Russian Life & People Digest
Question by Em: Which Tolstoy book is best to start with?
I want to delve into Tolstoy, but I don’t know if I should start with War and Peace or Anna Karenina
Answers and Views:
Answer by DC
Anna Karenina would be the best bet. I read both novels, and Anna Karenina was a much faster read.
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terry says
Have just started Anna Karenina and agree that to leave the pages of a tolstoy book is a wrenching feeling,have read war and peace and was the best book I ever read.He was a master of the word and observation.
King P says
Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club)
It is a very long book: I read a few chapters a day over a long period of time. Over time the feeling developed that the characters, and Tolstoy himself (in Levin), were people I knew — people with whom I spent some time each day. The philosophy was mind-expanding; I'm sure my views were affected.
For me, the important thing in reading this book was not to try to "get through" it, but to "visit" it as I would visit congenial neighbors. When I finished, I felt loneliness over loss of contact with the characters.
I'm going to read it again some day.
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SOS says
All you need to read is Anna Karenina, then you'll know enough about Tolstoy's ability to put what he observes (recognizes) about humans on paper. Tolstoy's ability to recognize the traits of humans and record the humans he noticed on paper are his strongest abilities.
Chaz1885 says
War and Peace is pretty hard to get through.
I would suggest Anna Karenina.