The Big Read 2021: War and Peace

As my buddy Kyle said to me a few days ago, these first chapters of Lonesome Dove are a masterclass in characterization. We haven’t known our protagonists very long, but doesn’t it feel like we already know them pretty well? Not much has happened out of the gate (except for the somewhat surprising arrival of an old friend) here in the first six chapters,…

Howdy, readers! In reading through the comments, I’ve been glad to see how the Seinfeld comparison resonated with so many of you over the last week. In this week’s reading, chapters 13-22, there were some equally funny and meaningless moments, but also a few darker ones too.

Hello, readers! What a fun conversation we all had last week! Check out the discussion if you haven’t yet; it’s a hoot. Naturally, there were a lot of conversations about the characters and the relationships between the characters. A number of you also expressed surprise (and delight!) about enjoying a Western so much.

Howdy, readers! We finally got some real plot points! Starting the drive, meeting a few new intriguing characters, weathering a big storm, and one of the most unforgettable scenes I’ve ever read — it was an eventful week of reading. Let’s dig right in.

Note: I thought this final War and Peace newsletter had already been sent, but something in Substack’s system got messed up and it was sitting in email purgatory. I’ve rescued it and here’s my concluding thoughts on Tolstoy’s epic. What a year it’s been! Congratulations on making it this far; reading