What an amazing year it's been, and reading this book with you and every one in this group has been an absolute delight. I'm tempted to rush to the end, but I've held out so far lol.
It's been surprisingly easy to read Anna Karenina. No wonder it's considered a classic, so many threads, woven together with flawless dexterity, so many characters yet each one reads like a unique individual. It's also ironical that we know Anna by the very name she's trying to get rid of, through most of the book, her husband's name Karenin.
Dolly's musings on her way to see Anna and her interaction with the woman who lost her child, is one of my absolute favourite parts of the book. For a man of his times, and also knowing of the misogynistic streak in him, it's phenomenal that Leo Tolstoy had the level of insight into a woman's mind, as displayed here. It's truly mind-boggling.
So far, Anna didn't have my sympathy, but now that we are near the end of the book, I'm finally beginning to feel for her. Can't wait to complete this marathon year-long project and begin The Brothers Karamazov!
Thank you for such lovely comments and insights, Poonam! I completely agree about Tolstoy – his empathy and skill at translating that into words is truly mind-boggling. Thank you so much for reading along this year – and very much looking forward to reading together in 2026!
Is Tolstoy misogynistic or is he reflecting the misogyny of his time? I don't know the answer, but it's always tricky to ascribe a quality to a writer from their writing.
So much happening in this section (as in the rest of the book) and I'm fascinated by how both the characters and, I suspect, some readers change their views of other people.
The section where Dolly visited reminded me of the second act of 'La Traviata'. It's a not dissimilar situation - a woman and her lover escaping to the country - and although they appear happy, you know it can't last. Although you'd like to think 'if only they could stay like this, everything would be OK', deep down you can see tragedy on the horizon.
I thought it was interesting when Dolly started to warm to Vronsky. It reminds us of the charm that Anna saw when she first met him, and how easily anybody can be thrown off guard. And his stinginess in small things set against his generosity for others is quite telling - although his generosity does seem quite performative.
The politics section had me hooked - even if I'm not sure I totally followed what was going on (a bit like Levin). It not only showed us Levin and Vronsky, but it also showed the latter having a good time away from Anna. You have to admit that doesn't bode well. I was also taken with how the men at the election talked about the land. Rather like Ranevskaya in 'The Cherry Orchard' there seems to be a stronger bond with the land - I remember somebody suggesting that we should see the serfs as belonging to the land rather than the landowners.
But the election wouldn't have been out of place in 'The Thick Of It'. (Apologies for so many external references this week.) It's all pomp and conspiracy - I mean, what's not to love? You really are left with the impression that the nobility shouldn't be expected to run a bath, let alone the country.
But then, when Vronsky goes back to Anna, we see all the fault lines opening up. Anna can see that what she is doing won't work, but she does it anyway. Vronsky seems to put up a bit of a shield. And then the plan to go to Moscow and get a divorce - it feels like putting the cart before the horse. Without the divorce, Anna and Vronsky are likely to have a poor time of it as a couple in Moscow and I can't imagine Anna taking that well.
I'm so glad that we're reading this over longer than a year - if we were finishing at the year end, we would have had a lousy Christmas.
Wonderful comments, as ever, Bren! Thank you so much. I love the idea of the elections scene appearing in The Thick of It. And good point about the ending and Christmas! We can cling to the hope that all will turn out well . . .
I'm going to be an outlier and a curmudgeon this month. Henry called the election section a tour de force; Bren was hooked. This is where we part ways.
I have loved the many places "Anna Karenina" has taken us and the many people we've spent time with because everything ultimately adds to our understanding of Anna's story. Anna isn't present for chapters and chapters at a time, but the characters we spend time with hold a lens for us to examine things Anna thinks and does -- or that she ought to.
That wasn't my experience with the election sequence. Maybe it's because it came between the poignantly observed scenes with Dolly and then with Vronsky. With the elections, I didn't learn anything I didn't already know about Levin or Vronsky. I suppose you could say I didn't exactly learn anything new about Anna and Dolly, either. Still, their thoughts and actions and conversations enriched my understanding. For me, the election sequence didn't impart understanding about anything beyond Russian election arcana.
To dig this hole even deeper -- and I admit I'm trying to goose the comments to see how much of an outlier I am; does anyone agree or am I just being impatient? -- I found the section endless. I asked a friend once how he'd liked a play, and he replied, "I looked at my watch at midnight and it was 9:00." For me, I started reading the election sequence last week and I finished it sometime next month.
Ha! Thanks so much for this Alan. I know exactly what you mean. That section doesn't do a huge amount to advance the plot – and it feels like part of Tolstoy's agenda is to comment on the 'state of the nation' in 1870s Russia, which doesn't feel especially relevant to us today. (Also it doesn't have the same transcendent quality as the mowing digressions, for instance.) So I think you're completely justified in your view! I did enjoy the sequence – I think because it's such a specific window on to a time and place. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the descriptions of the pellmell crowd scenes. But it's great to get your thoughts – and well done for getting through to next month!
I was so bored this month and relate to your time-warp comment. I decided it was intentional on Tolstoy's part for me to be bored and confused during the election. And to find the whole thing to be a farce; Bren's comment below is on point: "the nobility shouldn't be expected to run a bath, let alone the country".
And Anna. Oh, Anna. I'm mostly disappointed in her. Morphine?! I still do have a lot of sympathy for her, though. Remembering back to what we learned of her marriage and how she was never happy - disgusted even and possibly from the start of it. In her day, she has no agency as a woman. She has two crappy options: be loyal and unhappy or be disloyal and somewhat happy. She won't win no matter what. The biggest emotion I'm feeling in her story, though, is sadness for both of her children.
In the comments on a post about why women of the last generation looked older than women of the same age today someone brought up the Rolling Stones’ song Mother’s Little Helper. Tolstoy told us Anna was not the only one. Morphine was the Mothers’ Little Helper of its day.
I compare the election sequence to Tolstoy’s going on and on about war strategy in War and Peace. I am surprised that he held out to this late point in the novel to insert this kind of stuff! I think this episode gave Tolstoy an opportunity to show us a bit more insight into the personalities of the male characters. Levin is more comfortable with the servants than with his peers and doesn’t see the need for silly political machinations. In fact I was afraid that when he returned to the hall after the voting that he was going to discover that they had elected him in his absence, lol. Vronsky is discovering that he has an aptitude for the life that he and Anna have built, but he is becoming bored with Anna herself, as if they were really married, just like Stiva with Dolly.
It is also interesting to compare Dolly from her visit to Anna, with her patched dress and obvious concern for financial straits, to Stiva at the elections, in his element. Tolstoy inserted a tiny but telling detail of Stiva pulling a fine handkerchief from his pocket, which immediately reminded me of poor Dolly trying to hold everything together while Stiva lives a carefree life, not considering how lucky he is to have Dolly.
I’m very much looking forward to The Brothers Karamazov. The subtlety and compassion of Anna Karenina has astonished me - not what I was expecting at all.
Finding other people with more than a casual interest is more of a God-send than I can put into words. It's beennan intellectual desert forvso many yesrd.
Don't take me wrong. I LOVE my very different friends of different interests! How dull would be my world.
I'm 77, I'll health , so I knowbi didn't have much more time
I readbKaramaxove 18 years ago. I knew it was saying a lot more than zi was compressing. I've read many commentaries. With your course, I got both the audio,kindle versions.
The behavior of both parties reminded me of the personal hrll my 2nd wife put me through. (Never remarried. Journalist-auther William Shirer, surmisedvthis mightbhave been avthinky veiled account of thevTolstoy marriage. I hope not)
I know we’re not quite done with Tolstoy, but I wanted to say thank you. I’ve been a quiet devotee - I don’t have much to add in the way of comments and analysis, but I’ve been here, taking in every word. It’s been one of the best reading experiences of my life, and one of the best things that happened this year. Thank you so, so much.
I agree Lindsay , reading either Henry and the group had been a great experience, I am learning so much, and Henry’s videos and comments and history and context references are so good.
I’m really looking forward to The Brothers Karamazov. I haven’t read anything with this group yet. I’m wondering how it works. Do we discuss here, on substack, or is there another platform?
Thanks for asking Nikki! Here is a little more about how it works: https://henryeliot.substack.com/about#§how-do-the-read-alongs-work Essentially we read the same section at the same time – and then I post a short video with my thoughts (through Substack) – and we have a group chat in the comment section below. Looking forward to reading with you!
I am going to join for the Brothers. I really enjoyed reading Beloved with you, even if it made me lose my will to live. I am also going to join for The Call of the Wild but not sure i will be able to handle dog death, so we will see.
Totally get you, I skipped as much as I could of the kitten-killing episode, yet ended up reading much more than I'd have liked to, in "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea". It was difficult.
I re-read The Brothers K this year. I had read it in high school, maybe 30 years ago. Turns out I barely remembered anything. That's OK. It was great to re-experience it again.
One of the reasons I wanted to read it is I had started to study The Existentialists and learned about their idea that what you do in life is more important than who you believe to be inside (existence precedes essence, as Sartre liked to say)
So I heard that they really liked the book. And I can see why.
Dostoevsky insists that all the Karamazovs have very much the same nature, but they all live so differently. It really does demonstrate that idea.
And it's a great story too, tho I never love courtroom dramas, a lot happens before it gets to that. Loved it. What a book. And that final speech by Alyosha.... every time.
Thanks so much for this! It's great to hear about your rereading experience. If you felt like keeping in touch with our read-along and sharing your insights from time to time we'd really appreciate it!
I know those things tend to sort of end up being communities and I probably can't make the full commitment, but it's nice to think of folks doing that.
It's such a great book. A family drama. A mystery. Two love triangles! So many things.
I am so late in my comments this week. I’ve always admire and love when a male author is able to write about women thoughts and feeling and Tolstoy does it so well! I loved the section about Dolly reflecting in her life so dedicated to her family and comparing it to a supposedly fairy tale of being always in love and living an adventure she thought Anna’s life was. And she cannot wait to comeback home. And poor Anna! It’s hard for me to empathise with her - how she express she doesn’t really love the baby girl - but still poor her. Talking about authors that can dig beautifully into women’s soul, Javier Maria was a Spanish author that did it so well. He died two years ago, but left so many fantastic books (this is me bragging about Spanish literature). So looking forward to Brothers Karamazov next year! I’ve already bought the edition you recommended, Henry.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for your thoughts Claudia. And thank you for the Javier Marias recommendation! What titles would you recommend? I have a few (in translation) including the Your Face Tomorrow sequence, but I haven’t read any yet!
I think Javier Marias’ best book is A heart so white. And the book in which I believed he did his best in describing a women’s perspective is The Infatuations. I hope you read them one day and like them !
I've never joined such a group before. Is it vital to have the recommended version? How difficult would it be for me to follow along reading Pevear & Volokhonsky's version which I already own? Thank you.
New to this site. Exactly HOW will the discussion about The Brothers Karamazov take place? Will there be a dedicated 'chat room' at a set and limited time, or what? Will notifications or chat need to be 'turned on' ? Thanks.
Thanks Mike! It’s great to hear from you. Here is a little about how our read-alongs work: https://henryeliot.substack.com/about#§how-do-the-read-alongs-work Essentially we read the same sections at the same time – then I post regular videos with my thoughts and we have a conversation in the comments section below. So there’s no ‘live’ element. I hope you’ll be able to join us!
- "On Friday 11th December we’ll discuss the first half of Book Twelve: Judicial Mistake, Chapters 1-5."
- "On Friday 1st January 2027 we’ll discuss the second half of Book Twelve: Judicial Mistake, Chapters 6-10 and the Epilogue."
I have the Oxford World's Classic edition that you mentioned earlier. It has 14 chapters in Book Twelve, and then the Epilogue. Should the chapters for our two weeks of Book Twelve be revised? Thank you.
You're absolutely right! Thanks so much for spotting that. Our final conversation will be about the second half of Book Twelve: Chapters 6-14 and the Epilogue. Thanks for spotting that slip! I've corrected it on our schedule: https://henryeliot.substack.com/i/179893899/how-will-we-read-it
What an amazing year it's been, and reading this book with you and every one in this group has been an absolute delight. I'm tempted to rush to the end, but I've held out so far lol.
It's been surprisingly easy to read Anna Karenina. No wonder it's considered a classic, so many threads, woven together with flawless dexterity, so many characters yet each one reads like a unique individual. It's also ironical that we know Anna by the very name she's trying to get rid of, through most of the book, her husband's name Karenin.
Dolly's musings on her way to see Anna and her interaction with the woman who lost her child, is one of my absolute favourite parts of the book. For a man of his times, and also knowing of the misogynistic streak in him, it's phenomenal that Leo Tolstoy had the level of insight into a woman's mind, as displayed here. It's truly mind-boggling.
So far, Anna didn't have my sympathy, but now that we are near the end of the book, I'm finally beginning to feel for her. Can't wait to complete this marathon year-long project and begin The Brothers Karamazov!
Thank you for such lovely comments and insights, Poonam! I completely agree about Tolstoy – his empathy and skill at translating that into words is truly mind-boggling. Thank you so much for reading along this year – and very much looking forward to reading together in 2026!
Is Tolstoy misogynistic or is he reflecting the misogyny of his time? I don't know the answer, but it's always tricky to ascribe a quality to a writer from their writing.
Was basing the term on what I've read of his treatment of his wife. He was horrendous.
So much happening in this section (as in the rest of the book) and I'm fascinated by how both the characters and, I suspect, some readers change their views of other people.
The section where Dolly visited reminded me of the second act of 'La Traviata'. It's a not dissimilar situation - a woman and her lover escaping to the country - and although they appear happy, you know it can't last. Although you'd like to think 'if only they could stay like this, everything would be OK', deep down you can see tragedy on the horizon.
I thought it was interesting when Dolly started to warm to Vronsky. It reminds us of the charm that Anna saw when she first met him, and how easily anybody can be thrown off guard. And his stinginess in small things set against his generosity for others is quite telling - although his generosity does seem quite performative.
The politics section had me hooked - even if I'm not sure I totally followed what was going on (a bit like Levin). It not only showed us Levin and Vronsky, but it also showed the latter having a good time away from Anna. You have to admit that doesn't bode well. I was also taken with how the men at the election talked about the land. Rather like Ranevskaya in 'The Cherry Orchard' there seems to be a stronger bond with the land - I remember somebody suggesting that we should see the serfs as belonging to the land rather than the landowners.
But the election wouldn't have been out of place in 'The Thick Of It'. (Apologies for so many external references this week.) It's all pomp and conspiracy - I mean, what's not to love? You really are left with the impression that the nobility shouldn't be expected to run a bath, let alone the country.
But then, when Vronsky goes back to Anna, we see all the fault lines opening up. Anna can see that what she is doing won't work, but she does it anyway. Vronsky seems to put up a bit of a shield. And then the plan to go to Moscow and get a divorce - it feels like putting the cart before the horse. Without the divorce, Anna and Vronsky are likely to have a poor time of it as a couple in Moscow and I can't imagine Anna taking that well.
I'm so glad that we're reading this over longer than a year - if we were finishing at the year end, we would have had a lousy Christmas.
Wonderful comments, as ever, Bren! Thank you so much. I love the idea of the elections scene appearing in The Thick of It. And good point about the ending and Christmas! We can cling to the hope that all will turn out well . . .
I'm going to be an outlier and a curmudgeon this month. Henry called the election section a tour de force; Bren was hooked. This is where we part ways.
I have loved the many places "Anna Karenina" has taken us and the many people we've spent time with because everything ultimately adds to our understanding of Anna's story. Anna isn't present for chapters and chapters at a time, but the characters we spend time with hold a lens for us to examine things Anna thinks and does -- or that she ought to.
That wasn't my experience with the election sequence. Maybe it's because it came between the poignantly observed scenes with Dolly and then with Vronsky. With the elections, I didn't learn anything I didn't already know about Levin or Vronsky. I suppose you could say I didn't exactly learn anything new about Anna and Dolly, either. Still, their thoughts and actions and conversations enriched my understanding. For me, the election sequence didn't impart understanding about anything beyond Russian election arcana.
To dig this hole even deeper -- and I admit I'm trying to goose the comments to see how much of an outlier I am; does anyone agree or am I just being impatient? -- I found the section endless. I asked a friend once how he'd liked a play, and he replied, "I looked at my watch at midnight and it was 9:00." For me, I started reading the election sequence last week and I finished it sometime next month.
Ha! Thanks so much for this Alan. I know exactly what you mean. That section doesn't do a huge amount to advance the plot – and it feels like part of Tolstoy's agenda is to comment on the 'state of the nation' in 1870s Russia, which doesn't feel especially relevant to us today. (Also it doesn't have the same transcendent quality as the mowing digressions, for instance.) So I think you're completely justified in your view! I did enjoy the sequence – I think because it's such a specific window on to a time and place. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the descriptions of the pellmell crowd scenes. But it's great to get your thoughts – and well done for getting through to next month!
I was so bored this month and relate to your time-warp comment. I decided it was intentional on Tolstoy's part for me to be bored and confused during the election. And to find the whole thing to be a farce; Bren's comment below is on point: "the nobility shouldn't be expected to run a bath, let alone the country".
And Anna. Oh, Anna. I'm mostly disappointed in her. Morphine?! I still do have a lot of sympathy for her, though. Remembering back to what we learned of her marriage and how she was never happy - disgusted even and possibly from the start of it. In her day, she has no agency as a woman. She has two crappy options: be loyal and unhappy or be disloyal and somewhat happy. She won't win no matter what. The biggest emotion I'm feeling in her story, though, is sadness for both of her children.
In the comments on a post about why women of the last generation looked older than women of the same age today someone brought up the Rolling Stones’ song Mother’s Little Helper. Tolstoy told us Anna was not the only one. Morphine was the Mothers’ Little Helper of its day.
!!!
I compare the election sequence to Tolstoy’s going on and on about war strategy in War and Peace. I am surprised that he held out to this late point in the novel to insert this kind of stuff! I think this episode gave Tolstoy an opportunity to show us a bit more insight into the personalities of the male characters. Levin is more comfortable with the servants than with his peers and doesn’t see the need for silly political machinations. In fact I was afraid that when he returned to the hall after the voting that he was going to discover that they had elected him in his absence, lol. Vronsky is discovering that he has an aptitude for the life that he and Anna have built, but he is becoming bored with Anna herself, as if they were really married, just like Stiva with Dolly.
It is also interesting to compare Dolly from her visit to Anna, with her patched dress and obvious concern for financial straits, to Stiva at the elections, in his element. Tolstoy inserted a tiny but telling detail of Stiva pulling a fine handkerchief from his pocket, which immediately reminded me of poor Dolly trying to hold everything together while Stiva lives a carefree life, not considering how lucky he is to have Dolly.
Great thoughts Donna – that contrast between Dolly's patched dress and Stiva's fine handkerchief is so telling. Thank you for pointing that out!
Thank you Henry!
I agree Alan. I’m afraid that I found the election sequence tedious. I felt Levin’s discomfort and, like him, found myself seeking distractions!
I’m very much looking forward to The Brothers Karamazov. The subtlety and compassion of Anna Karenina has astonished me - not what I was expecting at all.
Wonderful! I'm looking forward to it too!
Finding other people with more than a casual interest is more of a God-send than I can put into words. It's beennan intellectual desert forvso many yesrd.
Don't take me wrong. I LOVE my very different friends of different interests! How dull would be my world.
I'm 77, I'll health , so I knowbi didn't have much more time
I readbKaramaxove 18 years ago. I knew it was saying a lot more than zi was compressing. I've read many commentaries. With your course, I got both the audio,kindle versions.
The behavior of both parties reminded me of the personal hrll my 2nd wife put me through. (Never remarried. Journalist-auther William Shirer, surmisedvthis mightbhave been avthinky veiled account of thevTolstoy marriage. I hope not)
It is nice to have this community of readers when many of the people we know in real life just roll their eyes when we want to talk about literature.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts David – I really appreciate it. It's great to have you reading with us.
I know we’re not quite done with Tolstoy, but I wanted to say thank you. I’ve been a quiet devotee - I don’t have much to add in the way of comments and analysis, but I’ve been here, taking in every word. It’s been one of the best reading experiences of my life, and one of the best things that happened this year. Thank you so, so much.
I’m so thrilled to hear that Lindsay! Thank you so much for writing – and for your very kind words. I really appreciate it.
I agree Lindsay , reading either Henry and the group had been a great experience, I am learning so much, and Henry’s videos and comments and history and context references are so good.
Thanks you so much Claudia – I really appreciate these kind words.
I’m really looking forward to The Brothers Karamazov. I haven’t read anything with this group yet. I’m wondering how it works. Do we discuss here, on substack, or is there another platform?
Thanks for asking Nikki! Here is a little more about how it works: https://henryeliot.substack.com/about#§how-do-the-read-alongs-work Essentially we read the same section at the same time – and then I post a short video with my thoughts (through Substack) – and we have a group chat in the comment section below. Looking forward to reading with you!
I am going to join for the Brothers. I really enjoyed reading Beloved with you, even if it made me lose my will to live. I am also going to join for The Call of the Wild but not sure i will be able to handle dog death, so we will see.
Totally get you, I skipped as much as I could of the kitten-killing episode, yet ended up reading much more than I'd have liked to, in "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea". It was difficult.
Great news! It'll be great to have you on board. See you in January for Russia and Alaska . . .
You know, I read The Brothers Karamazov years ago and didn't get it. I think I'll join in with this and see if I view it differently this time.
Me too!
I re-read The Brothers K this year. I had read it in high school, maybe 30 years ago. Turns out I barely remembered anything. That's OK. It was great to re-experience it again.
One of the reasons I wanted to read it is I had started to study The Existentialists and learned about their idea that what you do in life is more important than who you believe to be inside (existence precedes essence, as Sartre liked to say)
So I heard that they really liked the book. And I can see why.
Dostoevsky insists that all the Karamazovs have very much the same nature, but they all live so differently. It really does demonstrate that idea.
And it's a great story too, tho I never love courtroom dramas, a lot happens before it gets to that. Loved it. What a book. And that final speech by Alyosha.... every time.
Thanks so much for this! It's great to hear about your rereading experience. If you felt like keeping in touch with our read-along and sharing your insights from time to time we'd really appreciate it!
Yeah I might pop in!
I know those things tend to sort of end up being communities and I probably can't make the full commitment, but it's nice to think of folks doing that.
It's such a great book. A family drama. A mystery. Two love triangles! So many things.
I am so late in my comments this week. I’ve always admire and love when a male author is able to write about women thoughts and feeling and Tolstoy does it so well! I loved the section about Dolly reflecting in her life so dedicated to her family and comparing it to a supposedly fairy tale of being always in love and living an adventure she thought Anna’s life was. And she cannot wait to comeback home. And poor Anna! It’s hard for me to empathise with her - how she express she doesn’t really love the baby girl - but still poor her. Talking about authors that can dig beautifully into women’s soul, Javier Maria was a Spanish author that did it so well. He died two years ago, but left so many fantastic books (this is me bragging about Spanish literature). So looking forward to Brothers Karamazov next year! I’ve already bought the edition you recommended, Henry.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for your thoughts Claudia. And thank you for the Javier Marias recommendation! What titles would you recommend? I have a few (in translation) including the Your Face Tomorrow sequence, but I haven’t read any yet!
I think Javier Marias’ best book is A heart so white. And the book in which I believed he did his best in describing a women’s perspective is The Infatuations. I hope you read them one day and like them !
Thanks so much for these recommendations! I look forward to reading them . . . Much appreciated!
I've never joined such a group before. Is it vital to have the recommended version? How difficult would it be for me to follow along reading Pevear & Volokhonsky's version which I already own? Thank you.
It would be lovely to have you join us! And absolutely no problem reading the P&V translation – I hear good things about it. Here is what I posted about the different translations a couple of weeks ago: https://henryeliot.substack.com/p/the-sailor-who-fell-from-grace-from?open=false#%C2%A7the-brothers-karamazov-translations
How will the discussions on Brothers K take place and at what time? Do you guys get on Zoom or what? Thanks!
Hi Ron – here is a little more about how our read-alongs work: https://henryeliot.substack.com/about#§how-do-the-read-alongs-work Essentially we all read the same sections at the same time and then I post regular videos with my thoughts and we have a group discussion in the comments sections underneath. Here is the reading schedule for Brothers Karamazov: https://henryeliot.substack.com/i/179893899/read-along-the-brothers-karamazov All best wishes and I look forward to reading with you! Henry
New to this site. Exactly HOW will the discussion about The Brothers Karamazov take place? Will there be a dedicated 'chat room' at a set and limited time, or what? Will notifications or chat need to be 'turned on' ? Thanks.
Thanks Mike! It’s great to hear from you. Here is a little about how our read-alongs work: https://henryeliot.substack.com/about#§how-do-the-read-alongs-work Essentially we read the same sections at the same time – then I post regular videos with my thoughts and we have a conversation in the comments section below. So there’s no ‘live’ element. I hope you’ll be able to join us!
Easy peasy! I'll get my 1969 Penguin Classics edition out. I last read this at college when I was 17.
Wonderful! It will be fascinating to hear what rereading is like.
Hi Henry - For The Karamazov Brothers schedule:
- "On Friday 11th December we’ll discuss the first half of Book Twelve: Judicial Mistake, Chapters 1-5."
- "On Friday 1st January 2027 we’ll discuss the second half of Book Twelve: Judicial Mistake, Chapters 6-10 and the Epilogue."
I have the Oxford World's Classic edition that you mentioned earlier. It has 14 chapters in Book Twelve, and then the Epilogue. Should the chapters for our two weeks of Book Twelve be revised? Thank you.
You're absolutely right! Thanks so much for spotting that. Our final conversation will be about the second half of Book Twelve: Chapters 6-14 and the Epilogue. Thanks for spotting that slip! I've corrected it on our schedule: https://henryeliot.substack.com/i/179893899/how-will-we-read-it
Thanks for the excuse to finally get to TBK! Looking forward to being a part of it.
Thanks Paul! I’m looking forward to reading with you.