My New Home Decor

Yep. I've pretty much wanted to read this book since I became aware of its presence on earth.

If I had a Bucket List, this would be on it. A kind of must-read-in-this-lifetime type of thing.

Yep. I read Anna Karenina a couple of years ago and loved it, intensifying my desire to read this beast of a book:

And yep. This is how far I've gotten. 202 pages out of 1,358.

But it's OK. We're reading it for my Classics Book Club, taking 4 months to get through it. Convenient, because the Big Book is divided up into four Little Books, like so:

So far, I've met at least a thousand different characters, some of whom have the same name (how many Anna's  can one book reasonably tolerate?), and I'm not entirely sure that I know who knows whom and who's related to what person of influence, and what friend is going after which girl or boy, nor was I aware of how many prince and princesses there were in Russian society at the time. But I'm rolling with it.

And I'm getting a great work-out in the process. I mean, this baby's got some heft! I wonder how many calories I'm burning every night just in my effort to keep the thing upright!

I'm also remembering how much "war" narratives are so not my thing. But I've gotten through the 2nd book which was all about Dolokhov and Rostov and Andrey Bolkonsky and Kutuzov and Napoleon and now we get to go back to the paltry lives of those not enjoying themselves immensely in the intense excitement that comes with the life-and-death line-crossings of battle.

Which for me is a good thing.

In the meantime, this is where this book will live for the next 3 months:

Yep. We're temporarily considering it to be part of our home decor.

I'm just glad that the cover's pretty...and trendy. I have it on good authority that chandeliers are all the rage, you know. ;)

It looks awfully nice on my end table here, don't you think?

So I'm wondering, have you read this book? Have you ever wanted to? What is one book that you feel you must read before you die?...And the really big question...what's stopping you?

Me? I'm just glad I have a group that is interested in reading this book with me, because otherwise, it would still be on my list, I guarantee you!

Good luck to me! I'll keep you posted!

Comments

[Sue Neal]

like you Cath, I read Anna Karenina many years ago, which I loved, but have never taken on the behemoth. You've inspired me. Love the cover by the way, really works for trendy home decor!

[Julie Masse]

It is on my list Cath!! I LOVE Anna Karenina - try to read it every couple of years. And like you, it inspired me to try War and Peace many years ago. I probably got 200-300 pages in before I pooped out for whatever reason . . . you were right about it being difficult to follow ALL the characters and keep them straight! Maybe you can share more as you go along and I'll get inspired to try it again!! :)

[Kathy W]

I've also read Anna Karenina but have never thought to tackle War and Peace. Maybe I should...I agree with Julie: if you share more that might inspire me to get started. The books on my list to read are Grapes of Wrath, Catcher in the Rye, and The Iliad. And, yeah, I think the book looks cool as a part of your home decor; great conversation starter if anyone drops in :)