10 Tips: How to Read Anna Karenina
10 Tips for How to Read Anna Karenina
Make sure you've got the right translation
Aylmer and Louise Maude
Constance Garnett
Russian names
I can remember better by writing down on paper instead of just typing or trying to remember.
Characters MindMap
Mixing between Reading and Watching
I’ve watched both the 2012 English version of Anna Karenina (from Anna's perspective) and the 2017 Russian version (from Vronsky’s perspective). I prefer the Russian version.
Anna Karenina and Vronsky
I have no idea about the 19th-century Russian high society. I am humble myself as a kid growing up on the paddy field in Vietnam. However, despite these differences, I really enjoy reading along with the book since I understand the context.
4. Take your time
It’s a big book.
Slow read enhances your understanding.
To improve your reading skills, I highly recommend How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. It's a foundational guide that explores various levels of reading, from basic to analytical.
It takes me a year to finish this masterpiece, at this time I am 22 years old, there’s something that I still misunderstand. And I’ve plan to reread this book later in the period of my lifetime.
I must say, tackling the book was quite challenging for me as a non-native English reader, but I managed to do it. If I can, I believe that you can too.
5. Take notes
I recommend not just highlighting, but also writing down your thoughts, feelings and anything ideas that come to your mind in a notebook.
Scribbling
Doodling
Drawing
6. Persevere
It’s ok to skip the boredom part to the next. I do not afraid of missing the context, the important thing is keep going.
7. Discuss
You really want someone to dialogue with, to bounce ideas off with, to really dissect the book and really want to share your thoughts.
Consider joining a book club or online forum to discuss the novel with others. Different perspectives can enrich your understanding of the text.
8. Dictionary
I spent a lot of time searching for and researching phrases, vocabulary, and metaphors while reading the book. Although this slowed me down, it also helped me gain a deeper understanding of the author's writing.
9. MindMap
Creating a mind map and summarizing the main ideas of each part helps me keep track of the book’s structure and understand its key themes more clearly.
10. Sleep
