Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov

This was the first time we had tackled an anthology of short stories so we wondered how we should go about it. Our initial reaction thus begs the question: if he is such a challenge, what is it about Chekhov that inspires so many fellow writers, literary critics and readers to regard him as one of the greatest short story writers ? After all, as one person observed, he is probably the most literary author we have read to date.Īpart from the demands of the prose, there was also a practical challenge. Thus, at the outset of our meeting, it became clear that all of us found Chekhov a bit of a challenge. “After reading the first two or three, I decided to adopt the Quality Street sweets approach – picking out the ones with purple or green wrappers, finding one I liked the look of and then reading those… but the problem was I couldn’t find any I liked the look of” added a third member

“After reading a number of these stories, you felt you could read them all and still not see a light at the end of the tunnel…… there was no way to protect oneself from being infected by the pessimism” said another “A repetition of themes”, said one, “No 1 bleakness, No 2 bleakness, No 3 bleakness” Darkness, pessimism, hopelessness, these words summed up our response to Chekhov’s writing. Milton’s words came to mind when we were discussing Anton Chekhov’s Short Stories. Samson Agonistes John Milton (1608 – 1674) This monumental edition, expertly translated, is especially faithful to the meaning of Chekhov’s prose and the unique rhythms of his writing, giving readers an authentic sense of his style and a true understanding of his greatness.Notes of H3A, English Reading Group Meeting From characteristically brief, evocative early pieces such as “The Huntsman” and the tour de force “A Boring Story,” to his best-known stories such as “The Lady with the Little Dog” and his own personal favorite, “The Student,” Chekhov’s short fiction possesses the transcendent power of art to awe and change the reader.

Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, the highly acclaimed translators of War and Peace, Doctor Zhivago, and Anna Karenina, which was an Oprah Book Club pick and million-copy bestseller, bring their unmatched talents to The Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov, a collection of thirty of Chekhov’s best tales from the major periods of his creative life.Ĭonsidered the greatest short story writer, Anton Chekhov changed the genre itself with his spare, impressionistic depictions of Russian life and the human condition.

Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov