A Year of War and Peace

Brett Bailey, Logan Steenbergen•shows.acast.com

Join Logan and Brett as we read the entirety of War and Peace one chapter per day, finishing the whole book in one year.

War and Peace is famous for its titanic length. However, this massive book is made up of tiny chapters--averaging only 4 pages long. Moreover, the book has a total of 361 chapters, meaning that just 10-20 minutes of reading per day will cover the entire novel in almost one year exactly.

Every day we'll read one chapter of the book, then sit down here and talk about it--what we loved, what we hated, which characters we think would do well on American Idol. Along the way we'll also provide some historical context and help keep track of the book's many characters (and their many many names), so you can focus on enjoying the incredible story and characters of a novel widely (and rightly) considered one of the greatest of all time.

Just one chapter each day, and you can tell all your friends: Yeah, I've read War and Peace, you haven't?

Our Edition: Penguin Classics Deluxe; Translation by Anthony Briggs.

Intro and Outro Music Credit:

Track: Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Suite, op. 71a - Act I, No.3. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Music provided by Classical Music Copyright Free [https://tinyurl.com/visit-cmcf]

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95D1GPNV8bI

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Last refreshed: July 7th, 2025 at 10:17 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Day 28

Volume 1, Part 2, Chapter 3. Kutuzov and the Austrians discuss the war effort, when General Mack arrives with bad news from the front. Andrey is distressed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 28, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 28

Day 27

Volume 1, Part 2, Chapter 2. Kutuzov inspects the regiment. Prince Andrey and his new comrades accompany the general, and the soldiers discuss the coming campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 27, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 27

Day 26

Volume 1, Part 2, Chapter 1. The Russian army marches to war in Austria. A regimental commander prepares for an inspection by General Kutuzov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 26, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 26

Day 25

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 25. Andrey says his farewells before departing for the campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 25, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 25

Day 24

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 24. Andrey, Liza, and Marya sit down for dinner with Nikolay Bolkonsky. Nikolay discusses history and his frustrations with the day's military. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 24, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 24

Day 23

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 23. Andrey arrives at Bald Hills. Liza and Marya greet one another excitedly (perhaps too much so), and Andrey speaks with his father. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 23, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 23

Day 22

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 22. Nikolay and Marya Bolkonsky, Prince Andrey's father and sister, await his arrival at Bald Hills. Marya exchanges letters with Julie Karagin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 22, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 22

Day 21

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 21. Anna Mikhaylovna struggles with Katishe and Prince Vasily to protect Pierre's inheritance, and the Count Bezukhov finally perishes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 21, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 21

Day 20

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 20. Pierre in the bedroom of the dying Count Bezukhov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 20, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 20

Day 19

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 19. Pierre is summoned to the house for his father's death, and is now seen in a new light by the guests there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 19, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 18

Day 18

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 18. The Count Bezukhov suffers a sixth stroke and is nearing death, Prince Vasily plots with Princess Katerina Semyonovna to secure the inheritance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 18, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 18

Day 17

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 17. Natasha reassures Sonya about Nikolay, and Count Rostov tears up the dance floor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 17, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 17

Day 16

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 16. Officer Shinshin and a German guest debate the merits of the coming war, Nikolay tries to cut in, and Natasha causes a ruckus at dinner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 16, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 16

Day 15

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 15. Marya Dmitriyevna Akhrosimov arrives, and the Rostovs' dinner party begins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 15, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 15

Day 14

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 14. Countess Rostov gives Anna Mikhailovna a gift of roubles to help her kit out Boris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 14, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 14

Day 13

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 13. Pierre and Boris meet and instantly become friends. Anna Mikhailovna reacts to the condition of Count Bezukhov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 13, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 13

Day 12

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 12. Anna Mikhailovna has a verbal sparring match with Prince Vasily as she tries to secure an audience with Count Bezukhov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 12, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 12

Day 11

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 11. Vera gets into a spat with the other children, and Anna Mikhailovna and the countess discuss their woes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 11, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 11

Day 10

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 10. A few less-than-comfortable romantic moments between the young lovers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 10, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 10

Day 9

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 9. Nikolay flirts with Julie Karagin, Sonya storms out, and Vera Rostov is introduced. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 09, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Day 8

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 8. The Rostov children and their acquaintances are introduced: Natasha, Sonya, Nikolay, Boris, and Petya. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 08, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Day 7

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 7. The action moves to Moscow as the Count and Countess Rostov discuss the latest gossip with guests at their name-day celebration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 07, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Day 6

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 6. Andrey and Liza argue, Pierre reassures Andrey, and Pierre goes to a party at Anatole's. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 06, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Day 5

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 5. Anna Pavlovna's soiree ends. Hippolyte flirts with Liza, and Pierre and Andrey discuss their frustrations with life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 05, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Day 4

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 4. Princess Drubetskoy petitions Prince Vasily, Pierre and Andrey debate the Viscount Mortemarte, and Hippolyte tells a story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 04, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Day 3

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 3. Anna Pavlovna's soiree continues. The viscount discusses politics, Pierre debates with the Abbe, and Andrey Bolkonsky makes his introduction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 03, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Day 2

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 2. Anna Pavlovna's soiree begins. Enter Helene, Lise Bolkonsky, and Pierre Bezukhov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 02, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Day 1

Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 1. Anna Pavlovna and Prince Vasily discuss family and politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 01, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introduction

Welcome to A Year of War and Peace, a book club podcast where we read the entirety of Tolstoy's War and Peace one chapter at a time to finish the book in one year. In this episode we explain the basic premise of the podcast, the origins of this challenge, and what exactly War and Peace is and why you should read it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 09, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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