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I am actually surprised by this as I found Anna Karenina fairly straight forward whereas I prefer the complexity of Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov. However, I will say that Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is in my top three favorite novels.

Why did Anna kill herself? The way I see it is that Tolstoy shows love as an element (tsunami, earthquake, avalanche...). A human being is nothing against it, just a speck of dust. If you find yourself in the middle of tsunami, you know there's no way out. The same is love, if you're struck by it, nothing can save you, nor kids, nor husband's privileged position, nor rules of the society, no sense, no logic. What happens after a tsunami? Destruction, emptiness, death and complete ruin. The same with love after it ended, I think Tolstoy being such a powerful writer made it so dramatic to emphasise this idea. Love is an element and it's a tragedy.

Mine too ,it’s wonderful & gets better after every re read ❤️

I sincerely agree with you. To think that the suicide closes the book misses Levin's transcendence and the whole point of his character growth. So well done, agree with that. The omniscient writing analysis was also interersting, thanks!

Which BBC adaptation are you referring to? 1961, 1977, or 2000?

I find Anna Karenina, in many ways, similar to Princess Diana. They both married older men with a higher status, were not really in love with them, and ended up being adulterous. They both had abandonment issues, were beautiful, and had children they could not raise themselves. They both were rich, part of society, and scorned by society. Princess Diana had invented a new role for herself. But I wonder how desperate she would have been 10 years later, with numerous failed relationships and possibly being cast out. Would she have ended up like Anna? I wouldn't be surprised.

Picked this up at a market a couple weeks ago. From the blurb sounded like a possible horror or have a dark theme and the cat part really shook me compared to the stuff before. Your video shed some light on the whole masculinity view of the boys. Messed up but an intresting read.

Let me say first that I treasure your lectures and videos. There is so little intelligent discussion of literature in the world available to those of us who cannot take University courses. I myself I'm 70 years old, nearly bed banned from arthritis, and constantly seek sustenance for my hungry mind. You ask why Anna kills herself. You seem baffled almost. I, on the other hand, feel that I quite understand why Anna kills herself: Shame and loss, and feeling that she can never be redeemed by the society that's so harshly judges her for her choices as she harshly judges herself. The choices she has made have left her with a loss of her son, her place in society. She is shunned by society for her relationship with Vronsky and even if she could obtain a divorce from her husband it is uncertain in her mind that Vronksy would marry her. She feels as though she has ruined her life and there is no way to recover any of her losses especially her reputation. She cannot face the life she finds herself in, the shame, the damage she has done to people. She does not want to face it and so she runs away into an oncoming train.

Thanks for this, really helpful, whilst I write an essay on short story form, using Chekhov stories.

The first thing I read of his was "Patriotism." It was about a man and his wife who commit sepiku in the traditional way, for traditional reasons. It graphically describes every stage of this self mutilation is described in detail. And not just described, but described beautifully, the ascetics of violence.

So smug, it's difficult to get past to the bit of advice, but I'm powering through!

I was type 3# reading finding Alaska I marked it up quotes questions I had for the author it did make the experience better an meaningful an special in its self

Very Song of Songs - beautiful reading, beautiful voice.

The Chief reminded me of The Judge from Blood Meridian. Similar vibes

I just finished this one, and am thinking about making a review. Have any of your opinions changed since making this video? I really enjoyed listening to your thoughts, it sounds like you really appreciated this novel.

What poems do you recommend for memorizing?

I don't think a person is well read if his 100 list is most by English speaking male authors

There is a literary precursor of the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Namely, the novel, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg; an earlier Scottish writer. It concerns a staunch Calvinist, Robert Wringhim, who, under the influence and persuasion of a sinister and mysterious stranger, called Gil-Martin, believes that he is saved and one of the elect, and is justified in murdering people who he believes have been damned by God. Critics have speculated that the stranger, Gil-Martin, might be the devil, or even, more plausibly, another, darker manifestation of Mr. Wringhim's personality, like Mr. Hyde, in Stevenson's novel. The novel didn't have much success at the time of its publication, but has since become a literary classic, with writers like Andre Gide expressing how much they were impressed by it. It has been described as an early modern crime novel, though written from the viewpoint of the criminal, rather than a detective. Stevenson is on record as having read and admired the novel; and it might also have been an influence on him in creating that famous work. You might be interested to know that I have written a comic take on Jekyll and Hyde, entitled, A Serpent in Eden, that can be seen at the website: www.inkitt.com/stories/horror/183677

Can you do an analysis of his Canto XLV With Usura?

Glad to hear I'm not the only one that considered getting all the different translations. 😅 I watched the Kiera Knightley movie just to get some context on time period, clothing, characters etc. struggled to keep up with whats going on. Currently reading the Rosamund Barlett translation. Think I'll get a new translation every new year 😊

Your energy and passion shine. I wish I'd known someone like you when I was in school. You catch the intellectual and emotional power in great writing, and it's a quality that's lost on so many people. They'll often feel as if novels, plays, stories or essays are boring. You get the sense that they didn't experience the truly charged language, the intensity of feeling in many great writers. The excitement, the intensity you bring when you talk about reading, great writing, etc., is inspiring, and reminds us isolated readers and writers that, though we may be very far apart, we're really not alone. Thank you. Keep up the great work!

Brilliant analysis thank you! I was also thinking as you wouldn’t apply ‘dazzled’ to rifle fire - is this a moment he almost sees the beauty of the fire in the sky for a split moment. Is he delirious by this point ( as he is shown to be exhausted - stumbling/ lugging around) and then stunned back to reality with the bullets. The senses of seeing and hearing are also mixed up mirroring his confusion. The cold clockwork like he is the hand- is his time up? The stars and nature have a natural rhythm- the sun will rise etc even when the humans destroying. The hare a symbol of rebirth. I’m new to analysing poetry so not sure if makes sense . Thanks again , loved your explanation ❤❤

Great video,you have great insight into Chekhov's mindset.Hope you can do more of this type of analysis.Helps me immensely.

I want to have a drink with the adulterous Oblonsky. He was a dog, but sounded like a fun dude.

Loved this analysis made me laugh a few times and feel a lot of anger for this Duke! I am trying to read a poem/ essay/ chapter of my book a day (on your advice) and in the first day alone I read the essay ‘this is water’ by Wallace and am blown away! Love your channel❤

Very pleasant to watch, thanks :D

Im grateful for this video. I’m a new but avid reader & I’ve just been highlighting the shit out of every other page until now lol. I knew there was more I could do but didn’t know where to start. Hopefully I enjoy the process of creating a system of my own🤙

Seems like the ideal situation is to buy multiple versions of each book, mark one and collect the other, then get an ebook version for portability. We did it, everybody. I just needed an excuse. 😂 PS That doesn't account for the various translations of Russian books. Don't worry about how many editions of War and Peace I own. 😉

Just finished Middlemarch and couldn’t quite bring myself to go onto something else. Decided on Great Expectations and a chapter in I’m so excited. Got some amazing books to read for the first time! Brilliant.

When I seen the larger animal. Reptile turn to hard stone,

Before Noah's ark man experience a libido of animals, as well as womens too the alligator, the dinosaur ..

Some have dogs and dogs sniff below are some personality traits belongs to the dog it Hides from the dog's body and the body of the dog can save the human body of being a dog.

I just bought Adler's " _How To Read A Book_ " a couple of days ago and have started to read it. I will follow what you did. In fact I have already marked some parts of the book. I will be follow my reading with Carnagie's " _How To Win Friends And Influence People_ " and Holiday's " _Daily Stoic_ " (I've just got interested in Stoicism).

When I decide to read something like Anna Karenina, i try hard to imagine them as Stanley Kubrick films. His films are all beautifully shot and take their time in getting there. So in the beginning I spend a fair chunk of time in imagining what the book I’m reading looks like. It really helps in these long slow reads. In the so called ‘boring bits’ it helps to imagine how well the scene would look, and the great language on the page is the camera, or your eye, if that makes sense? Doesn’t have to be Kubrick, but it works for me.

Loaned books should be thought of as given books. Not to be returned.

This is the most engrossing and honest advice. Thanku so much!!

I use yellow sticky notes for my reference. I also just scribble in too left or right on top-that way I go back and use that reference! I do speeches and use the notes for illustrations mostly! I was taught unless you read a book five times you don’t know it! This is absolutely and ridiculously almost correct? Sometimes, more than five with lots of marks and more marks. The book, “How to make young’s stick” is a must to know how to get people to remember what you taught!! Secret, storytelling is the most vid I’d and comprehensive way to get individuals to remember what you just taught!! Read the book, it’s a must.😮

I LOVE this video. Where have you been all my reading life? Thank you for all the useful tips. I’ve been annotating my books in similar ways for many years. The new idea I like is an index in the front. Bravo! What are your thoughts on tabbing? I see a lot of young girls in their 20’s or 30’s (I’m 63 years young) making YT videos about annotating and tabbing fiction - mostly fantasy series. Your video is the first I’ve come across that was a serious discussion about annotating for the rest of us. No offense to fantasy readers and that process. But, I notice you don’t use tabs, which actually seem potentially useful to me. Thoughts? I notice there are no newer videos so I hope you are well and thriving and can return to YT soon as you add much to us readers!

You've just inspired me to start a OneNote notebook for my reading. Yes, pen and paper is better for thoughtfulness and remembering (wholeheartedly agree) but being able to search in the notebook across pages and sections (and therefore all my reading notes) will assist in making connections between ideas in a faster way. I've always adored books, and was raised that you never write in a book. At 50ish, I'm getting over that. Thank you for giving great arguments for annotation. Reverence for books should include reverence for the content, and failing to engage with the material is a bigger sin than writing in the book. After all, it's not like it's the only copy of the book in existence (in the vast majority of cases), but as you point out, it's YOUR copy.

I just finished it. Was surprised who easy it was to read, I was anticipating a dense read. I did enjoy it. Reminded me of Salinger in some respects, about avoiding “becoming a phony.”

You say we should do annotation and you also say that you wouldn't annotate on beautiful books then whats the point of buying them?(No offence btw)

Can you pls guide which pens to use while annotating books.. I'm using a 0.5 Artline pen. I need to know which pens won't damage the paper in the longer run.. thank u

i love sharing annotated copies & would even consider letting someone annotate a book they borrow from me. reading each other's thoughts makes for good discussions.

That was beautifully read and the music added so much to it. I feel haunted.

100% on reading Adler 'how to read a book'. Learned more from that book than from 18 yrs of schooling

This video is proof that gingers have no souls. Everyone knows that you either use a mead or a moleskin pocket notebook to keep your notes in. That way your books can remain pristine and beautiful.

I was stunned how 1100 pages can have not a single boring page (except the last 80 pages of Levin’s inner thoughts, which i could not care about anymore). Even simple things with agricultural process, or bird hunting, to me were almost breathtaking. The book really makes things, that generally are boring, interesting. This is why the book is a master piece. Anna lost her mind in the end (constant taking of morpheus did not help) and she always needed to win a power struggle, no matter what. That’s why she chose her fate. She saw it as the only way to win it. As the channel owner says, a great book haunts you for a long time. There are very few books that haunt you for a long time. To me, the main question that haunts me, is why Anna and Vronsky could not be more open to each other about their inner fears, and make things work, it was like they absolutely distrusted each other and kept each other of their soul altogether, although caring a lot about each other. How love can be so irresponsible after going such a difficult path and having sacrificed so much, career, reputation, social status. After making it work despite huge external obstacles, why could not they do anything to cope with inner ones?

i think its important to note that you dont need to do this to every book. i dont annotate to this extent when i read romcoms or similar types of books, sometimes reading is just for like turning your brain off and enjoy the plot!!

Love AK--definitely my favorite novel. And I've never met anyone voice disappointment in the lead up and reasoning for her suicide. I couldn't wrap my head around why. It seemed to me that leaving her son was a more traumatic experience than her current situation/thoughts of Vronsky. Subscribed.

Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion and Confessions of a Mask are found on various critics' "Greatest Novels of All Time" reading lists, so I chose Confessions as a Christmas gift (I tried to get Temple through the library, but I guess there is no copy in my state). I remember liking the biographical film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and look forward to reading his most critically acclaimed works before rewatching that film. I stopped watching this video as I don't want Sailor spoiled for me before I read it.