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The Collected Short Stories of Anton Chekhov Volume I: 100 Short Stories
This is the first volume in a two-volume series containing over two hundred of Anton Chekhov's short stories. In this volume, the reader will find one hundred of his best stories.
1030 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1880
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About the author
Anton Chekhov
5,890 books9,761 followersDramas, such as
The Seagull
(1896, revised 1898), and including "A Dreary Story" (1889) of Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, also Chekov, concern the inability of humans to communicate.
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against Alfred Dreyfus, his friendship with Suvorin ended
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against Alfred Dreyfus, his friendship with Suvorin ended
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 19, 2015
This collection takes commitment because of its sheer length. One misses the nuance and comedy of each individual story if they try to hurry through. Taking the time to enjoy each one means that a reader can easily spend a month or more in this volume, but the reward for not rushing is great. Superb writing and deft characterization are the hallmarks of Chekhov's short stories. Filled with incisive commentary on human nature, crafted with compassion and extraordinary skill, this Chekhov collection is well worth the read.
May 8, 2021
I cannot help but wonder how much Anton Chekhov was inspired, no challenged by that most famous of Russian quotes: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” From Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. Maybe they inspired each other.
This is volume 1 of The Collected Short Stories of Anton Chekhov Volume I: 100 Short Stories (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) Kindle Edition. Almost all of them are about the vagaries and varieties of failed love. Parental love, romantic love, love of artists students and the absence of love. Altogether about 850pages of people being unhappy. Very un-happy, suicidally unhappy and at a stretch, comically unhappy. Sons who fail fathers, daughters left to wither in the remotes of Russia and for relief, the failure of what is not so much corrupt government, and it is often that, but incompetent or disengaged .
If this is Russia, before the revolution, maybe the idea was: Revolution? We are miserable anyway, so how bad can a mere revolution be? Never underestimate the Russians at making things worse.
Chekov is if not Russian’s favorite short story teller he was at the top of the shortest of short lists. He may not have invented the student who cannot make up his mind , or is impecunious or takes undue advantage of his women, but one need not know more than: a main character is a student to know that this is not going to be a happy ever after.
Capitalist are not happy with being rich, people who inherit money are not happy with inherited money… A regular theme is the general ‘wrongness’ of the idle rich living in the work of others. At least one story is of an upper society person rejecting his family ties and expectations, seeking first to make his own way and later to help educate the masses, only to be abused and ruined by the dishonest ignorant lower classes who cannot cope with some one who had rather work, even work for the common good.
I found that I had to stop reading periodically. This collection is almost as long as the 1001 nights, but until almost exactly the 85% mark no one so much as smiles except that they are scheming or smiling bitterly. Then there are about 5 examples of Russian humor. Not exactly dour, but very sly or based on human foibles.
Then it is back to disappointment. Crookedness and insanity. Literally insanity. A story about a doctor, fed up with the how poorly he practices medicine , befriends a mental patient and for that is himself declared insane. A rather nifty rebuttal to stoic philosophy, but still not something you read to set your heart aglow.
I can recommend this book. Believe it or not. But only if you can read it in short bursts. Chekov is undeniably a master of the short story. It is not likely that he expected you to read them, back to back for over 1000 page. Volume 2 may have the lighter side, but I may wait to find out.
This is volume 1 of The Collected Short Stories of Anton Chekhov Volume I: 100 Short Stories (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) Kindle Edition. Almost all of them are about the vagaries and varieties of failed love. Parental love, romantic love, love of artists students and the absence of love. Altogether about 850pages of people being unhappy. Very un-happy, suicidally unhappy and at a stretch, comically unhappy. Sons who fail fathers, daughters left to wither in the remotes of Russia and for relief, the failure of what is not so much corrupt government, and it is often that, but incompetent or disengaged .
If this is Russia, before the revolution, maybe the idea was: Revolution? We are miserable anyway, so how bad can a mere revolution be? Never underestimate the Russians at making things worse.
Chekov is if not Russian’s favorite short story teller he was at the top of the shortest of short lists. He may not have invented the student who cannot make up his mind , or is impecunious or takes undue advantage of his women, but one need not know more than: a main character is a student to know that this is not going to be a happy ever after.
Capitalist are not happy with being rich, people who inherit money are not happy with inherited money… A regular theme is the general ‘wrongness’ of the idle rich living in the work of others. At least one story is of an upper society person rejecting his family ties and expectations, seeking first to make his own way and later to help educate the masses, only to be abused and ruined by the dishonest ignorant lower classes who cannot cope with some one who had rather work, even work for the common good.
I found that I had to stop reading periodically. This collection is almost as long as the 1001 nights, but until almost exactly the 85% mark no one so much as smiles except that they are scheming or smiling bitterly. Then there are about 5 examples of Russian humor. Not exactly dour, but very sly or based on human foibles.
Then it is back to disappointment. Crookedness and insanity. Literally insanity. A story about a doctor, fed up with the how poorly he practices medicine , befriends a mental patient and for that is himself declared insane. A rather nifty rebuttal to stoic philosophy, but still not something you read to set your heart aglow.
I can recommend this book. Believe it or not. But only if you can read it in short bursts. Chekov is undeniably a master of the short story. It is not likely that he expected you to read them, back to back for over 1000 page. Volume 2 may have the lighter side, but I may wait to find out.
January 19, 2021
Anton Chekhov எழுதிய ‘A Happy Man’ என்ற சிறுகதையை வாசித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். அக்கதையில் பிடித்த வரியொன்றை மேற்கோள் காட்டி முகநூல் Story-யில் பகிர்ந்துள்ளேன். அவ்வரிகள் :
‘'If you are not happy it's your own fault! Yes, what else do you suppose it is? Man is the creator of his own happiness. If you want to be happy you will be, but you don't want to be! You obstinately turn away from happiness.’
யாரும் இதை சீரியஸாக எடுத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டாம். ‘A Happy Man’ கதையில் இவான், ரயிலில் தனது Compartment-ஐ தேடிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார். (இவர்தான் கதையின் தலைப்பில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்ட சந்தோஷமான மனிதர்.) அப்போது அவர், தனது நண்பரான ப்யோட்டரை எதிர்பாராமல் சந்திக்க நேர்கிறது. பயணத்தில் பியோட்டருடன் சில நண்பர்கள் இருந்தனர். இவான், பியோட்டரிடம் தன் மனைவி தனக்காக Compartment-ல் காத்துக்கொண்டிருப்பதாகவும், நீண்ட நேரமாகத் தேடிக்கொண்டிருப்பதாகவும் சொல்கிறார். நண்பர்கள் இருவருக்குள் நிகழ்ந்த அந்தச் சிறு சந்திப்பில் ப்யோட்டர் ஓரிடத்தில் இவ்வாறு சொல்கிறார்;
"Nowadays it really seems strange to see a happy man," observes one of the passengers; "one as soon expects to see a white elephant."
அதற்கு இவான் சொல்லும் பதிலைத்தான் நான் பகிர்ந்திருந்தேன். அதற்குப் பிறகு ஓர் உரையாடல் நடக்கிறது.
"It's queer. . . . For what station did you take your ticket?"
"For Petersburg."
"In that case I congratulate you. You've got into the wrong train."
Ivan Alexyevitch turns pale, clutches his head, and begins pacing rapidly about the carriage.
"I am un-unhappy man!" he moans. "What am I to do, what am I to do?"
"There, there!" the passengers try to console him. "It's all right. . . . You must telegraph to your wife and try to change into the Petersburg express. In that way you'll overtake her."
"The Petersburg express!" weeps the bridegroom, the creator of his own happiness. "And how am I to get a ticket for the Petersburg express? All my money is with my wife."
The passengers, laughing and whispering together, make a collection and furnish the happy man with funds.
செகாவ், இந்த இடத்தில் கதையை முடிக்கிறார். ’மனிதன், தனது மகிழ்ச்சிகளைச் சொந்தமாக உருவாக்கக்கூடியவன்’ என்று சொன்ன நபருக்கு, அதைக் கேட்டுக்கொண்டிருந்த சக பயணிகள், அவருடைய நெருக்கடியான சூழ்நிலையில் அவரது தேவையைப் பூர்த்தி செய்து வைக்கின்றனர். இக்கதையில் நான் ரசித்த வரிகளையே முடிவின்மூலம் முரண்பட வைத்தார் ஆன்டன் செகாவ்.
‘'If you are not happy it's your own fault! Yes, what else do you suppose it is? Man is the creator of his own happiness. If you want to be happy you will be, but you don't want to be! You obstinately turn away from happiness.’
யாரும் இதை சீரியஸாக எடுத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டாம். ‘A Happy Man’ கதையில் இவான், ரயிலில் தனது Compartment-ஐ தேடிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார். (இவர்தான் கதையின் தலைப்பில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்ட சந்தோஷமான மனிதர்.) அப்போது அவர், தனது நண்பரான ப்யோட்டரை எதிர்பாராமல் சந்திக்க நேர்கிறது. பயணத்தில் பியோட்டருடன் சில நண்பர்கள் இருந்தனர். இவான், பியோட்டரிடம் தன் மனைவி தனக்காக Compartment-ல் காத்துக்கொண்டிருப்பதாகவும், நீண்ட நேரமாகத் தேடிக்கொண்டிருப்பதாகவும் சொல்கிறார். நண்பர்கள் இருவருக்குள் நிகழ்ந்த அந்தச் சிறு சந்திப்பில் ப்யோட்டர் ஓரிடத்தில் இவ்வாறு சொல்கிறார்;
"Nowadays it really seems strange to see a happy man," observes one of the passengers; "one as soon expects to see a white elephant."
அதற்கு இவான் சொல்லும் பதிலைத்தான் நான் பகிர்ந்திருந்தேன். அதற்குப் பிறகு ஓர் உரையாடல் நடக்கிறது.
"It's queer. . . . For what station did you take your ticket?"
"For Petersburg."
"In that case I congratulate you. You've got into the wrong train."
Ivan Alexyevitch turns pale, clutches his head, and begins pacing rapidly about the carriage.
"I am un-unhappy man!" he moans. "What am I to do, what am I to do?"
"There, there!" the passengers try to console him. "It's all right. . . . You must telegraph to your wife and try to change into the Petersburg express. In that way you'll overtake her."
"The Petersburg express!" weeps the bridegroom, the creator of his own happiness. "And how am I to get a ticket for the Petersburg express? All my money is with my wife."
The passengers, laughing and whispering together, make a collection and furnish the happy man with funds.
செகாவ், இந்த இடத்தில் கதையை முடிக்கிறார். ’மனிதன், தனது மகிழ்ச்சிகளைச் சொந்தமாக உருவாக்கக்கூடியவன்’ என்று சொன்ன நபருக்கு, அதைக் கேட்டுக்கொண்டிருந்த சக பயணிகள், அவருடைய நெருக்கடியான சூழ்நிலையில் அவரது தேவையைப் பூர்த்தி செய்து வைக்கின்றனர். இக்கதையில் நான் ரசித்த வரிகளையே முடிவின்மூலம் முரண்பட வைத்தார் ஆன்டன் செகாவ்.
October 3, 2020
Sanatı sanat yapan kadındır, hayatın günümüz koşulları dahil kadın ve erkeğin hala eşit sartlara sahip olmamasını kabul edersek ya da edebilirsek, göreceğimiz en onemli tesbit etkenlerin sanat yaparken en önemli materyalinin kadın olduğudur.
Halbuki kadın öyle mi? Bir fırsat verilse neler neler sanata dahil olur, tek gerekli olan fırsat ve saygıdır.
Halbuki kadın öyle mi? Bir fırsat verilse neler neler sanata dahil olur, tek gerekli olan fırsat ve saygıdır.
December 31, 2018
This review is for A defenceless creature: Great story. It's enormously funny and shows how people can be smart and cunny in using their ills to goad others into doing what they want. It would probably not work these days but it's still very entertaining. 4 stars.
July 29, 2020
Some of these are so hilarious and some are poignant. All are good. I truly like these. Yes, they are technically classic and rather bland, but they are great peeks into a completely different lifestyle. And each one is fascinating in its own way. I really like the grandiose sentimentality in many of the descriptions of the young women. I cracked up at the thought that a 20 year old woman was now well on her age to being a mature, middle aged matron by her husband who had thought her a child-woman when he proposed to her just months earlier at 19. The writers in the shorts are enigmatic, often way over blown and often humorously subjective about writing and their subjects. It's been thirty years since I read this and I had forgotten how amusing it could be
December 3, 2023
The copy I read was "In the Twilight" which is what Chekhov called his first volume of short stories. These are not his best. He was writing too much to order at this time in his life to be writing at his creative best. However Chekhov could not write badly to save his life so this volume is still very much worthy of your attention.
September 16, 2014
superb. very relaxing. builds the story in a very slow pace. looks real all characters even if now.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews