Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy – translated by Nathan Haskell Dole, read by MaryAnn Spiegel
Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina (first published in 1877) is a monumental work of world literature, often hailed as one of the greatest novels ever written. Set against the glittering yet rigid backdrop of Tsarist Russia, it intertwines two parallel love stories that explore passion, morality, and the search for meaning.
Anna, trapped in a loveless marriage, falls under the spell of the charismatic cavalry officer Count Vronsky. Their affair shocks society and leads her down a tragic path of desire, isolation, and despair. In contrast, the landowner Konstantin Levin struggles with questions of purpose and belonging, ultimately finding fulfillment through love, family, and connection to the land.Through these intertwined narratives, Tolstoy examines the complexities of human emotion, social expectation, and the eternal quest for happiness.
