Bitch, bitch, bitch. People the criteria for a book to be considered this month was that it be a classic and that it be in the public domain. Anna Karenina is a great classic and also in the public domain so just read it. Or don't if you don't care to. Any serious discussion will require more than a read of the Cliff Notes for the book, unless all you wish to do is retell the plot that anyone who has read it will learn nothing from.

On another note . . . Yes Shogun is pretty good but I would highly recommend the genuine thing if you are really interested in the culture and literature of Japan. I would recommend anyhing by Junchiro Tanizaki or Yukio Mishima (Kimitake Hiraoka). If you are feeling really ambitious you could even take on The Tale of Genji, though doing that and Anna Karenina in one month probably be too much.