Anna Karenina: Part the First

So, after an entire night of trying to figure out how to actually set up these posts, I've decided to just start talking about the books and probably fall into some sort of general theme as I go on.

My first thought, honestly, when I started Anna, was 'oh, no, not more Jane Austen'. It starts in a house where the husband's had an affair, and the wife's in a tizzy. Yaaaawn. Just another comedy of manners, but this time with unpronouncable names I thought. I really couldn't be more wrong.

Backing up, though. Anna, the title character, doesn't even turn up in conversation until about the fourth chapter as an off-hand mention, and much later in person. I know that this is a typical way of doing things, but it's a bit frustrating. If this novel's supposedly about her, then why isn't she in more of the novel? Up to where I currently am (about halfway through the entire thing), she's been in about a third of the thing. I'm not necessarily complaining, but it's a bit odd.

Not to mention that Anna started out reminding me of my best friend, but is now reminding me of a pain-in-the-arse person I knew once. She's wilting because of her situation instead of stepping up and grabbing it. Sure, that's the way the time period was, however, Anna could do one heck of a lot more in her situation than just sit back and wilt.

Other than Anna wilting, the rest of the characters in the novel seem to be more apt to take what they want and run with it, which is somewhat refreshing. All in all, it seems grittier than my first thought of Jane Austen, with much more religion, politics, and actual problems than the light comedies of manners that I remember.

So far, I'm really enjoying myself with this one. Its Russian style, and, I must say, excellently worded translation are very catching. One minor complaint, however. For the love of everything that's holy, Tolstoy, a bit of time explanation would be nice! He jumps from time to time between chapters, almost without explaining where or when he's going. Sometimes, he even jumps -back- in time and tells something from another characters' perspective. Ow my head! It's not horrible, but it does make for a bit slower reading, because I have to turn back every so often.

So, off I go to the second, and from what I understand, darker half of the book. Here goes nothing!

Oh, one last thing. I thought that it would be amusing to highlight some amusing lines or phrases from each day's reading, either impactful or just amusing. Today, I bring you, from the description of a certain visiting prince: "he had attained such strength that, despite the intemperance with which he gave himself up to pleasure, he was as fresh as a big, green, waxy, Dutch cucumber." Um, what? A -cucumber-? I really don't know if I even want to know where that comes from.

Until tomorrow!

Days: 363
Books: 100

Tolstoy and The Ponderous Russian Tome

I've never been one to shrink from a challenge, and as I am currently jobless, I've decided to take on two of the thickest and longest books on the list: Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

After scanning a few of the copies from different translators, I was pleased to find the library had a copy of each from the same pair of translators. Win!

So, let's start, shall we?

Anna Karenina and what is said by most to be the biggest doorstop book ever, War and Peace were written in Tzarist Russia (1860s-1870s) by Count Leo Tolstoy. Said Tolstoy was a reluctant academic and solider, preferring to spend most of his life running his family farm with a wife and a number of kids.

Both of these books have made their way into popular culture, Anna Karenina with numerous film, musical, and ballet adaptations, and War and Peace mostly because of its length. However, as familiar as the names of both of these books are, how many people actually know what they're about? I certainly don't hear much discussion about exactly what's going on in War and Peace on the street. Karenina I know slightly more about, but again, not much.

Let's have an adventure, shall we? Off to the land of the Ponderous Russian Tomes!


Days left: 364
Books left: 100

On the future of posts and blogs.

So, before I really get into information about the books themselves, I want to take a moment to explain what I'll be doing for the next year.

My list of 100 books is in the order that the BBC found fitting. Good for them. I'm taking that and throwing it out the window. There are just some things I can't read after each other, not to mention, I am a human being, and I do have a life. Some days or weeks I just can't read Huge Important Books inbetween working and other issues. The order in which I will be reading isn't important, although, there might eventually be a rhyme and reason behind it.

Also, I am a firm believer that understanding a book also includes understanding its history, so before I start reading an author or a book, I'll write a bit about the author and the book or books' impact on history. Hopefully this will bring more to the entire project.

Questions, comments? Throw 'em at me!

The Big Kick-off!

I'm a fangirl. I always have been. When I saw the movie Julie and Julia, I thought... Hey! I can do that.

Well... I can sort of do that. I don't have the money to cook, but I certainly do have the time to read. There are myriad lists of 'the top 100 books' of this or that. I've chosen The BBC's Big Read as my list because, well, I'm bored easily sometimes. This list has some quite varied books, from classic sci-fi to modern sci-fi to childrens' books, and also a splattering of the classics.

I am going to be reading constantly from when I start to a year from that. Hopefully I will be able to finish all of these books (sometimes, perhaps more than one a day, and sometimes one in a week and a half. War and Peace, this means you.) Each day, I will comment on what I've read that day, seriously and sarcastically. I'm hoping that I will have a new perspective on all of these books by the end, and perhaps even find some new favourites. I can't promise that I will love everything I read. I'm a human being. Not everything is to my liking. I do promise, however, that I will make people cry, and I will make people laugh.

So, welcome. Please join me on this journey. I look forward to hearing from you all!