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Originally Posted by DixieGal
Is it true that this one book will make me understand Russian literature and culture?
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Of the society described in Anna Karenina, I do not think there is a single trace in the Russian culture of to day. There might be some in those that escaped at the time of the revolution, but they would be so old now. There are still some in France. But old oh so old, and really few, so I would not know if to them one could pin the label of culture.
The traces of it are everywhere in the literature, not only Russian, as it is one of the most admired "realistic" novels.
I do not know (which means I doubt) that this one book will make you understand Russian culture (of which I know so little), certainly not the literature that I am familiar with.
One thing, though, I can say positively. I happen to have a number of Russian friends, Russia's Russians. And I meet them from time to time. I came to recognize traits of what one could call a Russian soul, a particular variant of the Slavic soul. It is not my intention to enter into this at all. Well. those traits transpire in Anna Karenina, very clearly.
Spoiler:
In some Woody Allen movies also. One in particular.
. The one in which he says that he is so good with sex because he practices a lot by himself.
About the sense of your question. If you transport in to American culture and literature you might wonder if reading a couple of books by Faulkner might do the same. He admired Anna Karenina.
A writer that let you see glimpses of what is Russia to day might be Cruz Smith with his Archady's novels. No culture or literature, but, not only he writes well, he understands the soul. Tolstoy's school.