War and Peace — How is History Made?

Tolstoy uses Napoleon’s invasion of Russia to ask the question: who makes history? Is it the “visionary” leader, or everyone collectivey. Tolstoy comes down decidedly in favor of the little guy. I would love to see how he would write the biography of Steve Jobs, since he is this tough on Napoleon.

The story follows five or six main characters as they face the rumors of war, all the way through the bitter end. Because it is so long (1,300 pages), you get to watch people grow up and mature in a way that is rare in literature. They make mistakes, grow despondent, and finally come out the other side. Some emerge stronger while others are shattered.

Tolstoy argues passionately that great leaders are really just a manifestation of the group will. If they tried to lead in a direction counter to the popular will, they would be replaced by someone better in touch. In battle, things just happen, with most orders being ignored or lost. A good leader has the ability to go with the flow.

For Tolstoy, most historians simply rationalize what happened by looking for easy explanations.