How can anyone argue with Virginia Woolf, who believed that Tolstoy was one of the world's greatest novelists?

I agree with her in part. Anna K is a significant work of art. But, with all due respect to Tolstoy, it's too long to be a "novel". Anna K was actually written and published in small installments for a magazine, over a 4 year period. It is meant to be digested as small savory morels, over a long period of time. So, if you think that you are going to finish this in a few days or even weeks, don't be fooled! It took me a year. Most college courses that require this novel to be read, do so over a 12-16 week period.

I recommend this classic novel for those who want to know more about Russian culture during the life and times of Tolstoy. If you are not a seasoned reader, don't be convinced by the critics who hail this to be the "greatest novel ever written", or by the other reviewers who rave on and on about how they "can't put it down". Most people run out of patience when they approach the novel from that perspective. It mostly appeals to readers who have a vested interest in Russian culture, or who are reading classics for the sake of reading classics.

I appreciate Tolstoy's depiction of country life as far more wholesome and preferable to city life. The reason that this is a classic, is because of it's cultural significance. You will understand Tolstoy's point of view on some key political and philosophical issues during his lifetime, such as the societal roles of serfs versus Russian aristocrats, education reform, and women's rights.

At first, it was challenging to learn to read the names of the Russian characters...Anna Arkadyevna Karenina, Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky, Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky,Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya, Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin, Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya, Lydia Ivanovna, Countess Vronskaya , Sergei Alexeyitch Karenin, and the list goes on. But, there is a helpful audio guide online that can help you to learn the pronouciation.

the book is a great book even though it has fallen apart piece by piece during my read

This is a sophisticated story. Yes like many of the classic it may be corny by todays vinacular. After reading many classics is still not easy, not to snicker when the author uses the word gay. Much beyond that you have to read this story beyond the mere words, you need to imagine a different time and different society. In many ways it is ironic that many of the situations the characters in this story are in are situations that still challenge people today. If you allow yourself this story can cause you to question many of your values, espically social values. It is long, it is corny, and it can be good.

I haven't had/made time to read other translations of this Great work, but IMHO, Anna Karenina 'Must Be' in the top five list of all-time Greatest Romances...
(trying NOT to be selfish): Reading Anna Karenina has enriched my life; It has INCREASED my love, devotion, & respect for-to my wife, my respect & care for my children & grand-children.
I hope it does the same for you & your family...

Leo Tolstoy's immortal novel about love and morality is an intricate, flawlessly conceived work of literary realism. Tolstoy's magnificent application of temporality imbues this epic with an almost unparalleled sense of verisimilitude. Using a dialectic between Anna and Vronsky, and Levin and Kitty, Tolstoy unfolds one of the most remarkable novels about human relationships in the canon. Anna is a beautiful but doomed woman, whose love affair with Count Vronsky sets her life into a chain of inevitable disasters. Tolstoy's blend of politics, social satire, and quiet meditations on country life in 19th century Russia mark this novel as one of the richest and most eternal of works of art. Tolstoy sought to use art as a vessel for his moral opinions about life, death, and Christianity, but fortunately his art triumphed over his message in this incomparable masterpiece.

I just finished this book, in a weeks time. The first, maybe 300 pages, were extremely intriguing and I couldn't put the book down. But this was mainly because I loved the story between Anna and Vronosky. I must admit, the main reason I purchased this book was because it was said to be one of the greatest love stories of all time, and I highly enjoy reading love stories. After awhile, I realized that this book didn't revolve around Anna, like I had thought. And one of the greatest love stories of all times? Absolutely not. Actually, I barely saw any kind of "love story" in this entire novel. There was Anna and Vronosky, but could you even consider what they had to be a love story? Maybe for about 50 pages, but after that, it was annoying. To be honest, I don't think love even existed between the two of them, more like infatuation turned into obsession. Anna constantly complaining about how she felt unloved. She convinced herself that he no longer loved her, which drove her to insanity. And the way she left her son, completely unforgivable.
Then we had Levin and Kitty's love story. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't bring myself to feel the love between them when Levin wasn't even her first choice. It seemed to me that she settled for Levin because she was unwanted. However, I felt she did come to love him eventually, after they had married, which made their story enjoyable.
As many others have stated, I think Stiva was the most enjoyable character in this entire book, and yet he wasn't any better than the rest.
I enjoyed Alexia Karenina, and I feel as if he was actually a good man that was unable to express his emotions. Notice the pattern; Anna was "repulsed" by him, felt as if he didn't care about her and no longer loved her. After a little while with Vronosky, she felt the same exact way towards him. The problem wasn't with these two men, it was Anna's own insecurities. Which is ironic, because such a "beauty" as she was, being envied by all, she was so strangely insecure.
Should I mention Levin and the hundreds of pages wasted on his thoughts about farming, hunting, and philosophy? I admit, some of it was interesting. But after awhile, it became repetitive and I struggled to get through it.

But even despite my negative opinions, I still gave the book 3 stars. Why? Because there were parts of the book that were entertaining, that did keep me turning the page, and for the most part, it was an easy read. I'd recommend it, but definitely not to someone whose looking for a love story or a fun read.

Why on earth would anyone bother to write another review of so famous and exhaustively-studied a book as "Anna Karenina"?

The world has changed immensely since the book was written in the late 19th century.

Reviews have probably also changed over the years, reflecting the times in which they were written - and the changing nature of reviews themselves. In fact, it would be an interesting academic exercise to read how reviews of the book have changed since its publication.

Each new review provides new interpretations, new insights to add to those of former times.

Sometimes we are put off from reading classic writers such as Tolstoy because we think their works must be too intellectual, too boring, - or set in social and political contexts that have long-vanished and become difficult for modern readers to empathise with.

I have often felt that way myself, and have put off reading "Anna Karenina" until now. Yet I can say, after reading Tolstoy's masterpiece, that the book is enjoyable and accessible to modern readers.

Of course, only the greatest of literature survives the passage of time. The world of pre-revolutionary Russia has been swept away, but "Anna Karenina" tells us of fundamental human drives that will always engage the human spirit and imagination.

Tolstoy's human portraits and his psychological insights are the outstanding features of this book. One of the pleasures of such excellent characterisations lies in reflecting on one's own life and motivations, one's dreams and failures.

Tolstoy's characters also remind us of people we know - and of ourselves. It is very pleasant to slide into reflections of this nature as one reads passages in the book. The book becomes a trigger for our own reveries. It is a deeply human book.

Not only is Tolstoy an excellent depicter of character, he is also gifted in his descriptions of country life, farming and nature. Passages describing cutting hay and the rural life of Russian peasants are simply beautiful.

There is a wonderful episode in which Levin finally gets a "Yes" from the girl he loves (but had tried to ignore following an earlier rejection). Levin goes about in a daze, all is wonderful in the world, everyone he meets is intelligent and kind, even strangers seem to know all about his acceptance (so he thinks in his fog of joy) and he feels they vie with one another to be kind to him! Every man who has ever loved deeply and won his lady will instantly empathise with the situation that Tolstoy describes so well and wittily.

There are wonderful portrayals of family life. Not in a cloying, saccharine sense, but in a very natural and moving way and in a deeply human sense, as true today as in Tolstoy's time.

There are so many beautiful scenes in this book. Every reader will have their own favourites. Some can be read many times with equal enjoyment.

For the philosophical and spiritual reader, there are many passages that have an almost religious significance, as if this were a holy book and not a work of fiction.

Time is not explicitly spelt out and one has no precise idea of the exact timescale of the book while one is reading. Durations and periods of elapsed time are given, but there is a certain timelessness and agelessness about the book that is very apt.

Read this book. You will not be disappointed and will find much to love.

It took me several months to read all 817 pages of this amazing novel which was published in segments between 1873 and 1877 in a Russian periodical. Every time I picked it up it transported me to a time and a place and a way of life that is long since gone. That it not what makes this novel great, however. What makes it great is the human relationships and emotions which are just as real today as they were in that long ago time. Here we see life and death and love and jealousy and ambition. Here we meet people who were developed so deeply and thoroughly that I did more than just understand them - I felt I was really inside of them, sharing their lives and their feelings.

I reacted with horror to the social conditions of the time that forced one of the characters into a tragic decision. I was moved my emotion by a death scene which brought all the nuances of a fading life for the person dying as well as his loved ones. I was filled with joy at a happy marriage between two people who were kept apart for a while because of pride. I learned about life in the Russian countryside and the details a landowner must deal with in dealing with the newly freed serfs and the land - and in one scene even felt that I was present during the seasonal mowing. I learned about the social restrictions on even the most aristocratic women and emerging discussions about womens' education. And, even though I would have personally liked a few more details of what went on behind bedroom doors, I bow to the conventions of the times, and used my imagination.

Anna Karenina is a married woman who dares to have a romance outside her marriage with Count Vronsky leading to tragedy. Levin is a rich countryside landowner who is at first rejected by the love of his life, Kitty. These are the main characters but they intersect with dozens of others. They are all aristocrats and all have privileged lives. And they are all very real people who are easy to identify with. This novel is a masterpiece and well worth the time and effort to read. It touches nerves in the way that only great writing can do.

This is world-class literature and a story, albeit an older one, which teaches us much about life. I would HIGHLY recommend this book as a gift to any young adult. Yes, it is lengthy but here Tolstoy has yielded us one of the finest tales ever written.

Anna Karenina is pure female Homo sapiens. She is both good and bad (it's not really a spoiler to note that she falls prey to drugs -- morphine), but most of all, human. When I began this fine story, I anticipated that I would eventually be disappointed by having guessed at what was about to happen -- I BELIEVED that Tolstoy was going to tell me about a good girl who was about to have bad things happen to her and, thus, the great author was going to barter for my sympathies for her. Well, no such thing! Instead, Anna Karenina could well be living in the 21st Century, given her proclivities and lifestyle, (well... at least if you use your imagination just a bit). And sometimes I admired her and sometimes I wanted to strangle her, but as I read on I could not see where Tolstoy was really headed with her until the very end.

Anna is by no means the only interesting character in the work. Maybe some folks get to like Levin, for example, but by the end of the book, I really despised him -- some folks will think otherwise which is much of the beauty of this book. This work can mean different things to people who have had varying life experiences.

And one of the principal characters (I won't name him) which will surpise the reader with both his perseverence as well as with his positive morality. Religion, and perhaps some hipocracy, is a large feature of the work as well, and it is rendered in a fashion which clearly manifests present-day applications.

But, most of all, beyond the moral lessons, ANNA KARENINA is just a great and readable story. It's a lot like reading "Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal" (Lloyd C. Douglas) -- the moral lessons are present but do not interfere with the saga.

It's difficult to say enough good about this book. Larissa Volokhonsky is a wonderful and competent translator. Buy it, read it -- you will enjoy it. Classic literature at its best.

The book has way too many tangents that contribute nothing to the plot line and only serve to present Tolstoy's philosophy. Don't get me wrong I've read some of Tolstoy's more philosophical writings and they are interesting, but their place is not in the middle of a novel. In short if you have to choose between the 2 fat Tolstoy's I'd go with W&P.

Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is his lengthy novel about marriage, fidelity, love, relationships, and coming to a larger answer of identity and faith, and we see both the main protagonists--Anna and Levin--struggle with this. Jumping into a book of this magnitude and length can be daunting, and not everything included is perfect. There are sections that tend to drag on and are a bit verbose, including the sections on Levin's interest in farming, or Vronsky's passion for the arts. Yet, while this is not a perfect novel (and does have its overdone moments), clearly there are passages that make it praiseworthy. The construction--how Tolstoy is able to tie plots and conflicts together--and his ability at complex characterization make the book praiseworthy. Tolstoy not only gives you the detailed accounts of a tragic and redeeming character, but creates a picture of late 19th century Russia.

Anna and Levin--the two main protagonists--have reversed fates. Anna, bored with her marriage to Karenin, is spellbound when she meets Vronsky, and she carries on a secret and illicit affair. Anna, because of this, begins to face several problems that begin her downward spiral. Women in their society speak negatively of her, and Karenin doesn't approve of her flirtations. Anna must still answer to her husband Karenin, who refuses to grant a divorce despite constant pleas from both Oblonsky and Anna. Anna's relationship with her son begins to drift away, and, she begins to feel her loss of control, including her insecurity about Vronsky being truly in love with her. As she tries to "live" life in happy terms, the problems take over her existence, and an inflicting mental state begins to take hold of Anna, and does not let go. On the other side, Levin seems to be the polar opposite of Anna. After initially being refused love by Kitty, he seems to go on a "spiritual" journey, where he questions his faith and life. He eventually is able to win over Kitty, but still must discover who he is. This is a battle he struggles with the entire novel. While he is also untrusting of society like Anna, and has difficulties set before him (such as the physical decline of his brother, the feeling of isolation without Kitty), he tends to find ways to overcome and resolve difficulties. There is a point in the novel when Levin is out on his farm, reflecting on the ways of life, and isolated from everyone, but he is growing spiritually; at the same time, Anna is carry on what you would think to be an exciting life, having exploits and passionate flings with Vronsky, yet there is an unhappiness, an insecurity that lingers in her soul because she can't have the idyllic life she craves.

Tolstoy's might have been making a point about the importance of keeping marriages and family life working, with Anna as the tragic example. Once Anna carries on an affair, it is as if society shuns her, and the world is "out to get her." The insecurity that seems to creep into Anna's conscious will not let go. Despite her mistakes, you tend to "feel sorry" for Anna because Tolstoy takes you inside her head during her mental suffering:
"Yes, I'm very anxious, and reason was given to escape that; consequently, I have to escape. Why not put out the light when there's nothing more to look at, when looking at all this is horrid? But how? ...It's all falsehood, all lies, all deceit, all evil!" There are times when things with Vronsky seem to be going fine, and yet, she will not allow herself to enjoy it. Although she is having an affair, she certainly suffers for her mistakes, and pays for them. What is the most frustrating aspect of her existence is how little she can do, or will do, to change it.

Some people may condemn Tolstoy's work for being excessively wordy, long-winded, and dated. What simply makes this book a classic is his power of words, his description and ability to make a novel come to life with complex characters. I would recommend reading a few of Tolstoy's short stories before taking on this monster. It is a long book, but, if you get through it, it is worth it!

Anna Karenina is probably the most detailed work on relationships, families, society, and spirituality ever written... It is detailed to the point of being its own universe - and one that moves with the consistency of a fine tuned machine. One can only approach such a work by abandoning to it completely - allowing it to take you in whatever direction it wills - with the full acceptance that the path you are taking is leading to a full and definitive fruition...

But to speak of the great technical aspects of the novel is not enough.. Somehow it is in the images that Tolstoy creates that allows the novel to really sink in - often promting people to return to it again and again..
The images of the elite societies of Petersburg and Moscow, Levin's estate in the countryside, the dreams of Vronsky and Anna... All the significant moments of the book are presented in a way that enchants the reader.. And while so many literary techinques are used, it is all so natural that it is hardly noticeable - simply great storytelling...

I have read two translations of the novel... the Maudes' translation and now Pevear and Volokhonsky... Both translations were very readable and well written... I cannot say which is better since I do not know Russian and I am no expert on translation... I can say that this translation by p/v is now very highly regarded - and I enjoyed reading it... While the Maude translation seemed more literary, the p/v translation seemed more direct and real to me... So either way you can't lose.. I can only recommend that you pick up one of these versions and enjoy being swept away.

It's really a disgrace to see how many people have commented on the length of this novel, and as a post-modern youth, I see how short the attention span of the average person is, and how absent minded people have come to be, with respect to literature.

If you expect every single word of this book to be filled with gut wrenching action like an action film, go see a Die Hard movie. This book, and all other novels of any significance are setup to show the human condition, to show something not readily apparent. Sometimes, it takes hundreds of pages.

This is one of my favorite works of literature, and my favorite work of Tolstoy. Take time to read a book that envelops emotions and feelings that you have never experience, or at least would admit to experiencing.

I bought this book for my girlfriends birthday, and she wasnt paying attention to me because she was reading it. SHE SAID SHE LOVED THIS BOOK.

I thought that this would be a good book to read for my AP Literature class because I had heard that it was a great novel despite its daunting length. I found the book to be full of farming and political details unnecessary to the plot, the plot lacking in a definite climax, and the ending concerning Levin's realization and acceptance of God being completely unrelated to the first 800 pages. Anna Karenina, who is supposible the heroine of the novel, I found to be completely selfish and tried to shape the rules to her liking. She thought it to be totally unfair that she was deprived of society and of her son. She made the conscious decision to have an affair and was unwilling to accept the consequences of that decision. The only pleasure I received from this book was Levin and Kitty's relationship and their romance. All in all, this read was a complete disappointment and waste of time.

This is an extremely long-winded book and I would urge anyone wanting to read it, to rather read an abridged version. The author takes numerous side trips which have nothing whatsoever to do with the story. Numerous dull and irrelevant discussions about local politics, farming methods etc take up endless pages and add nothing to the story. One gets the impression that Tolstoy was paid by the page and did all he could to drag things out.

This is one of the great books. It works so well on so many levels. It is great realist fiction but it also paved the way for the modern psychological novel. The writing is masterful as Tolstoy alters the tone of the novel to reflect the thinking and actions of different characters. There are also recurring ideas and motifs, such as the infidelity of Stiva echoed on a much more serious level by his sister Anna, and the railway themes of arrivals and departures, beginnings and endings on their most metaphoric levels.

The 2 main protagonists are Anna Karenina, and Konstantin Levin, whose thoughts and actions mirror those of Tolstoy himself. Both are looking for love, but the loves are unique in aspect. What Anna seeks is emotional enrichment..a passion which is sorely missing in her marriage to Karenin but also unfortunately, can't be sustained in her affair with Vronsky. Levin seeks a love that will anchor his life, give it meaning and purpose. Levin seeks the truth and while he rejects society's hypocrisy, learns to adapt and function with it as he discovers a deeper meaning to his existence. Anna won't face the truth, and is victimized by that hypocrisy. She ultimately finds her existence to be empty and meaningless.

Anna Karenina is the literary equivalent of a great tragic opera. There is also much more to this novel. Much of Tolstoy's philosophy can be found here. His thoughts on Russian class structure, culture, religion, sociology , politics, and agronomy can be found in this novel. To get further insight into that thinking I suggest reading Tolsoy's Confession, which was written shortly after the publication of this work.

Coming into reading Anna Karenina, I had already read most of Tolstoy's short works as well as War and Peace, so I was pretty sure of what I was getting into. I found that this novel, like all his other works, contains absolute genius. Tolstoy's insight into the mind of both men and women is astounding, and much can be learned from him. Tolstoy does a masterful job in making his readers sympathize with his characters, and the reader becomes very involved and very concerned about the character's lives.

There were parts, however, that I just struggled getting through because the plot was suspended for extended periods of time. Many hold this novel in high regard, but in my own opinion, it is the lesser of Tolstoy's two great works. I have joked with my friends that Anna Karenina is like War and Peace without the war, but it is worth the read nonetheless.

I am in two book clubs and I read books when it's NOT book club time. Out of all the wonderful books out there, our book club picked this. Absolutely the biggest waste of time! It wasn't the size that scared me, but it was so "dry". No feeling, no emotions what so ever! So boring, it would put me to sleep. From the very beginning, I felt like it was a very shallow & blah-blah-blah book.....There wasn't a character that I really cared about, except Anna Karenina. ONLY because that is what the title of the book is! The best love-affair ever written, no way! It might have been a scandelous book back in the day, but a total bore. And Levin talking and talking about farming, politics & his religious believes - it was so ridiculous. What got me was Tolstoy would write what the characters are thinking. But when he put in the book what Levin's dog was thinking, I just about threw the book away! Tolstoy NEVER could express emotions in his way of writting on any of these characters. Someone tell me what the big deal is.

For those of you that have a Kindle and are wanting to purchase the new Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of this wonderful novel, DO NOT download this edition, no matter what the synopsis says. I downloaded the sample on my Kindle and compared it to the print edition and found that they were completely different.

This new translation of Anna Karenina is amazing! I have tried to read the other versions twice but found it difficult. I am thrilled about this new translation. Don't let the 800 pages daunt you. Tolstoy is a master of understanding human emotions and psychology. He portrays these characters so vividly, with such nuances that one is wrapped up in the story. A sensitive, refined person will appreciate this book and the story will leave an deep impression of Russia in Tolstoy's day.

Anna Karenina is a masterpiece! Tolstoy's writing style is unlike modern novels; rich in detail without being overly wordy. Amazingly while reading I felt as though I was a fly on the wall in the Russia he recreates- observing the characters and plot nearly as a participant. Tolstoy's character descriptions jump off the page, making the plot seem like the reader's reality.

Although the story is somewhat somber and the plot is fatalistic, it is a clear view into the social and moral obligations of the late 19th century. When protagonist, Anna Karenina decides to leave her husband Alexi Alexandrovich for another man and a new life, we are introduced to the unequal struggle men and women faced in law and society after being unfaithful. Although the theme is strong throughout we are not tied down to that single plot, we are also swept along in parallel stories of class struggles, political pressure and even the day to day tasks of local farmers.

Very enjoyable novel, I would even read it again!

I was excited when I first purchased this because I had heard such good things about it; that, and I LOVE literature and graduated with an English degree, so I thought this would be well worth the buy.

Boy, was I wrong. It turned out to be a huge book full of nothing, which drags on and on and on. I am confused by the people who love it. I just don't understand how?

The ending makes sense and you could see it coming as Anna wasn't happy for a very long time. Some parts I truly did enjoy reading, but those good parts were always interrupted and separated by lengthy boring reading that I just wanted to skip through to get to the good stuff again.

Not a very good read whatsoever in my opinion.

I always read classics among other things, I assume that they're classics for a reason so I picked up this book expecting a work of art. What I found was the longest, most tedious and most boring book I've ever read. By page 120 I already didn't care about what happened in the book. I kept reading it just to say I read Anna Karenina, but it was REALLY not worth it. I also ended up skipping pages of little side stories that added nothing to the plot or the book itself as well as endless repetitive descriptions of scenery.
Seriously, sit down and watch paint dry, you'll have more fun and it will go by a lot quicker.

As a collector of Great Books I was disappointed to find that this translation is not available in hard back. This is clearly the best translation and I would so love to own a hard cover version. For now I must settle for the disposable copy.

P&V's translation is really beyond praise: delicate, scrupulous, and rendered in English as smoothly propulsive as diving into a warm lap pool. Clearly, the problem is Tolstoy. In early drafts, he started out very judgmental against Anna, but flooded the final text with enough nuance that the reader makes his own decision, and mine is that she was another Princess Di: willful, spiteful, manipulative, humorless. We've all wanted to hurt those who reject us, but committing suicide to hurt Vronsky, who sacrificed his life loving her every day, is contemptible, so I had no sympathy for her. I did, however, sympathize with her husband, who had to clean up her childish mess, yet what Tolstoy did to him is also contemptible. He turns him into a religious prig in a way that completely contradicts foregoing character development. This is Tolstoy at his old puppet-master tricks, tricks that keep you from caring about any of his characters. Despite some masterful passages (like Dolly's monologue on her way to see Anna, going back and forth on whether to accept or condemn what Anna did, and relating those conflicts to her own womanhood), this long work, though impeccably written, never really pulls at your heart.

Don't assume for a moment that Anna Karenina hasn't been dazzled with a more complete set of stars because I am another audacious reader who thinks that Anna is a glorified soap opera, far from the truth. Anna Karenina is lovelier than English itself (which is precisely why it was written in Russian), and this translation does an excellent job reminding me that I am reading a translation, and a very bad one at that. This translation takes away all of the texture of the text with small schoolboy words the Count would have taken offense to, rotten rubbish. I recall someone else making mention of the superiority of the Constance Garnett translation to this, a translation I own and have read, and I would agree that even the seven dollar Barnes and Noble edition translated by Constance Garnett has a far better translation then this.

The best translations you can get into filthy English are ones based on the Louise and Aylmer Maude translation, which preserves the texture of the text. The Norton critical edition is my favorite, all of the annotations, notes, and other fidget-friendly details, but the current Oxford world classics edition is just as good. George Gibian does the revised Norton translation, and I don't remember the name of the editor of the Oxford classics, but both translations are based on the Maude translation. Avoid this blasphemous rendering.

Although I first read this book many years ago, I have gone back and read it 2 more times since then. I love this book because it has so many different facets to it. I enjoyed learning about Russian society in that time period and found Levin's commentaries about farming to be another way of examining Russian life. I thought it was suspenseful and had no trouble at all following the plot line or the characters. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Vronsky and Anna that was written with first letters only. It was so clever of Tolstoy to write the scene that way and I found that I could understand all of their conversation. I still find this book fascinating!

I debated whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars, but finally decided on the latter. Here's why: While it true that this book is long -- an understatement, really -- it does have some passages that are just breathtakingly beautiful. There were many times during the book that I found myself rather bored, especially when long sections dealt with hunting, farming, or political mumbo-jumbo. At the time this novel was written, it may have been meaningful. For me, however, it was tedious. I found myself really disengaging from the story at these moments, but was quickly drawn back in by the romance and fascinating characters. I really do not know why Tolstoy called this "Anna Karenina," when in reality she is only one of several "main" characters. I found each to be real, sympathetic, and intriguing. Tolstoy really captured the complexities of human relationships so well. I definitely would recommend this novel to others, but not the typical Oprah Book Clubbers or any casual readers. This is serious literature for those who can handle it! Lit majors, proceed...

Well, it was a long, long time ago and I wanted to get a great Russian Novel under my belt. War and Peace was too darn long, so I thought I'd try this one.
It took me about a month to get Count Veronski separate from Prince Rodonkski. And then there was Colonel Radzinokovek and Captain Chaknoskonovick. Hey who can spell Checkoslovakia?
By the time I got all the names straight I forgot what the story was all about. Basically it is about this rich broad who cheats on her husband, becomes a big disgrace at the Palace and then gets run over by a horse and carriage.
I finished it. I know I should read War and Peace. It is a classic you know. But I think that I would rather read the Encyclopedia Bertanica. Right now I'm reading Crime and Punishment. I think that I have been reading this one for three years now. I am on page 73. Raskolnikov is in this book also. This book has 564 pages. Don't wait for my review. It will probably be a while. But I am determined. After all I finished Anna Karenina didn't I!

Anna Karenina is a mighty undertaking, but well worth it.

I was especially pleased by how intricately the main characters were created and molded into deep thoughtful beings. I thought Levin was the most interesting character.

How he and Anna both reason their paths shapes the novel.

Like many reviewers, I too found Anna Karenina to be a pompous princess, bent on selfish happiness, with a husband deliriously lost and looking to grasp onto anything he could to steady himself to; each needy and extreme in their own way. The strange morphing of each of these characters showed how thoughts, feelings and actions can be swayed when poor decisions are made. While I disagreed with Anna, I enjoyed understanding why she thought what she did was justified. It helped me to understand human nature.

This time period also marked a transition into faith for many in Russia and I think readers will like (or may not like) how Levin tackled and came to understand his beliefs.

What can I say? I'm a writer myself and this just makes me want to give up! I usually carp a lot, but not with this book. There is nothing to complain about. All the characters are interesting, albeit depressed. But depression and flaws make for interest. There is plenty of description and none of it gratuitous, Above all, Tolstoy does everything right. The POV changes is genuine, convincing and gracefully done. The translation is great and makes the very long book accessible.

Tolstoy creates such a vivid portrayal of the twisted morality of Russia's aristocracy of the 19th century. I enjoyed this novel very much and I must give high praise to the translators. This translation is both literary and very readable. To me, even the indepth descriptions of Russian farm life, politics and institutions were all very interesting. I will read their "War and Peace" translation that is suppossed to come out later this year.

Anna and Levin join the great literary characters that reside in my mind, as living examples of how or how not to live life!

Tolstoy creates such a vivid creation of the twisted morality of Russia's aristocracy of the 19th century. I enjoyed this novel very much and I must give high praise to the translators. This translation is both literary and very readable. I will read their "War and Peace" translation that is suppossed to come out later this year.

Anna and Levin join the great literary characters that reside in my mind, as living examples of how to live life.

Anna Karenina, although intimidatingly long at first, is perhaps the greatest novel I have ever read. Every detail in this book fascinates me. I could rave on about the depth of charactors emotions, the complexity of all the charactors participant, and the philisophical meaning, but instead I shall mearly suggest strongly to you that you read it. I think that you will find it an essentially eye opening and entertaining read.

I must warn those who deem this book uneventful and boring that they come off as foolish. The appeal in this book is clearly not riviting action nor steamy romance.

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way"

- Leo Tolstoy from Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina is a beautifully written novel about three families: the Oblonskys, the Levins, and the Karenins. The first line hints at Tolstoy's own views about happy and unhappy marriages having these same three families also represent three very different societal and physical locations in Russia in addition to distinctly different views on love, loyalty, fidelity, happiness and marital bliss.

Tolstoy seems to stress that `trusting companionships" are more durable and filled with happiness versus "romantic passion" that bursts with flames and then slowly; leaves ashes rather than a firm, solid foundation to build upon.

It is like reading a soap opera with all of its twists and turns where the observer is allowed to enter into the homes, the minds and the spirits of its main characters. The moral compass in the book belongs to Levin whose life and courtship of Kitty mirrors much of Leo Tolstoy's own courtship of his wife Sophia. Levin's personality and spiritual quest is Tolstoy's veiled attempt at bringing to life his own spiritual peaks and valleys and the self doubts that plagued him his entire life despite his happy family life and the fact that he too found love in his life and a committed durable marriage. At the other end of the spectrum is Anna, who also because of her individual choices and circumstances, falls into despair.

It is clear that Tolstoy wants the reader to come away with many messages about the sanctity of marriage, love and family life. He also wants us to be mindful of the choices that we make in life and the affect that these choices have upon ourselves, our station and path in life as well as the affect upon those that we profess to love. Tolstoy also wants us to examine what makes our lives happy or not; and what is at the root of either end result. Levin and Kitty are the happiest married couple; yet Levin faces his own double bind when struggling against domestic bliss and his need for independence on the other hand and how to achieve both (if that is possible) without relinquishing that which made him who he was born to be.

Anna Karenina and Konstantin Levin are the primary protagonists in the novel and both are rich and fine characters in their own right. Both of them focus on self; one however finds the self to be a nurturer which puts value into life very much as a farmer; while the other views self with despair and as a punisher or destroyer. Both views, diametrically opposed, force the characters on very different paths and lives for themselves. Then there is the dilemma of forgiveness versus vengeance. The very epigram for the novel from Romans states: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." Yet vengeance upon oneself or others is not up to individuals but God; and yet the characters are haunted about what forgiveness is or isn't and by the hollowness of words versus heartfelt and soulfully reflective actions. The themes of social change in Russia, family life's blessings and virtues and farming (even if it is simply the goodness one puts into life and how one cultivates it and others) dominate the novel's landscape. Trains also play a symbolic importance in the novel and it is odd that Tolstoy himself years after writing Anna Karenina dies himself in a train station after setting off from his home in an emotional cloud.

Sometimes the names of the characters themselves can be confusing: so a hint to the reader might be to think of each Russian character's name as having three parts: the first name (examples here are for Levin and Kitty) like Konstantin or Ekaterina, a patronymic which is the father's first name accompanied by a suffix which means son of or daughter of like Dmitrich (son of Dmitri) or Alexandrovna (daughter of Alexander) and then the surname like Levin or Shcherbatskaya. Thus the explanations for the Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya (nicknamed Kitty) and Konstantin Dmitrich Levin (Levin).

I loved the book and its details and the richness of the characterizations as well as the storytelling technique of the great Tolstoy and I have to agree with Tolstoy when he stated, "I am very proud of its architecture-its vaults are joined so that one cannot even notice where the keystone is. " The vaults: "Anna and Levin" are joined with the very first line of the novel and with their focus on themselves.


Rating: A

Bentley/2007

Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club)

If you enjoy characters as much as I do, you too will fall in love with this book. This particular translation of Tolstoy seems to both keep true to Russian history and build likable characters at the same time. This book, although calling for some side research to fully understand the details in the plot, is an easy enough read.

This is another great book that probably works for only certain readers. I love its old Russian feel--the atmosphere, the history, the details are all fantastic. However, the main attraction are its characters. I love the frankness of the situations. Although there is some dramatic glamourization of some aspects, most of the situations appear pretty real. The characters run a large spectrum. We enter the minds and private spaces of a handful, while others serve as a framework for the others. The moral and sentimental conflicts are not just black and white and the subtle details make for a great psychological analysis. I thought that characterizing this book as the "greatest love story every written" is pretty inaccurate.
In short, if you love the old Russian writers, lots of detail, and complicated characters, this book is for you. A caveat: it is very long and you actually need to pay attention to the details. I would recommend reading other reviews on it to decide if it is for you (I know it's a classic, but I have found some classics kind of annoying and reading other's opinions from the Amazon reviews actually helped more than the pretentious magazine reviewers who probably just read the Cliff notes...)

A wonderful story...well told!

Some potential *SPOILERS* to follow...

While this book was large and daunting in size, I nonetheless found this tale, (set in mid/late 19th century Russia), fascinating and easy to read. It is the story of the rich and bored (and somewhat insecure) upper crust of Moscow's and St. Petersburg's society. The story starts off somewhat benignly but gradually becomes more involved as the characters become more exposed, showing all too common human frailties and weaknesses. The primary tale is one of an intense, emotional relationship (involving three people), while the secondary story deals with another man's own set of vulnerabilities and shortcomings as he struggles to find himself within the confines of his personal life, his work and his place in society.

Tolstoy, because of this writing skills, has the ability to make his characters come alive and become indelibly etched in the readers' psyche (in mine at least), and even more impressive is the fact, that little appears to have been lost by the effects of translation. I found myself (even without the book) frequently reflecting on the ever changing relationships between main characters (Anna, her lover Vronsky and her husband Alexie on one hand and Levin, Kitty, Stepan, and Dolly on the other).

The only area of this book that I found a little slow was some Tolstoy's philosophical musings (through Levin) towards the end of the novel; however the overall quality of the entire book easily puts it into the "classic" category. 5 Stars.

P.S. Kudos to both Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky for their incredible translation of this startling work; it's hard to believe that so much of the emotional quality of the original manuscript was retained (and with such easy readability), through this process.

R. Nicholson

These comments on Anna Karenina are taken from my personal "Education of a Novelist" blog which you can reach by searching the web for "Lew Weinstein's novel writing blog." Please see also my new NYC based legal thriller A Good Conviction.

Tolstoy is regarded as one of the finest writers of all time, so who am I to say that I found Anna Karenina a less than satisfying read. True, there are some magnificent scenes, such as Vronsky's horse race, but there are also many incredibly dull and interminable passages. Actually, it's one long slow soap opera, but that does explain its success as an Oprah selection. I don't like soap operas and I stopped reading after 400 pages.

* opening sentence ... "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Great start, from which we know that this is going to be a story about more than one unhappy family.

* who are the major characters? ... Tolstoy starts with the Oblonskys, Prince Stepan and Princess Darya (Dolly), who are not the main characters, although Stepan was, for me, the most interesting. If you didn't know differently, you might think that Stepan and Dolly are the major characters. When other characters are introduced, it's still not clear who the major characters will be. I suspect this is not a technique which would work in 2007.

* Karenin is a beautifully developed supporting character, pathetically unable to act in furtherance of his own wishes, motivated only to avoid being embarrassed before his professional and social associates. However, his moments of introspection make us care about him.

* settings. Tolstoy's descriptions of places are remarkable.

* character development. The interior monologues are always enjoyable and often quite revealing.

These comments on Anna Karenina are taken from my personal "Education of a Novelist" blog [...]. Please see also my new NYC based legal thriller A Good Conviction.

Tolstoy is regarded as one of the finest writers of all time, so who am I to say that I found Anna Karenina a less than satisfying read. True, there are some magnificent scenes, such as Vronsky's horse race, but there are also many incredibly dull and interminable passages. Actually, it's one long slow soap opera, but that does explain its success as an Oprah selection. I don't like soap operas and I stopped reading after 400 pages.

* opening sentence ... "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Great start, from which we know that this is going to be a story about more than one unhappy family.

* who are the major characters? ... Tolstoy starts with the Oblonskys, Prince Stepan and Princess Darya (Dolly), who are not the main characters, although Stepan was, for me, the most interesting. If you didn't know differently, you might think that Stepan and Dolly are the major characters. When other characters are introduced, it's still not clear who the major characters will be. I suspect this is not a technique which would work in 2007.

* Karenin is a beautifully developed supporting character, pathetically unable to act in furtherance of his own wishes, motivated only to avoid being embarrassed before his professional and social associates. However, his moments of introspection make us care about him.

* settings. Tolstoy's descriptions of places are remarkable.

* character development. The interior monologues are always enjoyable and often quite revealing.

Tolstoy's characters are so real and human that, although I didn't necessarily experience Anna Karenina as a 'page turner,' I nevertheless felt compelled to read twenty or thirty pages every day just to see what everyone was up to. In some parts the story is intense and hard to put down, in a couple of parts it can drag a little bit, but overall this was a pleasant surprise for me - very enjoyable and consistently interesting, especially if you appreciate an emphasis on character and psychological insight. Levin, Anna, Vronsky, and Stepan in particular are some of the most fully realized fictional characters I've ever encountered. The book is long, but there really isn't a lot of fluff - most of it was enjoyable and interesting. And a couple of the scenes were absolutely unforgettable. Great book.

I enjoyed this novel thoroughly, but in the end felt that Anna got the short end of the stick. In Book 8, I expected to see more reactions than Vronsky's and Stiva's. How did Dolly, one of the few to love and keep society with Anna all the way through, feel about the turn of events? What about Karenin or Anna's son? Karenin was an interesting character and I would have liked to have seen more of him beyond the trance scene.

Maybe this was Tolstoy's way of denying Anna the satisfaction she sought with her last act. Maybe focusing on Levin's struggle to live was a moral decision, meant to steer readers away from Anna's folly. Still, characters like Karenin are so vivid, it seems unfair that they should not be given a final bow.

Tolstoy had talent to spare, and this novel seems to incorporate and display every bit of it. From sumptious parallel storylines through sensational set pieces done as well any in all of fiction, this is one sensational novel. The more you enjoy plotting and character, the more you will enjoy how effortlessly Tolstoy deploys his actors and actresses.
Among many highlights is the great ball scene, the finest in all literature, and the extraordinary social panorama at the race track; this later only possible by the author who had written the great battle scenes of War and Peace. Tolstoy's depiction of the train station meeting between the doomed Anna and her lover-to-be Vronsky rises to extraordinary mythic heights, devoid of cheap melodrama through Tolstoy's uncanny sense for fleeting details and his remarkable empathy for the poetics of human interactions.
Anyone interested in reading more about this most amazing work should first peruse Nabokov's scintillating essay on Anna Karenina. This is available in Essays on Russian Literature, published after Nabokov's death. Taken from his lecture notes from classes given while he was at Cornell, Nabokov offers an eagle-eyed view of details and cross-references generally missed by those unable to read the novel in its original Russian. (The other chapters on Russian literature are equally engrossing, particularly his fabulous essay on Gogol's Dead Souls.)

I read this book 2 summers ago and would highly recommend it. It is a beautiful love story with many rich and interesting characters whose lives weave in and out of each other over time. This will be one of those classic books that I will read again and again. A beautiful book for any library.

I read this book 2 summers ago and would highly recommend it. It is a beautiful love story with many rich and interesting characters whose lives weave in and out of each other over time. This will be one of those classic books that I will read again and again. A beautiful book for any library.

ANNA KARENINA is remarkable story by one of the few mega-novelists of all times is an ageless story that is more real than fiction. I decided to read a copy of this book on my way to vacation last the summer and ended up spending most of my first week being glued to the book. Though it is a Russian story of a century and a half ago, its essence still resonates today.

Anna who is married to the wealthy and older Karenin lives a life of comfort without any excitement, a life that is full of routines and no zest. It is a life she had become used to until she meets the elegant Vronsky and falls in love. Now she must pay the price of adultery or seek marital stability and forgo the echoes of her heart, a soul searching trial that destabilizes the life of her family and that of her lover. In essence she abandons the meaning for her life and pursues the zest of life.

On the other hand is Levine who is in search of the meaning of life and abandons the zest of life for a purposeful life that includes a family, ideas on the advancement of humanism, being at peace with ones world and hard work in is farm and being at peace with God.

In a way, both Levine and Anna can not be blamed for opting considering one choice above the other. They all wanted happiness without having evil intentions and found a balance between the zest of life and the search of its meaning in their own different ways, hurting and find love in the process and in the end, enriching and destroying themselves in their different ways. A highly recommended read and the most insightful love story I have ever read.UNION MOUJIK,DR ZHIVAGO, EUGENE ONEGIN are some of the other books set in Russia that I enjoyed alongside ANNA KARENINA.

Took longer than I thought it would but overall, excellent condition and quality. Thank you!

This was a gift but it was easy to find and got here in no time for her birthday.

Mr. Tolstoy had such a unique gift in his description of his characters that you could actually feel their pain and triumphs, even if you could not relate to their idiosyncrasies.