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Anna Karenina Readalong, 2023

958 replies

StColumbofNavron · 28/12/2022 21:30

Following the success of W&P in 2022, we’ve decided to stick with Tolstoy for 2023 and read Anna Karenina, one chapter per day.

For newbies: we simply read one chapter a day and discussion is allowed with a broader chat at the end of each section. Tolstoy’s chapters are nice and short, flicking through average length is about 4 pages.

I have used the Penguin Classics (2001, 2003) trans. by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky for the breakdown below. More on editions below.

There are 249 chapters in this edition and the book is in 8 parts taking us to 14 September with a break of a day between each book. Hopefully, irrespective of the edition you pick the finishing of each ‘book’ will hopefully align.

Book 1, ch. 1-34 (1 Jan-3 Feb)
BREAK, 4 Feb
Book 2, ch. 1-35 (5 Feb-11 Mar)
BREAK, 12 March
Book 3, ch. 1-32 (13 Mar-13 Apr)
BREAK, 14 Apr
Book 4, ch. 1-23 (15 Apr-7 May)
BREAK, 8 May
Book 5, ch. 1-33 (9 May-10 Jun)
BREAK, 11 Jun
Book 6, ch. 1-32 (12 Jun-14 Jul)
BREAK, 15 Jul
Book 7, ch. 1-31 (16 Jul-15 Aug)
BREAK, 16 Aug
Book 8, ch. 1-29 (17 Aug-14 Sept)

Some info on different translations and editions in the links below. Maud, Aylmer and Pevear and Volonkhonsky all present once again.

Wikipedia here
Tolstoy Therapy
New York Times
Some thoughts on Pevear and Volonkhonsky contenting the Russian Lit market

For reasons best known to me (largely foolish) I decided look up and work it all out on my phone instead of laptop, so apologies for any inaccuracies, typos etc. I am certain I have forgotten something, got my numbering wrong somewhere, but hopefully broadly correct.

All that remains is to say welcome back to those who are remaining committed to Tolstoy, thank you to those who organised and helped the last read run smoothly and welcome, do come in to those joining.

p.s. I would love to see the covers of your books.

OP posts:
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DesdamonasHandkerchief · 22/07/2023 07:39

I seem to remember Tolstoy was very vague on the Chipmunk's pregnancy timescales in War & Peace too!

22nd July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 7

•	Levin meets up with his friends at the club. Old Prince Shcherbatsky, Koznyshev, and Vronsky are there. Levin sits with Turovtsyn. Oblonsky is late.
•	They all have a merry time eating, drinking, and talking about things like racehorses. They joke lightly.
•	Levin feels very kindly disposed towards Vronsky. He talks to Vronsky about cattle breeds and is glad that he feels no hostility towards Vronsky (as his former rival for Kitty's hand in marriage).
FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 22/07/2023 09:58

Oh yes, Desdamona. That was another never-ending pregnancy. Poor Chipmunk. It didn't end well for her.

JamesGiantPledge1 · 22/07/2023 12:44

Wouldn’t it be weird to leave your husband for someone called the same name? Imagine the conversations with friends when you tried to clarify which person you were talking about.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 23/07/2023 09:23

23rd July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 8

•	Oblonsky asks Levin how he likes the idle life. He tells a story about 'Shylupicks', whom everyone makes fun of for being old and coming back to the club too frequently.
•	Levin sits for a while in the "intellectual room," but the discussion bores him. He goes to find Oblonsky and Turovtsyn, who are always entertaining.
•	Levin finds Oblonsky in the midst of talking to Vronsky about Anna. He withdraws to give them privacy, but Oblonsky insists that he join them, and that Vronsky and Levin become friends. Oblonsky's been drinking, which makes him very sentimental: he embraces Levin and tells Vronsky that Levin is his dearest friend.
•	
•	The men play some cards and, after the game, Oblonsky convinces Levin to accompany him on a visit to Anna. Levin agrees because he's still coasting on his joy at the end of the tension he'd had with Vronsky.
•	Levin pays his bill and his gambling losses, and joins the other men to head over to Vronsky's house.
Original poster
StColumbofNavron · 23/07/2023 12:31

I am so far behind. Work has been hectic and I’ve been reading mostly very easy, mindless reads. I’ve got book club on Wedn and have not yet started the book so need to whack that out, then can get back to this.

OP posts:
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 24/07/2023 08:07

24th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 9

•	As soon as Levin is in the carriage, he feels like he is coming back to reality. He has doubts as to the propriety of a visit to Anna, but Oblonsky soothes him.
•	For three months, Anna has been in Moscow awaiting news of a divorce. Although her former social set is also in Moscow, Anna has not received any female callers except for Dolly. Even the exploitative Princess Barbara has found Anna's situation inappropriate and left her household.
•	Anna spends her time working on a children's book, and she has also taken a whole English family under her wing.
•	Levin's doubts steadily increase as they reach Anna's house.
•	
•	Oblonsky and Levin step into a small study, and Levin's attention is immediately arrested by a beautiful full-length portrait. It's the portrait of Anna created by Mikhailov, and Levin stands entranced at the woman's beauty.
•	Anna enters behind him, and Levin sees at once that she is the woman in the portrait. He decides that the living Anna is less dazzling than the Anna in the portrait, but the fact that she is real makes up for it.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 25/07/2023 08:12

25th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 10

•	Anna introduces Levin to her other guest, named Vorkuyev.
•	Levin feels perfectly at home with the elegance and naturalness of Anna's manners. He derives a great deal of pleasure from simply listening to her and conversing with her.
•	At one point, Vorkuyev argues that if Anna devoted as much energy to Russia's schoolchildren as she devotes to the little English girl she's taking care of, she would be doing Russia a great service.
•	Anna argues, looking at Levin, that energy flows only from love.
•	
•	Levin agrees with her, saying that the reason many philanthropic institutions fail because they lack heart.
•	Anna has won over Levin. He's in love with her, and practically obsessed with her. He's extremely sad to leave.
•	When Anna says good-bye, she gives him a message for Kitty. Anna wishes to say that she is as fond as Kitty as before, and that she doesn't desire Kitty's forgiveness, because that would necessitate Kitty having to experience the same horrible things that Anna has.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 26/07/2023 08:43

26th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 11

•	As Levin goes home, he continues thinking of Anna: everything they said to each other, each look on her face, each gesture.
•	Levin goes in to see his wife. She is sad and depressed because her sisters left after dinner, leaving her alone with no one to whom she can talk.
•	She asks him about his day, and soon learns that he met Anna.
•	Kitty busts into sobs when she realizes that Levin has fallen in love with Anna. She further chastises him for drinking and gambling.
•	Levin tells her that the longer they stay in the city, the more confused he gets, because there is nothing to do but eat, drink, and talk.
•	
•	The two of them talk until three in the morning, when they are finally reconciled enough to sleep.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 27/07/2023 10:52

27th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 12

•	Anna realizes perfectly well that she has been as successful as possible in getting Levin to fall in love with her (she's been doing this with every young man she comes across).
•	What Anna doesn't get is how she can conquer the heart of a devoted family man like Levin in one evening while Vronsky, who's actually important to her, just gets colder and colder.
•	Anna understands that Vronsky wants to prove that he has freedom and other obligations, but she's bitter that he doesn't understand that all she has is his love. She claims that she isn't living, but rather waiting for a sentence from Karenin.
•	
•	Vronsky comes in, and Anna hastily alters her expression to one of calm.
•	Despite her best intentions, she picks a fight with Vronsky anyway, about his staying out at the club with Yashvin instead of returning home to her.
•	Anna guilts Vronsky into conceding the argument by claiming to be close to catastrophe at all moments. Still, by manipulating him so obviously, Anna drives Vronsky even further away. She realizes that she has infused their relationship with a feeling of constant struggle.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 28/07/2023 14:28

28th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 13

•	That night, Levin sleeps soundly and easily.
•	At five in the morning, Levin wakes up to find Kitty out of bed and walking. She claims to be fine and goes back to bed.
•	At seven, she wakes Levin up and asks him to send for Miss Mary, the midwife. He gets up to go but is struck by the beautiful expression on her face. Levin believes he sees Kitty's soul.
•	Levin is leaving to fetch the midwife and the doctor when he hears Kitty moan painfully.
•	Involuntarily, Levin starts praying to the Lord to help them. Even though he has always been a non-believer, in this moment of extreme love and concern for his wife, he calls on God.
•	
•	He reaches Miss Mary's and sends her over to Kitty. Miss Mary tells him to fetch the doctor, but that there's no hurry. She also tells Levin to pick up some opium (which, at the time, was a pretty common painkiller) at a pharmacy.
Tarahumara · 28/07/2023 21:01

Lots of interesting stuff going on. Anna and Vronsky seem to be hurtling towards some kind of showdown. Poor Anna - her despair Sad
At least Kitty has finally gone into labour!

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 29/07/2023 08:45

29th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 14

•	Levin reaches the doctor's house, but the doctor is not awake. He instead goes to the pharmacy and picks up the opium. When he returns to the doctor's house, he insists on waking up the doctor.
•	The doctor takes his sweet time, which drives Levin mad. He rushes back to his house.
•	Levin has a difficult time remaining calm. The more he sees Kitty in pain, the more he prays to God.
•	In his anxiety and suffering, time flows together for Levin. He feels the same as when Nicholas was dying, except that this is a joyful occasion and not a tragic one.
goodthinking99 · 29/07/2023 09:08

The description of Levin's moods during Kitty's Labour is incredible, he was such a pain in the arse to deal with whilst the real stuff was going on with Kitty. He's great but also insufferable...everything experienced is solely in relation to his feelings. What a fanny! Let's hope his emotional inner workings are in Kitty's favour as things move on - not that she can do anything about that, 'object' as she is for him (and all the women are for the men)

Piggywaspushed · 29/07/2023 11:08

This chapter amused me. Levin reminded me of stock 'panicking dad' of so many sitcoms and I can't put my finger on why exactly - but it read a bit like a comedy MN thread.

Tarahumara · 29/07/2023 14:36

Talk about making it all about him!!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 29/07/2023 18:40

Didn't he just! I'm surprised he didn't end up fainting at the foot of the bed!

I enjoyed this episode. It has a universal, timeless quality. Some things stay the same.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 30/07/2023 12:06

30th July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 15

•	As Kitty's labor continues, Levin is completely distraught, caught up in this ecstatic state of waiting. He wants Kitty's suffering to end, and doesn't recognize either Kitty's screams or her distorted, pained face.
•	Finally, the baby has been delivered, and it's all over.
•	The midwife tells him that the baby is a healthy little boy.
•	The child starts shrieking, and Levin doesn't recognize at first that those cries are coming from his child.
•	Levin is filled with delirious joy. Here is this new person, his son, whom he has to get to know. He can't immediately understand the idea that a child who wasn't here the day before has sudden materialized in his life.
Piggywaspushed · 30/07/2023 12:10

At last!!

FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 30/07/2023 12:11

Three cheers for Kitty! 💥
Hope she gets a nice cup of tea and toast.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 31/07/2023 09:16

31st July
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 16

•	The old Prince (Shcherbatsky, Kitty's father), Koznyshev, Oblonsky, and Levin all sit around chatting about the birth.
•	Levin goes in to see Kitty, who is making plans with her mother for the christening of the boy, who is named Dmitri.
•	Miss Mary cleans the baby and hands him to Levin.
•	That feeling of weird distance Levin experienced at the end of the last chapter, when his son's sudden appearance seemed almost superfluous or excessive, seems to continue here. Instead of some sort of immediate love for his son, Levin feels pity and squeamishness at this weird, red little creature.
•	
•	The baby starts sucking on Kitty's breast, and then sneezes.
•	Levin is a little shocked at the unexpected nature of his emotions. Rather than happiness, he is concerned about this new vulnerability in his life—though he does feel a certain amount of pride and joy when the little baby sneezes.
DesdamonasHandkerchief · 01/08/2023 09:47

1st August
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 17

•	The Oblonsky family barely has any money. Oblonsky believes the problem is that he's not getting paid enough, and so he starts scouting for a better position.
•	The position depends on two Ministers, and requires that Oblonsky visit them in Petersburg. While in Petersburg, Oblonsky had also promised to see Karenin about Anna's divorce.
•	Oblonsky sits with Karenin while Karenin reviews Oblonsky's memo about Russia's finances.
•	He asks Karenin to drop Pomorsky a hint that Oblonsky would be best for the post of the Committee of the Joint Agency of the Mutual Credit Balance of the Southern Railways.
•	
•	After Oblonsky confesses that the chief reason he wants the post is because it carries a better salary, Karenin launches into a bit of a lecture on the excessiveness of salaries and the problem throughout the government of favoritism.
•	Oblonsky argues that the post is new and important, and that it must be conducted with honesty, something Karenin seems less interested in.
•	What follows is a small anti-Semitic segment that demonstrates, in Oblonsky's eyes, how much he has compromised his own noble birth: in begging for this post, he visited a Jewish official, Bolgarinov. Despite Oblonsky's descent from Rurik (one of the early rulers of Russia), Bolgarinov still makes him sit and wait for two hours, as though he were a commoner. He continues to feel awkward about the meeting, and it's making him feel as if he's off on the wrong foot with Karenin.
JamesGiantPledge1 · 01/08/2023 13:03

Finally back up to date with the chapters. I had never thought before of how it must have felt to be the parent of a daughter giving birth at that time when so many women died in childbirth. The fear must have been immense. This book is the first that really brought that home to me.

cassandre · 01/08/2023 18:25

I'm enjoying everyone's comments. After a major character died in childbirth in War and Peace, I was also hugely relieved to see Kitty and her baby son come through all right!

I was also amused by the portrait of Levin as an angsty father-to-be and new father. It does feel kind of timeless! A momentous thing is happening in the man's life, but the woman is the person who really matters.

goodthinking, I agree that the men in this novel often objectify the women, but I think Tolstoy himself makes us aware of this objectification. It's painfully clear sometimes how the female characters are more constrained than the male ones, especially in the case of Anna.

DesdamonasHandkerchief · 02/08/2023 10:35

2nd August
Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 18

•	Oblonsky then brings up the question of Anna's divorce, and he and Karenin discuss the issue.
•	What it comes down to is that Anna is no longer asking for custody of her son, Seryozha. Oblonsky argues that for Anna, the question of a divorce is a question of life or death. He compares her waiting for news of a divorce to a prisoner waiting for news of his acquittal or death sentence.
•	Oblonsky brings up Karenin's former Christian spirit of forgiveness, which clearly upsets Karenin. Karenin ushers Oblonsky out, promising that he'll think it over and give a definite answer the day after tomorrow.
FuzzyCaoraDhubh · 02/08/2023 21:14

It's interesting in chapter 17 that Dolly claims her right to her own fortune for the first time and refuses to put her signature to the receipt of the money, putting pressure on Stepan who doesn't have access to her wealth any more and needs to look for a new position. This was glossed over, but it's significant.

Karenin is being quite a twat by changing his mind on agreeing to a divorce. His shrieking high voice gives a disagreeable impression of him. He doesn't seem to have an argument either to support his view. I suppose he's still being influenced by whatshername.