The greatest book ever written? Seriously? Like most Oscar winning movies, this book is an overly acclaimed snooze-fest. A small percentage of it is well written and at times engrossing (for instance; the disastrous horse racing scene and the confrontation chapter between Anna and her husband immediately following). However, that alone couldn't justify the insipid tedium of the vast majority of Tolstoy's behemoth of boredom (Levin's endless fascination and involvement with nineteenth century Russian agriculture and long stale politics, I'm looking at you). If you've got a killer case of insomnia that needs solving, search no further. Otherwise, what a colossal waste of time! For a truly epic literary experience that will keep you up teary eyed and turning pages long into the night, skip this boring, overrated book and read Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman.