Those who have been following my progress through Tolstoy’s massive novel Anna Karenina will be pleased to know that as of today, August 11, 2009, I completed my first reading of it.
I say first reading because Mortimer Adler stresses that to really come to grips with a book requires multiple readings. As well, several of the readers of this blog have confessed to multiple readings. Will there be for me a second reading of this book?
That was the question that came to me around page 700. Yes, I read novels slowly, and only at night and on vacation. And, yes, this being the heart of baseball season, I had been consuming some of my reading time watching (with increasing levels of frustration) the Tampa Bay Rays on television. But as Tolstoy seated me as observer to yet another political discussion by his characters, I told myself that there would by no means ever be a second reading of this book. It was just taking too, too long.
I confessed this, and was told, “Wait – something BIG is yet to happen.”
It did, and I’m not likely ever to forget it.
Tolstoy uses a lot of words, but he is not wordy. Words and situations are carefully chosen to clearly and precisely introduce us to a society of people who, though created 130 years ago, are as modern and relevant as any you and I meet today. At the center of it are two: young, beautiful, passionate Anna, and sober, thoughtful, suffering Levin. They are so real to me, having spent the past two and a half months with them, that one would be hard pressed to persuade me that they no longer exist.
And in a very important sense, they do exist. Or shall I say that WE exist with elements of both, in differing proportions, within us.
Yes, I wanted Tolstoy to snap it along. I wanted a quicker pace and less detail about Russian politics, farming, peasant life, and social conventions. But now that I have completed it, I’m not sure what I would have eliminated. Moby Dick without long dissertations on whaling would no longer be Moby Dick.
So, will I read it a second time? Perhaps. Hard to say. But thanks to those who urged me to read it the first time, and to press on when wanting to abandon ship at page 700!
Staci Thomas
Beautifully written review, I must say. Relevant. That is the most gorgeous thing about the book. Oh, so very relevant. Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Gus/Adri
We are so glad you finished; it was well worth it. Also glad you are considering a second reading. Agree with Staci re your review. –aeStarted reading four short stories by LT including The death of Ivan Ilich, given to me by David R.-ge