The Book Club: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy with Inez Stepman | The Book Club

When Anna arrives at the train station and meets Vronsky for the first time, she says the death at the station was a bad omen. But her remarks are ignored by her brother

One of my favorite books of all time. It’s a shame that no one has produced a worthy film adaptation. Especially since it so clearly has a through line that lends itself to adaptation.

Great analysis

this video was so disappointing - coded or rather coated in misogyny and a flat reading of a dynamic and perspective shifting epic.

A preppie in costume and "mind". Put on some socks, for ....'s sake.

Now I have to reread it. It’s been about ten years. Thanks, guys. SOO many books I want to reread! Life it too short.

Levin's feelings towards his son are a typical male reaction. Guys tend to be underwhelmed by babies when they are newborn and find them kinda boring. They start warming up when the baby is around 5-6 mo. and start developing a personality.

I think Anna's husband was a bit on the spectrum.

Just finished the book. So glad I found this video to help me reflect on it. Excellent conversation and review!

Thanks for the instant end spoiler... I'd read the first few chapters and wanted to hear what you'd say about it and this lady went 0-60 in spoiling the ultimate fate of the titular character. FFS.

I kind of disagree, I think that Anna IS lustful. She’s shown selfishness and choosing the supposed love of her life over her children and in return Vronsky’s love is selfish as well. If it pains her to leave the child why allow it to happen if you love her so much? Although it doesn’t seem she cared about the children regardless. What would the future have looked like if it were just the two of them? No children? Including the children she’s already had? Seems depressing. They may have loved each other but there was definitely lust especially how quickly it seemed they fell for one another. Also I love Knowles but don’t like this conservative take on the novel, it’s drawn out too much considering this is pre-revolutionary Russia.

Oh conservatives are trying to understand classical literature 😅😅

Everyone is my university Russian Lit. class took the side of Anna. Im glad im not the only one who disagrees

I’m currently reading this book, I have nothing more or even equally profound to add to the profundity of the themes discussed in this episode, as I’m only about a quarter of the way through it. I just want to add that this book is thus far extraordinary well written. Beautiful and masterful, even. I highly recommend it to lovers of literature. Beginners, veterans, and everything in between.

Just finished it.

What a great conversation!

When you talk about how their affair would have been more accepted if they had been dishonest about it. Is Tolstoy showing that, whether we choose a moral or immoral life, we cannot do anything by halves? It is all or nothing.

How come you are not speaking about a novel with exactly the same plot: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin? Tolstoy was notorious for copying Austin's characters. It's a pity that a really good and original novel gets forgotten. Also, it's not Levin (a Jewish last name), but Lyovin (Russian letter ë is read as yoh, although it looks like e).

I laugh always at conservatives who are praising Leftists, socialists and anarchists

Can the Book Club come up with reading suggestions for teens? I can find good reading for my younger kids but when it comes to clean reading that contains life lessons it's hard to know where to start. Things like To Build a Fire by Jack London but not so juvenile like Swiss Family Robinson but not so mature like 1984.

"Everybody knows" --- actually, no. I didn't. Warn about spoilers, please.

The russian authors are my favorite. Can i get book clubs on the following books: master and margharita, one day in the life of ivan denisovich, gulag archipelago, and crime and punishment. I need jordan peterson for the last one. Also can i get one on the satanic verses by rushdie. Bloody brilliant novel

Gracious guest

We are not able to live up to Christ’s example and so therefore we have to deal with what happens with our best intentions to the shit storm that occurs afterwards.

May I suggest that you also discuss Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" and Herman Hesse's "Narcissus and Goldmund"? 🙏 Thank you.

I am ticked off!! I was curious about what kind of channel this is, I have this book, just bought it and duper excited about reading it, and you did not disclose you had spoilers at the beginning of this. and just told what happened at the end!!!!! UNBELIEVABLY!!!!!

I would love for you all to discuss “ideas have consequences” by Richard Weaver. I’m finishing it now. It is an insightful work for the 20th century.

Ugh Michel you should talk about “The house of Mirth” it’s has such social relevance for today!

My favorite actress - Kareena Kapoor was named after her mother read this book during her pregnancy (Karenina -> Kareena) and that's how I found out about this book.

Now I have to read another very long book. Incidentally, Tolstoy was a Georgist and an opponent of socialism. I'll have to pay particular attention to the reformers Micheal described, as his description of them sounds like they are more or less Marxist.

Ugh. Just ugh.

Haven’t read it yet but I think I am Anna … 😞

God is love, God is just. Love without law is impossible. Obedience to Torah IS love.

I heard so many times about Anna Karenina growing up, but unfortunately I haven’t read the book. Now that I want to read it, I didn’t like the fact that Michael told that Anna killed herself at the end. Bummer!

Boo books

Honestly I did not like this book. I hated the heroine, hated the foil character, hated the foil character's wife, hated Anna's husband, hated Anna's love interest, hated Anna's brother, hated Dolly, and yes, everyone else too! Its a book that was written during the patriarchy of the Russian Empire and written by an adulterous man named Tolstoy. Oh and, supposedly Tolstoy's courtship of his wife, was the basis for Levin and Kitty's courtship. War and Peace is way better and the characters for me personally are way more relatable.

Read it back in high school, and found it confusing considering the respectable character wasn't the main character. Read it again a few years ago after my marriage failed...and had a far more profound understanding and respect for Aleksei, Konstantin, and Kitty.

The quote about travel is from Emerson. That is one of my favorite quotes of his!

This was such a great deep dive. 😍📖

The Catholic in Michael Knowles couldn't just let slide the idea that the so-called love decoupled with virtue is sort of excusable haha

I hated “Anna Karenina” so much when I read it that I would have pushed her in front of that train if she hadn’t jumped herself. After watching this analysis, I’m thinking I might need to reread it. I’m not sure you’ve done me any favor.

I though Anna was unable to take her child for the same reason Kate in Godfather II lost then to Michael...

Excellent show! Thank You.

Faulkner's 3 favorite novels...bad math, great line...

Just finished the book yesterday, impeccable timing.

that was awesome! Now i'm gonna read it.. I chose War and Peace over that one so maybe we can cris cross 😮

Trains as a symbol of modernity is such a strong and moving theme that Tolstoy portrays. Thank you Knowlestredamus for pointing that out!

4th, 18 October 2022