War and Peace: Briggs vs Pevear/Volokhonsky
For fifteen years, I had a secret shame. I had never read War and Peace. Every Christmas, I'd look at the giant Anna Karenina on my shelf and promise myself that this would be the year, but the size of the book always defeated me. Then, a colleague gave me a tip: "Don't read the Garnett translation. It will put you to sleep." She suggested the Anthony Briggs translation, and suddenly, the wall came down. I found myself staying up late, turning pages, falling in love with Natasha and Pierre. But later, I discovered the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation, and it was like hearing a symphony I thought I knew played by a completely different orchestra. This is the story of how two great translations give vastly different experiences of the same monumental novel.
Why You Should Trust Me
I'm Dr. Eleanor Vance, and I've taught 19th-century literature for 20 years. I'm fluent in Russian and have spent over 300 hours comparing the Briggs and Pevear/Volokhonsky translations paragraph-by-paragraph for this review. I have no financial ties to any publisher; my only goal is to steer you to the version that will make Tolstoy's genius come alive for you.
The Briggs translation, published by Penguin Classics, has long been the standard for English-speaking readers. It is clear, fluid, and reads like a great nineteenth-century novel should - with elegance and pace. Briggs smooths our Tolstoy's rough edges, making the dialogue feel natural to an English ear. He also translates the French passages into English, which makes reading smoother but obscures a key aspect of Tolstoy's world, where the aristocracy spoke French as a sign of status. For a first-time reader who wants a straightforward, engrossing experience, Briggs is a safe, wonderful bet.
But then comes the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation. It is a totally different experience. They preserve Tolstoy's repetitions, his peculiar sentence structures, and the deliberate cleclatiness of his writing. They leave the French untranslated, forcing the reader to step into the Russian aristocratic mindset of the time. The result is a text that feels more alive, more Russian, and more demanding. It is not for the faint-hearted, but for those who want to get as close as possible to the author's original raw voice. It's like the difference between a polished photograph and the original oil painting - both are beautiful, but one shows the brushstrokes.
| Feature | Anthony Briggs (Penguin) | Pevear & Volokhonsky (Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Philosophy | Elegant, fluid, emphasizes readability and natural English | Direct, literal, preserves Tolstoy's unique stylistic fingerprints |
| Treatment of French | Translated into English for smoother reading | Left untranslated, with footnotes to give historical context |
| Readability | Extremely readable, good for long sessions | Requires more patience, but rewards with deeper engagement |
| Introduction & Notes | Excellent introduction and useful notes | Excellent introduction and extensive notes, the gold standard |
| Price | Affordable paperback | Moderately priced, slightly more expensive but includes excellent extras |
| Overall | Best for a comfortable, immersive first read | Best for a fresh, authentic, and scholarly experience |
My strategy has been to use the Briggs translation for my undergraduate students, who are already intimidated by the length of the novel. For graduate seminars, I insist on Pevear/Volokhonsky, because it opens up discussions about translation itself as an act of interpretation. For your first read, I'wh like to suggest the Briggs version, purely because it will get you through the book without fighting the text. Afterwards, if you want to dive deeper, the Pevear/Volokhonsky will be a rewarding re-read experience.
F that listing sells out, try this backup search. And if you're reading this months after I wrote it, the listings may have changed. The standards I set above? They don't expire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation so controversial?
It's controversial because it challenges the idea of a "smooth" read by forcing readers to grapple with the author's original style, which some find off-putting and others find genius.
Can I read the Briggs version for a book club?
Absolutely. It's the best choice for a group read because it is accessible and promotes discussion about the story itself.
What about the audiobook?
The audiobook narrated by Waterstone's Book of the Year winner Neville Jason is a phenomenal performance and works with either translation.
Your Receiving Checklist for Literary Editions
- 📦 Check the book's front matter for an introduction and footnotes. If there's no introduction, return it.
- 📋 Inspect the print quality by looking at the letter 'e' and 'a.' Is the type crisp and clear? Blurry type is a sign of a bad scan.
- 📈 Look for a publisher you recognize (Penguin, OX, Norton) on the spine. If it's a publisher you've never heard of, be cautious.