While Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace is indeed one of the longest novels ever written, it is not officially the longest. The book consists of approximately 1,400 pages, depending on the edition, and features a detailed narrative that intertwines the lives of numerous characters against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.
However, other works, such as In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, can be longer when considering complete volumes and word count. Things like translation, formatting, and the specific edition can also affect the page count of a book.
In conclusion, War and Peace is certainly lengthy and often cited in discussions about epic novels, but it does not hold the title of the longest book ever written.