Google.
DeleteI perceive that dinner at the Rostov's was an interesting affair! Marya is such an interesting addition, and a delightful exchange between precocious (petulant? it's hard to tell just yet) Natasha and Marya.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Pierre continues to be Pierre. There's something to be said for his consistency: "Of the two soups he chose turtle with savory patties and went on to the game without omitting a single dish or one of the wines. These latter the butler thrust mysteriously forward, wrapped in a napkin, from behind the next man’s shoulders and whispered: “Dry Madeira” . . . “Hungarian” . . . or “Rhine wine” as the case might be. Of the four crystal glasses engraved with the count’s monogram that stood before his plate, Pierre held out one at random and drank with enjoyment, gazing with ever-increasing amiability at the other guests."
Book One is done! Farewell Andrei, and choose life over sorrow, and sorrow over shame!
ReplyDeleteBook 2, I bid you adieu! What a long journey, and now the prose is interjected with "our" from time to time in reference to the Russian troops. What does it mean, Leo?
ReplyDelete