Levin's story felt much more personal and real to me for this reason, while Anna's was abstract. That's one reason I felt like Anna Karenina was two novels: a great one and a so-so one about a woman named Anna Karenina.

Levin's story felt much more personal and real to me for this reason, while Anna's was abstract. That's one reason I felt like Anna Karenina was two novels: a great one and a so-so one about a woman named Anna Karenina.

I disagree. There's a great deal of filler that makes it seem like a novel that was written as it was serialized (I don't know if in fact it was, it just feels that way to me). There are tremendous evocative scenes (Levin mowing hay, the horse race, the opening as the theme of unhappy families is elaborated) but Anna…

I disagree. There's a great deal of filler that makes it seem like a novel that was written as it was serialized (I don't know if in fact it was, it just feels that way to me). There are tremendous evocative scenes (Levin mowing hay, the horse race, the opening as the theme of unhappy families is elaborated) but Anna…

Liked so hard. Also after hearing her on podcasts and looking up her writing, she is one amazing human being.

Liked so hard. Also after hearing her on podcasts and looking up her writing, she is one amazing human being.

My kid loves all Star Wars, including Jar-Jar, though I don't give him any particular instruction about his guns. I'd rather he stick with his current position of not caring what his likes or dislikes "say" about him, which turns out to be vitally important only in this vastly unimportant context.

My kid loves all Star Wars, including Jar-Jar, though I don't give him any particular instruction about his guns. I'd rather he stick with his current position of not caring what his likes or dislikes "say" about him, which turns out to be vitally important only in this vastly unimportant context.

This is my opinion as well, and it extends to bad adaptations, too. A great book isn't "ruined' if someone makes a bad movie adaptation of it.

This is my opinion as well, and it extends to bad adaptations, too. A great book isn't "ruined' if someone makes a bad movie adaptation of it.

I pronounce it to rhyme with my rational self-interest.

I pronounce it to rhyme with my rational self-interest.

I liked Superman Returns quite a bit but I think for unintended reasons, i.e. it depicted Superman as a creepy, unappealing alien.

I liked Superman Returns quite a bit but I think for unintended reasons, i.e. it depicted Superman as a creepy, unappealing alien.

The direction I wanted them to go was to just have Castle out-and-out murder someone; but that is the reason—the sole reason—I am not the showrunner of a major network show.

The direction I wanted them to go was to just have Castle out-and-out murder someone; but that is the reason—the sole reason—I am not the showrunner of a major network show.

Castle's situation is pretty far off the realism mark anyway, so I don't think we have to bend too far to make it justify whatever works best for the show.

Castle's situation is pretty far off the realism mark anyway, so I don't think we have to bend too far to make it justify whatever works best for the show.

Pretty much yeah, but what are you gonna do?

Pretty much yeah, but what are you gonna do?