Anna Karenina (Oprah #5) (Oprah's Classics Book Club Selections)

Hard call between this and "War and Peace" for the title of best novel ever. This novel is, without any question whatsoever, one of the best ever written. Like its predecessor ("War and Peace") it contains such a genuine account of human life that reading it cannot be less than a life changing experience, particularly if you haven't read Tolstoy before. It is a masterpiece, plain and simple,...more

Hard call between this and "War and Peace" for the title of best novel ever. This novel is, without any question whatsoever, one of the best ever written. Like its predecessor ("War and Peace") it contains such a genuine account of human life that reading it cannot be less than a life changing experience, particularly if you haven't read Tolstoy before. It is a masterpiece, plain and simple, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. No novel in the world (with the possible exception of "War and Peace") offers greater rewards to a diligent reader. Questions, answers, and truths which took Tolstoy decades of careful thought to discover are laid bare here for all to consume, to take in hand and be freed thereby. As for critiquing it on a literary level, to do so would be presumptuous, so I'll refrain. As for all those out there who have said "Ugh! It's too long! I got bored!" That boredom does not reflect a weakness of the novel, (which, far from being boring, is full of the vivid, driving pulse of life,) but a weakness of their hearts and their own impatient nature. Read this book, and "War and Peace", I beg you all, and I swear you will not regret it.   hide

Solomon had it right--there is nothing new under the sun. People are the same. They may live in a different locale during another time, speak a different language. The framework and culture within which they live may present unique obstacles or provide alternative situations, but as you read this book, no matter who you are or where you are from, you will recognize characters and identify...more

Solomon had it right--there is nothing new under the sun. People are the same. They may live in a different locale during another time, speak a different language. The framework and culture within which they live may present unique obstacles or provide alternative situations, but as you read this book, no matter who you are or where you are from, you will recognize characters and identify familiar personalities. There is a lot of philosophy I don't pretend to have understood, but also a lot of spiritual exploration I knew by heart. It read like a soap opera, and I looked forward to each episode.   hide

Tolstoy is an amazing novelist and I love his use of laungage that is at once lyrical and thought provoking. Granted this is a translation but I really liked the flow of the novel. The characters all interested me, even the ones that I did not particularly like and I felt an attachment to each of them so that I was sorry when the book was over. The only thing I disliked were the extensive...more

Tolstoy is an amazing novelist and I love his use of laungage that is at once lyrical and thought provoking. Granted this is a translation but I really liked the flow of the novel. The characters all interested me, even the ones that I did not particularly like and I felt an attachment to each of them so that I was sorry when the book was over. The only thing I disliked were the extensive commentaries on political issues. And the end of book eight was somewhat unnecassary (I thought it would have been nice to get some closure on Karenin). But this is truly a wonderfull book and I look forward to reading it in the future.   hide

Really slow to read. This was my second try, the first time I just couldn't read it through.. Story had its moments: some parts I really enjoyed and waited, but some were kind of boring. Still, a nice description of Russia in that time: I really enjoyed the picture it gave about that time. Though it was really easy to get confused with all the names.. Love story of Vronski and Anna was...more

Really slow to read. This was my second try, the first time I just couldn't read it through.. Story had its moments: some parts I really enjoyed and waited, but some were kind of boring. Still, a nice description of Russia in that time: I really enjoyed the picture it gave about that time. Though it was really easy to get confused with all the names.. Love story of Vronski and Anna was really tragic and the description of jealousy was really heart breaking. Also the suicide scene, so sad.. But the sadness wasn't overwhelming because there were at least one couple that had everything ok.   hide

This has to be the best book I've ever read. I cannot believe I waited so long before reading Leo Tolstoy. This novel presents a vast and vivid panorama of Russian life in the middle of the 19th century. It is also an intense psychological thriller. Tolstoy is a very subtle writer getting right inside the minds of his main characters. He provides a wonderful insight into the human condition. ...more

This has to be the best book I've ever read. I cannot believe I waited so long before reading Leo Tolstoy. This novel presents a vast and vivid panorama of Russian life in the middle of the 19th century. It is also an intense psychological thriller. Tolstoy is a very subtle writer getting right inside the minds of his main characters. He provides a wonderful insight into the human condition. The only trouble is -- I now have to read War and Peace which is even longer than Anna Karenina! But with a novel as expertly written as this, you don't notice its length. At the end I felt great satisfaction but also much sadness, as it was like parting company from a very close friend. I cannot recommend Anna Karenina highly enough.   hide

This is the best contemporary translation of a novel which, if you dare read it (in any English translation), will force you to re-think what literature is "supposed" to do for you. Tolstoy's humanity is revealed in this work in the quotidian aspects, something we have, over the years, believed below our sophistication. We are wrong, as we have always been wrong, about...more

This is the best contemporary translation of a novel which, if you dare read it (in any English translation), will force you to re-think what literature is "supposed" to do for you. Tolstoy's humanity is revealed in this work in the quotidian aspects, something we have, over the years, believed below our sophistication. We are wrong, as we have always been wrong, about this. His (and our) greatness is in the details, the mundane experiences and how they are expressed. He is a writer that raises the simple search for beauty in day-to-day life to the level of myth; a writer who recognizes a singular tragedy as a common one. This translation picks up on all these nuances. Read this book if- and only if- you wish to transform your idea of art...   hide

I have read many times that Anna Karenina is one of the best novels ever written ... like EVER. Now I can finally say from experience that, though I don't claim to be the most well-read human alive, I have yet to come across a book that trumps this Tolstoy masterpiece. I had never really delved into the world of Russian literature before; but I've always wanted to read War and Peace...more

I have read many times that Anna Karenina is one of the best novels ever written ... like EVER. Now I can finally say from experience that, though I don't claim to be the most well-read human alive, I have yet to come across a book that trumps this Tolstoy masterpiece. I had never really delved into the world of Russian literature before; but I've always wanted to read War and Peace before I die. I was a little afraid to take the plunge, so I picked up Anna Karenina thinking it would be like Tolstoy with training wheels. At only 822 pages, it's shorter and less intimidating than War and Peace. Well, turns out, I thought it was so fantastic that I pre-ordered the paperback edition of the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation of War and Peace. Now I can't wait until it arrives! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.   hide

Tolstoy is a genius. 800 pages, and not a bit too long. I've always meant to read Anna Karenina, and I'm glad I waited until my middle age. A young person couldn't possibly appreciate all the subtleties of intimate relationships, family, children, faith and marriage that Tolstoy explores so well in this timeless classic. Even the political issues are disturbingly contemporary. Now I'm inspired to...more

Tolstoy is a genius. 800 pages, and not a bit too long. I've always meant to read Anna Karenina, and I'm glad I waited until my middle age. A young person couldn't possibly appreciate all the subtleties of intimate relationships, family, children, faith and marriage that Tolstoy explores so well in this timeless classic. Even the political issues are disturbingly contemporary. Now I'm inspired to re-read War and Peace, which I understand Pevear and Volokhonsky have recently translated.   hide

I am starting this one through LibriVox, but it is an unfinished recording so I will have to finish it up the regular way. It is kind of like driving down a road that isn't finished... Also, reading Anna Karenina on my phone probably isn't as productive a method of preparing for my wedding as I might think. Still, it seems more productive than looking at pictures of flowers- that gets old...more

I am starting this one through LibriVox, but it is an unfinished recording so I will have to finish it up the regular way. It is kind of like driving down a road that isn't finished... Also, reading Anna Karenina on my phone probably isn't as productive a method of preparing for my wedding as I might think. Still, it seems more productive than looking at pictures of flowers- that gets old after just a second, whereas the book has been lovely and amazing so far. Currently about to start book 2.   hide