Welcome to the official sign-up post for the 2026 Leo Tolstoy Chapter-a-Day Read-Along. This will be the ninth year of our chapter-a-day tradition, and for the first time since our 2020 reading of War and Peace, we are returning to one of literature’s most powerful voices: Leo Tolstoy.

In past years we’ve read epics of American history, classic fantasy adventures, the swashbuckling novels of Dumas, and the works of George Eliot. But in 2026 we will focus our entire year on two masterpieces by a single author, Leo Tolstoy. From January 1 through August 27, we will read Tolstoy’s widely beloved Anna Karenina. Then, from August 28 to December 31, we will turn to his later and more spiritually searching novel, Resurrection.

Though I have read War and Peace and many of Tolstoy’s short stories–and count War and Peace among my all-time favorite books–this will be my very first time reading either Anna Karenina or Resurrection. That makes this year’s journey an especially exciting one, and I invite you to experience these novels alongside me at the gentle, contemplative pace of one chapter a day. Tolstoy’s chapters are typically very short, which makes them perfect for our daily schedule.

Both Anna Karenina and Resurrection explore the mysteries and contradictions of the human soul: love and conscience, failure and hope, social injustice and moral rebirth. Whether you are new to Tolstoy or have read him many times before, these books offer an opportunity to reflect on life, meaning, and the choices that shape who we become.

How to Participate in the 2026 Chapter-a-Day Read-Along

• Get a copy of each book. Use the editions you love, borrow from the library, browse your local bookstore, read them online, listen to an audiobook, or pick up an affordable paperback. (See below for affiliate links to purchase them online, as well as links to free online copies and audiobooks.)
• Leave a comment below introducing yourself, sharing where you’re from, and telling us why you’re joining the 2026 read-along.
• Download the daily schedule: Nick’s 2026 Leo Tolstoy Chapter-a-Day Reading Schedule
• Commit to the slow, steady rhythm of one chapter each day. Reading this way—patiently, meditatively—can be a deeply meaningful experience. You are always welcome to catch up if you fall behind or move ahead if a chapter sweeps you along. Life happens.
• Join me in posting one line a day from the current chapter on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Bluesky, or X. I’ll be posting on all five platforms using the hashtag #tolstoyreadalong, keeping pace with the schedule. As always, please try to avoid spoilers in your posts.
• Feel free to use the official 2026 graphic on your website or social media.
• Subscribe to the Chapter-a-Day Read-Along email newsletter so you don’t miss updates, reflections, or announcements throughout the year. You can subscribe using the form at the end of this post or in the sidebar.
• Follow the dedicated social media accounts for the Chapter-a-Day Read-Along (introduced last year). These make it easy to stay connected with the daily quotes and conversations:
  • Chapter-a-Day Read-Along on Instagram
  • Chapter-a-Day Read-Along on Threads
  • Chapter-a-Day Read-Along Facebook Page
  • Chapter-a-Day Read-Along on Bluesky
  • Chapter-a-Day Read-Along on X (formerly Twitter)

And now, here’s a closer look at what we’ll be reading in 2026!

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – 239 chapters (January 1 to August 27)

We begin the year with one of the most celebrated novels ever written: Anna Karenina. First published in 1877, Tolstoy’s masterpiece explores the inner lives of its characters with psychological depth. This is a novel of love and betrayal, marriage and duty, faith and meaning. Its world is filled with richly drawn characters, vivid rural and urban settings, and profound meditations on the choices that define a life.

Many consider Anna Karenina to be the greatest novel ever written, which makes me even more excited to read it for the first time. I’m looking forward to entering its world slowly and attentively, savoring Tolstoy’s artistry one chapter at a time and sharing the journey with you.

Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy – 129 chapters (August 28 to December 31)

In late August we turn to one of Tolstoy’s final novels, Resurrection, published in 1899. This book reflects the mature Tolstoy–philosophically searching, morally urgent, and deeply concerned with justice and mercy. It tells the story of personal failure and the long road toward moral renewal, offering a powerful meditation on what it means to confront one’s past and change the course of one’s life.

Where Anna Karenina focuses on the complexities of the heart, Resurrection widens the lens to examine the moral structures of society. Reading it after Anna Karenina creates a natural movement from the personal to the social, from inner life to outward action. And, again, I will be reading it for the very first time, which makes the shared journey even more meaningful.

Conclusion and Reading Schedule

Careful readers and mathematicians will notice that 239+129=368, which means that we will have to read four chapters on December 31 to finish in one year.

Here’s the broad outline for the 2026 read-along, along with links to purchase them online (Links are affiliate links):

• Anna Karenina (January 1–August 27) (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, Penguin Classics Paperback Edition, Everyman’s Library Edition, or Kindle Edition) (Anna Karenina is also available for free online at Project Gutenberg or as a free audiobook at Libribox)
• Resurrection (August 28–December 31) (Penguin Classics Paperback Edition, Everyman’s Library Edition, or Kindle Edition) (Resurrection is also available for free online at Project Gutenberg or as a free audiobook at Libribox)

Whether you join for the full year or for one novel, I hope you’ll read along with us. As in past years, I will post a line from each day’s chapter on social media, using the hashtag #tolstoyreadalong. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in Tolstoy with you and discovering the wisdom, beauty, and humanity these novels have to offer.

Stay tuned for an introductory post on Anna Karenina at the end of December, and please leave a comment below if you’ll be participating!

2026 Leo Tolstoy Chapter-a-Day Read-along Schedule

Here is the detailed read-along schedule, and you can also download it as a pdf here: Nicks 2026 Tolstoy Chapter a Day Reading Schedule