All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Literature

Why it matters

The idea in context

The famous opening line of Anna Karenina (1878). Tolstoy begins his novel of family, love and betrayal with a claim readers have argued about ever since: happiness looks uniform, but every unhappiness has its own story.

Türkçe

Aynı kart, başka bir dilde.

Bütün mutlu aileler birbirine benzer; her mutsuz aile ise kendine özgü bir biçimde mutsuzdur.
Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina'nın (1878) ünlü açılış cümlesi. Tolstoy; aile, aşk ve ihanet romanına, okurların o günden beri tartıştığı bir savla başlar: Mutluluk tekdüze görünür, ama her mutsuzluğun kendine ait bir hikâyesi vardır.

Source trail

Read beyond the card.

Background reading: Leo TolstoyAttribution and context are revised when stronger evidence appears. Corrections are welcome through the editorial page.
Next in the open archiveThe only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.Q0501