Other editions of book Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Many authors consider Anna Karenina the greatest work of literature ever written, and Tolstoy himself called it his first true novel. A complex novel in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters, it is spread over more than 800 pages. It deals with themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, Imperial Russian society, desire, and rural vs. city life. The plot centers on an extramarital affair between Anna and dashing cavalry officer Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky that scandalizes the social circles of Saint Petersburg and forces the young lovers to flee for Italy in a futile search for happiness. Returning to Russia, their lives further unravel. Trains are a recurring motif throughout the novel, which takes place against the backdrop of rapid transformations as a result of the liberal reforms initiated by Emperor Alexander II of Russia, with several major plot points taking place either on passenger trains or at stations in Saint Petersburg or elsewhere in Russia. The novel has been adapted into various media including opera, film, television, ballet, figure skating and radio drama.

One of the most important novels by Leo Tolstoy and one of the most well-known masterpieces of world literature, Anna Karenina is a story comprising a fast succession of events and full of wonderful, vivid characters. Written and set in 19th century Russia, one could easily think that the novel depicts only the realities and attitudes of Tolstoy's world, but this can be far from the truth: the novel's principle topic, that of passion, love, marriage and adultery are timeless and Anna Karenina has a lot to say to the reader today, too.Dostoyevsky described the novel as flawless, Faulkner said it is the best ever written and these superlatives are only two in the line of many similar remarks used for the novel. The story is about Anna Karenina, a beautiful and married aristocrat woman who falls in love with a charming Count. Anna commits adultery and becomes pregnant by the Count. She gives life to a little girl, but almost dies in childbirth. While lying ill in bed she tries to reconcile her husband and her lover and she is forgiven by her husband, but later finds it impossible to live with Karenin and leaves him to pursue her love. However, the relationship between Anna and the Count goes sour and Anna kills herself.This is the story line in short, but the novel is so much more complex than this. The third-person omniscient narrator shifts his attention among the major characters and major events in the novel, the parallel story lines intermingle and reinforce each other on several points in the novel and they give a realistic account not only what is going on in the soul of the characters, but also the transformations in 19th century Russia. Besides the emotional themes such as jealousy, fidelity, faith and passion, the reader gets a glimpse at the social changes at work in Russian society at the time, so Anna Karenina has something to offer to all readers, of any age.

Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness.

From the shelves of late rare book dealer, J.L. Cambridge: Printed for Members of The Limited Editions Club at the University Press, 1951. 935p, illustrations. 23cm. Designed by John Dreyfus. Lithographs by Barnett Freedman pulled at the Curwen Press. Set in monotype Ehrhardt and printed on British wove paper by the Cambridge University Press; bound in patterned cloth with illustrations by Constance Garnett on the front covers and end papers; top edge gilt. In an edition of 1500 copies, this is copy 1485/1500 signed by Barnett Freedman. Red paperboard slipcase with paper title label on the back panel. Back panel of slipcase slightly faded, sides stained. Near fine copies in a very good slipcase. See photos. Sold by Friends of the Fullerton Library. 16

Anna Karenina is one of the grand tragedies of the 19th century. A Russian aristocrat leaves her husband to marry a dashing officer Count Vronsky. But their scandalous love affair and marriage is beset on all sides. By outrage and scorn from without and mistrust and possessiveness from within. William Falkner called it the greatest novel ever written.