Anna Karenina is a powerful meditation on love and marriage, envy and retribution, and the desire for happiness. Considered one of the greatest novels ever written, Anna Karenina is the story of Anna, her marriage to Karenin, a high-ranking government minister, and her affair with Vronsky, a wealthy and charismatic military officer. This impossible and destructive triangle is set against the courtship and marriage of Levin, a melancholy landowner, and Kitty, a beautiful young woman was also initially sought after by Vronsky. While Anna looks for happiness through love—rashly defying the conventions of Russian society by leaving her husband and son to live with her lover, which finds her condemned and ostracized by her peers and prone to fits of jealousy that alienate Vronsky—Levin embarks on his own search for spiritual fulfillment through marriage, family, and hard work. Surrounding these two central plot threads are dozens of characters whom Tolstoy seamlessly weaves together, making Anna Karenina a breathtaking overview of nineteenth-century Russian society. This edition includes: -A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information -A chronology of the author’s life and work -A timeline of significant events that provides the book’s historical context -An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader’s own interpretations -Detailed explanatory notes -Critical analysis and modern perspectives on the work -Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction -A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader’s experience Simon & Schuster Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world’s finest books to their full potential.