War and Peace Audiobook By Leo Tolstoy, Louise Maude - translator, Aylmer Maude - translator cover art

War and Peace

 Preview

War and Peace

By: Leo Tolstoy, Louise Maude - translator, Aylmer Maude - translator
Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
Listen for free

Tolstoy’s epic novel of love and war, in an unabridged performance by Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning actress Thandiwe Newton.

Some call it the greatest novel ever written. Whether it’s your first time, or you’re ready to dive back in, what better way to experience this epic novel than in this exquisite unabridged reading by Thandiwe Newton?

War and Peace is at once an epic war chronicle and an exploration of everything that make us all human: love and hate, ambition and despair, life and death. Allow yourself to get lost in the lives of three Russian aristocratic families, whose triumphs and challenges are every bit as resonant to today’s listener as they were to original readers. Thandiwe Newton inhabits each character with such flair that it is easy to forget that you are listening to one voice.

So cancel all plans, sit back, and let Thandiwe transport you to 19th-century Saint Petersburg....

Public Domain (P)2021 Audible, Ltd Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction War & Military War Military Russia Suspenseful Imperialism

Featured Article: The Best Celebrity Narrated Audiobooks


It’s likely you have an actor who you can’t wait to see in a new movie or television series. Your favorite performer just might also be an acclaimed audiobook narrator. It’s always a delight to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth, especially when that celebrity has a spectacular talent for narration. Discover some of literature’s greatest stories brought to life by some of Hollywood’s greatest talents.

Featured Article The Best Celebrity Narrated Audiobooks
Rich Character Development • Captivating Historical Fiction • Masterful Performance • Philosophical Depth
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Loved the performance. It truly enhanced the experience. Great addition to a classic literature.

Great listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thandie Newton's performance in the audiobook version of "War and Peace" is nothing short of brilliant. Her voice is soothing and captivating, and her ability to bring the characters to life is impressive. Her accents and portrayals of the various characters are distinct and believable, making it easy for the listener to differentiate between them.

Newton's pacing of the story ensures that the listener doesn't lose interest or get bored. She skillfully manages the long and complex scenes, blending everything perfectly. Her narration lets the story breathe, revealing Tolstoy's brilliance, particularly in the battle scenes where she gives a sense of the chaos and terror of the battlefield.

Overall, Thandie Newton's narration does justice to the masterpiece that is "War and Peace," and it's hard to imagine listening to this epic without her excellent performance.

Thandie Newton's narration brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is pretty good, although a bit lengthy. I understand what he was trying to do though. He attempted to perpetuate a retelling of napoleon invading Russia and at the same time express his feelings on providence. Very good.

The narrator is just lovely and does a great job.

Very good should listen!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved this book. The narrator is great. I found it well worth the 60+ hours.

Well worth the time invested

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy, captures both stories of love, and stories of war, exceptionally. Thandiwe Newton captures the characters she is portraying, exquisitely!

Well Done!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I Highly recommend this audiobook! There is a reason why this book is a classic ☺️🥰

An unbelievable story, an amazing performance

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
War & Peace is long, but it doesn't have to be boring or expensive.
I only found 2 unabridged free audiobook versions of War & Peace available on audiobook. I listened to a few hours of the other one, but switched to the Newton reading because I needed a more lively reading to stay interested, or rather to recapture my interest after listening to Tolstoy's frequent historical digressions.
I usually disapprove of unabridged novels, but for this combination of an epic drama and a collection of historical essays has prompted me to examine that prejudice.

Skilled narration of a classic

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Fantastic story about Russia and Napoleon's invasion! I loved it and highly recommend it for everyone.

War and Peace

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It really is two books, to me. The historical fiction novel part I thought was “good plus.” The theoretical, philosophical, and history-as-science considerations are like a second book. I found them thoughtful, diligent, extremely persistent, and interesting. I’m not sure yet why they are together. I liked it though. The reading is great— really great, with some forgiveness for foreign-accented english perhaps. I had no idea who Newton is, and I thought “oh, she deserves plaudits, she should try acting maybe, she could really do something.” Then I googled. Duh.

That’s.. a lot. Two books, and I don’t mean length

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Glad I finished but I liked Anna Karenina much better. The characters and plot were more interesting and more developed as individuals.

Very good reading of the story. Made it possible to listen to the whole book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews