The must-have Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of one of the
greatest Russian novels ever written
Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written and by
Fyodor Dostoevsky as "flawless," Anna Karenina tells of the doomed
love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing
officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless
marriage and thereby exposes herself to the hypocrisies of society. Set
against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia,
the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing
out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on
love and family happiness.
While previous versions have softened the robust and sometimes shocking
qualities of Tolstoy's writing, Pevear and Volokhonsky have produced a
translation true to his powerful voice. This authoritative edition,
which received the PEN Translation Prize and was an Oprah Book Club(TM)
selection, also includes an illuminating introduction and explanatory
notes. Beautiful, vigorous, and eminently readable, this Anna Karenina
will be the definitive text for fans of the film and generations to
come. This Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition also features French flaps
and deckle-edged paper.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.