War and Peace

The most epic novel ever written. Follow several protagonists
amongsts dozens of side characters through their lives
as they navigate the tumultuous years of Napolean's multiple
invasions of Russia. In times of peace, fortunes are lost,
duels are fought, and hearts are broken. In times of war we see
the true horrors that lie beneath the veneer. With such
vivid descriptions of characters experience, we're able to envisage
ourselves on the battlefield, seeing our noble sovereign
riding into battle and ourselves wanting nothing more than to
die in service to him. This book is real. It's raw. It's beautiful.
It's epic. Philosophical. Historical. Educational. And upon
rereading, with each character you'll feel as though you're
returning to an old friend whom you haven't seen since your
previous read. Despite their flaws, you love them all the same.
Rare is it for a book to have such compellingly complex
characters. Rarer still is it for a book to exceed across
so many dimensions of excellence. Stunning descriptions that
stimulate the imagination like a drug. Immaculate understanding
of human beings and the subtleties that underlie behavior.
If you were to only read a single book in your entire life,
it should be War and Peace.