1939; Random House publishers; 2 volume set; Translated from the Russian by Constance Garnett with an introductory essay by Thomas Mann and illustrations by Philip Reisman; hardbound books in tan boards with red decor on spine and gilt stamp lettering; good condition of books with unmarked pages and tight bindings; wonderful color illustrations throughout; minor foxing of first pages of volume 1; maroon slipcase has some rubbings (pic).
 
Description -
Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Many authors consider Anna Karenina the greatest work of literature ever written, and Tolstoy himself called it his first true novel. It was initially released in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger.
 
A complex novel in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters. It deals with themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, Imperial Russian society, desire, and rural vs. city life. The plot centers on an extramarital affair between Anna and dashing cavalry officer Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky that scandalizes the social circles of Saint Petersburg and forces the young lovers to flee for Italy in a futile search for happiness. Returning to Russia, their lives further unravel.
 
Trains are a recurring motif throughout the novel, which takes place against the backdrop of rapid transformations as a result of the liberal reforms initiated by Emperor Alexander II of Russia, with several major plot points taking place either on passenger trains or at stations in Saint Petersburg or elsewhere in Russia.