Reading the Classics

In preparation for writing my own novel, I figured that I would get into it by first reading several classics some of which I already read and some new. Lately Russian literature has been really gripping my reading time. Dostoevsky has always been a favorite of mine ever since reading Crime and Punishment in high school, and after reading The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiots, I developed a deep and abiding appreciation for his work. So with that in mind, I drafted a reading list for the month of January.

- Crime and Punishment

- The Brothers Karamazov

- Anna Karenina

- War and Peace

 and finishing it up with Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (Yes, I know this is not Russian).

For this past Christmas holiday, Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina found its way into my hands. Now, I must admit that Tolstoy had until recently remained an untapped well for me; but, dear lord, this book has been quite amazing thus far. Thus far, this novel has flowed with an artistic precision which I have not experienced in quite some time. It is not something that I am zipping through as I do with so many other books. Instead, I am purposely taking my time as if I am savoring every word like a morsel of my wife's vegan baked ziti.