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NEW-Anton Chekhov - Selected Stories
Brand New Deliver In 6-18 Working Days
208 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 1997
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About the author
Anton Chekhov
6,003 books9,838 followers
Antón Chéjov
(Spanish)
Dramas, 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 [a:Alfred Dreyfu
Dramas, 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 [a:Alfred Dreyfu
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 11, 2025
"Last week my mistress told me to clean some herrings, and I began cleaning one from the tail, and she took it and poked its head in my face. The foreman laughs and sends me for vodka, makes me steal the cucumbers, and then my master beats me with whatever comes in handy."
"Sneezing is not prohibited to anyone anywhere. Peasants sneeze, the chiefs of police sneeze, even privy councillors sneeze sometimes; everyone sneezes."
"Something seemed to break in Cherviakov's Breast. He stumbled through the door and out on the street. Not seeing or hearing a thing, he crawled along the sidewalk. Going home mechanically, he lay down on the sofa, without taking of his uniform, and - died."
Chekhov's short stories, which some might find too short, display why he is one of the masters of Russian literature. After one or two pages of being introduced to simple folks in Imperial Russia, it almost hurts when they are ripped away by a sudden ending. Perhaps it is the skill of a playwright to compose abrupt endings. Some of these stories have stayed with me for quite some time.
An orphan writes his grandfather about the abuse at the hands of his masters. A lean and a fat man have a small reunion. A drunkard is escorted by peculiar police officers. A lowly official dies a sudden death after a bad day.
Chekhov's characters drink, misbehave, work and are down on their luck. In a sense, Chekhov writes the opposite of the high society intrigues which are prominent in other classic Russian works. Humor, the pains of daily life and the banality of death are just a handful of themes Anton Chekhov presents here.
Professor Joe Andrew writes a rather solid introduction to the life of Chekhov, and explains various cultural phenomena in the footnotes, along with the original names and publication information of each story.
Highlights: Champagne, Dreams, Little Jack, the Death of an Official.
"Sneezing is not prohibited to anyone anywhere. Peasants sneeze, the chiefs of police sneeze, even privy councillors sneeze sometimes; everyone sneezes."
"Something seemed to break in Cherviakov's Breast. He stumbled through the door and out on the street. Not seeing or hearing a thing, he crawled along the sidewalk. Going home mechanically, he lay down on the sofa, without taking of his uniform, and - died."
Chekhov's short stories, which some might find too short, display why he is one of the masters of Russian literature. After one or two pages of being introduced to simple folks in Imperial Russia, it almost hurts when they are ripped away by a sudden ending. Perhaps it is the skill of a playwright to compose abrupt endings. Some of these stories have stayed with me for quite some time.
An orphan writes his grandfather about the abuse at the hands of his masters. A lean and a fat man have a small reunion. A drunkard is escorted by peculiar police officers. A lowly official dies a sudden death after a bad day.
Chekhov's characters drink, misbehave, work and are down on their luck. In a sense, Chekhov writes the opposite of the high society intrigues which are prominent in other classic Russian works. Humor, the pains of daily life and the banality of death are just a handful of themes Anton Chekhov presents here.
Professor Joe Andrew writes a rather solid introduction to the life of Chekhov, and explains various cultural phenomena in the footnotes, along with the original names and publication information of each story.
Highlights: Champagne, Dreams, Little Jack, the Death of an Official.
February 5, 2026
I was excited to read Chekhov because I've enjoyed the works of other Russian authors from similar periods. Unfortunately, I f0und this collection of short stories quite underwhelming. There is charm and wit, but it's rare. I probably enjoyed the introduction and overview of Chekhov more than many of the stories.
I found this particular version on the discount rack at my local bookstore, and after some research it appears the particular group of short stories aren't some of his best. Sigh. I have another small collection that I may try out.. hopefully that has some better options.
I found this particular version on the discount rack at my local bookstore, and after some research it appears the particular group of short stories aren't some of his best. Sigh. I have another small collection that I may try out.. hopefully that has some better options.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews