Anna Karenina goes to war

Deeply, as it turns out. Just listen to some snatches of dinner-table conversation from the final section of the book, well after Anna has caught the last train out of the story. Several characters including the spiritually restless landowner Levin, in many ways Tolstoy8217;s alter ego have stuck around to engage in a spot of that perennially popular pastime, blaming the media. Their arguments are eerily familiar, their solution still depressingly untried: 8220;The newspapers8230; all say the same thing8230; It8217;s been explained to me: as soon as there8217;s a war, their income doubles8230; You think war is necessary? Fine. Send anyone who preaches war to a special front-line legion 8212; into the assault, into the attack, ahead of everyone.8221;

Agree or disagree, there8217;s little denying that one could overhear any of these remarks on the street today without batting an eye.

Excerpted from an article by David Kipen in 8216;The San Fransisco Chronicle8217;, September 7