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, and Tolstoy himself called it his first true novel.
A complex novel in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters, it is spread over more than 800 pages (depending on the translation), typically contained in two volumes. It deals with themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, Imperial Russian society, desire, and rural vs. city life.
The novel has been adapted into various media including theatre, opera, film, television, ballet, figure skating and radio drama. The first of many film adaptations was released in 1911 but has not survived.
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