For a bestselling translation in American English, choose Pevear and Volokhonsky.For a Tolstoy-approved Anna Karenina, choose the Maude translation.
For a free version of Anna Karenina, choose the Constance Garnett translation.
Especially if you’re not a Russian literature academic (which I’m certainly not). The short answer is that the best translation is the one you enjoy reading. Which translation of Anna Karenina should you read? (The short answer) “ Just give me a clear answer!” you mutter at the internet… So I’m going to try and make it easier for you. When reading a comparison of the different translations of Anna Karenina, it can be infuriating to work out which one is better. This is the main challenge of the translator, and there’s no right answer to which version is best.
How faithful it is to the original Russian. How easy and enjoyable it is to read in English. But ultimately, it’s based on my own thoughts, taking these key points into consideration: One’s choice among the existing translations must therefore be based on nuances, subtleties, and refinements”.įor this post, I’ve looked into the thoughts and reviews of other readers of Anna Karenina for these translations. From any of them the ordinary English-speaking reader would obtain a reasonably full and adequate experience of the novel. These are the translations you’ll find sitting in most well-stocked bookshops, recommended on university reading lists, and suggested at the top of Reddit threads.Īcademic Hugh McLean shares that “None of the existing translations is actively bad. However, you’re likely going to be comparing just five translations of Anna Karenina: by Constance Garnett, Louise and Aylmer Maude, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, Rosamund Bartlett, and Marian Schwartz. There are roughly ten English translations of Anna Karenina that are currently in print. When you buy through these links, I may earn a commission.Ī few years ago, I first shared my thoughts on the best translation of War and Peace, the book that inspired me to create this blog (spoiler alert: I love the Anthony Briggs translation).īut what about Tolstoy’s other books? And in particular, what is the best translation of Anna Karenina, Tolstoy’s classic love story-meets-tragedy? A quick note that some of my posts contain affiliate links.
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