War and Peace

Leo Tolstoy (1828 - 1910) is one of the giants of literature, and his historical masterwork War and Peace is famous for its epic grandeur, psychological detail, and... let's face it: length. It vividly portrays early 19th century Russian society during Napoleon's invasion, focusing primarily on a group of aristocratic families - the Bezukhovs, the Bolkonskys, and the Rostovs - whose lives are shown in contrast to the tumultuous backdrop of war. One major theme is that the lives of these characters are historically determined - lacking free will they're tethered to their fates and must endure the rolling juggernaut of historical events. The incredible scope of this story takes the term "omniscient narrator" to its maximum, as at times it feels like it was written by God himself. He masterfully details the lives of a generation on the verge of change, many of whom defend the aristocratic status quo while others recognize that their way of life is disappearing.