Thursday, June 03, 2004

Classic Literature makes the Oprah Book Club

Anna Karenina, possibly one of the world's most annoying books, is a best seller again.

I hate this book. I can't stand Tolstoy. It was probably the single hardest book to plod through since I was forced to read The Red Badge of Courage as a junior in high school.

While taking Russian as an undergrad, I complained to the instructor about how much I hated Anna Karenina, which I was reading for another class. She asked if I liked anything by Dostoyevsky. I said yes. She grinned and said "Well, people fall into one of two camps - they love Dostoyevsky and hate Tolstoy or vice versa. You fall into the former. And.. I agree with you."

Don't read The Red Badge of Courage. Go gouge your eyes out or something productive. I got a C that 6 weeks because I failed the quiz on RBC after refusing to finish the stupid book. I had B's up until that point. I didn't say anything to Mr. Rummage about the grade - it was what I deserved.