I'm planning on reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina next year and could use some advice on the best translation. Any views?
Thanks![]()
I'm planning on reading Tolstoy's Anna Karenina next year and could use some advice on the best translation. Any views?
Thanks![]()
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When it comes to Tolstoy, I usually hear the most praise for the Maude translations. They knew Tolstoy personally and worked with him on their translations. Oxford and Norton both use the Maude translations for their editions.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Mahatma Gandhi
For Russian lit, I tend to go for the Pevear/Volokhonsky translations, when available.
I found the Rosemary Edmonds translation very readable.
"All gods are homemade, and it is we who pull their strings, and so, give them the power to pull ours." -Aldous Huxley
"Sooner murder an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires." -William Blake
I read Garnett's translation of Anna K a few years ago, which I'd recommend.
There is no 'best' translation. If you dig into comparisons of the various translations, amongst those who've read them all, there is no consensus. All the translators mentioned so far receive some praise, so you probably can't go far wrong whichever one you choose.