Anna Karenina Quotes
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Source: Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
Context
You know how fancy people with tweed jackets are always talking about famous lines from literature?
Yeah, this is one of them.
It's the very first line in the novel, and it prepares us for one heck of a downhill ride. Seriously, this novel starts depressing and quickly circles the drain. It has everything from disastrous parent-child relationships to affairs, deaths, jealousy, money woes, class strife, and just about every other problem you could imagine.
Plus, it's in Russia, so they're probably all freezing.
Where you've heard it
You've definitely heard this bomb dropped by someone describing a dysfunctional family—whether it's yours, your bestie's, or the Sopranos.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
This here's the first line of a book considered by many to be one of the greatest in literature, so no one can blame you for quoting it. Having said that, we don't suggest using the line to console your best friend when their parents decide to get a divorce. Sometimes it's hard to feel comfort in the uniqueness of your suffering.
Like, all the time.