Anna Karenina. Nearly two inches thick and a hardcover copy weighing in at about one and a half pounds. At first glance tackling one of Tolstoy’s giants appears a cumbersome task, and I think some readers might even be deterred from attempting such a voluminous work for a fear of not being able to finish the story even though it has achieved a “classic” status.
Though I have not yet even reached the halfway mark, if any such fears existed before they are certainly gone now. Originally published in the 1870s it is still engrossing, and I think its engaging style is part of what makes the classics classic. The ability to transcend context and continue speaking long after generational expiration dates have passed is no small task, but is very meaningful and enjoyable to read.
Never dull or theatrical, it hasn’t taken long to discover what makes Anna K. a classic, and while Russian realism may not scream “Summer Reading,” looking past page numbers and taking on a giant in literature promises no regrets.
-John P.
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