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The Anna Karenina Fix

Life Lessons from Russian Literature

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The Anna Karenina Fix

By: Viv Groskop
Narrated by: Viv Groskop
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Anna Karenina Fix written and read by Viv Groskop.


A literary self-help memoir about using the Russian Classics to find the answer to life's most important questions.

Viv Groskop has discovered the meaning of life in Russian literature. As she knows from personal experience, everything that has ever happened in life has already happened in these novels: from not being sure what to do with your life (Anna Karenina) to being in love with someone who doesn't love you back enough (The Master and Margarita),or being socially anxious about your appearance (all of Chekhov's work). This is a literary self-help memoir, with examples from the author's own life that reflect the lessons of literature, only in a much less poetic way than Tolstoy probably intended, and with an emphasis on being excessively paranoid about having an emerging moustache on your upper lip, just like Natasha in War and Peace.

 Literary History & Criticism Personal Development Personal Success Russian & Soviet World Literature Russia Thought-Provoking Soviet Union

Critic reviews

Wonderfully entertaining, hilarious. Contains the distilled wisdom of some of the greatest writers who ever lived. Explored with dancing wit, affection and brilliance, this is a passionate, hilarious, joyful love letter to Russian literature.
Enchanting. Groskop falls in love with the literature, her impressive knowledge of which she conveys with a charmingly breezy tone
A beguiling tasting menu of some of the finest reading experiences of my life. Witty, likeable, and lighthearted, Viv Groskop invites us to embrace the work of these august Russian dead souls as belonging to us all
Groskop has a knack of giving you just enough biography of the author, just enough tantalising kiss-and-tell detail from the works . . . A delightful primer and companion to all the authors you are ashamed to admit you haven't read
What does Tolstoy have in common with Oprah Winfrey? What can Chekhov teach us about body image? In The Anna Karenina Fix, comedian Viv Groskop shows us how to use Russian literature as self-help, with hilarious and eye-opening results
A wry literary memoir examining what we can learn from the great Russian novelists
Funny and only second best to reading the stuff itself
A highly knowledgeable jaunt through 150 years of literature

Absolutely hilarious

Brilliant
All stars
Most relevant
Loved this book! Viv Groskop gives us so many details as well as quirky insights into the works of major Russian writers - erudite, funny and accessible. Read with enthusiasm and conviction by the author herself. Am now inspired to re-read the Russian novels I have already read as well as tackling the ones I haven't yet read.

Inspirational!

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And that was a thoughtful, erudite but entertaining run through Russian literature. This is that.

The self-help hook is a useful way of choosing a path through some pretty long and complex books. It also helps in using the authors experience as a lodestar to centre things.

I'm not an expert in Russia or particularly well read in it. This will help my next choice. Ace further reading tips at the end, too - remember to pause on the audiobook!

Just what I hoped for

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Narrated by author. A good story of someone’s journey into Russian literature, language and identity. Helps you access classic Russian literature.

The relevancy of the Russians

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