[drofgnal]

There are a lot of cultural and historical nuances in War and Peace that probably only a Russian would know. That's why I prefer the recent translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky. They footnote historical and cultural points of interest in the novel. The downside is it retains the French that Tolstoy wrote in the novel but that gets less and less as time goes on past the initial scene in Anna Pavlovna's drawing room soiree. (an intent on Tolstoy's part to indicate declining French influence in upper society). This version is best read on an iPad or touchscreen device to more easily navigate by touch the footnotes and return to the text.

I've also read the Signet Classics version, no footnotes and only a slight phrase of French at the start of a dialogue to indicate the speaker is speaking French.