War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy – 1889 | 1st Authorized American Edition

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is offered here in its first authorized American edition, translated from the original Russian by Nathan Haskell Dole and published in 1889 by Thomas Y. Crowell and Co. in New York. In an innovation of world literature, Tolstoy blended history, fiction, and philosophy, creating a narrative that defies categorization. Set during the French invasion of Russia, five Russian aristocratic families navigate the turbulence of the Napoleonic Wars and their impact on Tsarist society. Their interwoven stories become a vessel for discussions on the natures of power and history, particularly the impact of the common man versus the singular “great man” that history so reveres. The book is heralded as a literary masterpiece, celebrated both for its historical realism and artful writing style that have shape the face of modern literature.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: War and Peace
• Author: Count Lyof N. Tolstoi
• Contributor: Nathan Haskell Dole (Translator)
• Publisher: New York, Thomas Y. Crowell and Co.
• Edition: First Authorized American Edition, 1889
• Binding: Original publisher’s dark blue cloth
• Format: Octavo (8vo), two volumes
• Size: ~ 7.75in x 5.25in (19.5cm x 13.5cm)
• Collation:
  • Tome I: Vol. I: [2], v, [1], 359, [1]; Vol. II: [2], 392
  • Tome II: Vol. III: [4], 424; Vol. IV: [2], 408
• Contents Include:
  • Full English translation of War and Peace

Condition:

Very Good. Binding is tight and secure across both volumes. Cloth boards show mild rubbing to corners and spine. Internal text blocks are clean and complete, with only mild age-toning. All pages present. Hinges intact.

Why Collect This?

• First authorized American edition of Tolstoy’s celebrated, genre-defying classic
• Translated from the original Russian by notable 19th-century American scholar Nathan Haskell Dole

Item Number: #31190