Readers across the world are finding solace in “War and Peace”
The rhythm of the epic novel is eerily suited to life in lockdown
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OVER THE past 15 years Yiyun Li, a Chinese-American author, has read “War and Peace” at least a dozen times. Her hardback copy of Leo Tolstoy’s 1,200-page saga bristles with coloured notes, like some exotic lizard’s spine. The novel is not just a masterclass in fiction, Ms Li believes, but a remedy for distress. At the most difficult times in her life, she says, she has turned to it again and again, reassured by its “solidity” in the face of uncertainty.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline "Unhappy in the same way"
Culture April 25th 2020
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