War & Peace

Gentlemen,

I’m 1,435 pages deep into the 1,444 page novel that is ‘War and Peace’ by Leo Tolstoy.

Some say this is one of, if not, THE greatest novel of all time. The story is nothing short of a testament to the beauty human beings are capable of creating.

It is utterly amazing to me that a human being can exercise extensive historical knowledge, remarkable creativity, and a deep understanding of the human condition through the medium of a novel. Dozens of characters across multiple decades portrayed in such a way that I feel, not only that I know them, but that I am part of them. I see myself in the story.

This is the realization I had while reading this behemoth and is this point of this newsletter.

I am a part of the story, not apart from it.

Yes, I am a reader, but I am also an active participant.

Over the course of such a lengthy novel, the author offers us an insight into the psyche of each character directly proportional to that author’s understanding of psychology. In the instance of Tolstoy, the level of understanding is exceptionally deep which allows us to see the gift that is a crystal clear image of the character’s mind.

We are able to see how they think, how they act, why they think in such and such way, why they are compelled to do such and such thing, and more than anything, we are able to relate to their internal pursuit of a good life.

We see them as we are, not as they are.

Through the process of reading, we are able to superimpose our ownselves into each given scenario. The characters, in many ways, act as a mirror; we see them as we are, not necessarily as they are.

We are able to ask ourselves earnestly, “Would I exercise such courage here as Prince Andrei does?” or “Is this level of cowardice and deceit possible only for Anatole or am I, too, able to act with such malovelolence?” or “Have I cultivated such discipline to resist the tempatation that character A was able to?”, etc…

We are able to, through the lens of the character, ask honest questions about ourselves. This is why we all love stories of heroism because in the hero, we see, or atleast aspire to see, a piece of ourselves and in this piece of ourselves we find hope.

We are not just readers, we are characters in the story.

This is why I prefer historical fiction, biographies, and non-fiction to “business” “self-help” or “how-to” books.

I’m not saying these books don’t have utility. I am saying I prefer the former for 2 reasons:

1. Stories are innate to the human experience.

   We see, hear, and understand the world through stories. We always have,starting from cave paintings and cavemen mumbling tales around a campfire.

   Stories are the universal language of humanity.

2. Many of these types of books have passed the most rigorous of tests: time.

   Are there self-help and how-to books that are old, yes. But they are few and far between.

   The vast majority of books that have stood the test of time are stories.

   This is not to be overlooked because time is truly the most purifying force. If it is not useful or valuable, humans will discard it.

   It tells me something that books such as those in the Bible, The Iliad, War and Peace, and many others are hundreds of years old. That means atleast several generations of humans thought these valuable enough to pass down to the next generation.

Given that time is a limited resource and reading is a time consuming endeavor, I see there being a significantly higher liklihood of a high return on the investment of reading books that have stood the test of time.

I encourage you to pick up a novel, pick up a story a couple hundred years old and commit to finishing it. While you’re reading, read actively. Place yourself in the shoes of the characters. Exercise your imagination; envision the environments in which the story unfolds. Ask yourself honest questions about how you would act or how you would LIKE to act in situations that the charcaters find themselves.

This, in my experience, has drastically increased the joy and utility I have found in reading. It’s also produced a certain sentimentality attached to each large novel I’ve read.

I remember who I was when I read them. I remember what changed during the period of time it took me to read and after. I remember, it some instances, the exact place I was when I finished reading.

I’ve derived countless quotes, stories, lessons, and insights into the world and myself from these stories…

Because after all, I am a part of them, not apart from them.

Onward & Upward,

Nolan

P.S. Here are some of my favorite books:

1. The Count of Monte Cristo

2. Musashi

3. War and Peace

4. With The Old Breed

5. Band of Brothers

6. Unbroken

7. Lone Survivor

8. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

Any of these will be a great start.

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