What do you think?
Rate this book
Näidendid: Ivanov. Kajakas. Onu Vanja. Kolm õde. Kirsiaed
Anton Chekhov revolutionized Russian theater through his inimitable portrayals of characters faced with complex moral dilemmas. This Norton Critical Edition includes five of Chekhov's major plays—Ivanov, The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard—and three early one-act farces that inform his later work—The Bear, The Wedding, and The Celebration. Laurence Senelick's masterful translations closely preserve Chekhov's singular style—his abundant jokes and literary allusions and his careful use of phrase repetition to bind the plays together.
"Letters" is the largest collection of Chekhov's commentary on his plays ever to appear in an English-language edition.
"Criticism" includes eleven essays by leading European and Russian Chekhov scholars, most appearing in English for the first time, including those by Boris Zingerman, Maria Deppermann, and Lev Shestor. This volume also provides discussion of Chekhov's plays by some of the twentieth century's great directors, including Konstantin Stanislavsky, Peter Brook, and Mark Rozovsky.
A Chronology and Selected Bibliography are also included.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1983
216 people are currently reading
935 people want to read
About the author
Anton Chekhov
5,892 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 12, 2023
A collection of 20 stories, almost all but three very short, and one novella, ‘Three Years.’ I’ll give an idea of a few stories and some samples of Chekhov’s writing.
In the story ‘The Confession’ a man is elated because he was promoted to cashier. He feels everyone around him has changed and that life is better all around. Well it has changed for the better for the people around him because they all hit him up for money. He becomes a generous man and then makes his confession.
In ‘At Sea,’ a father-son sailor team have a hole drilled in the wall of the passenger suite so they can spy. They're particularly excited on this trip because it's a honeymoon suite for a beautiful young woman and her minister husband. What they see is so shocking that the father and son both walk away. And this written in 1883!
Chekhov is an excellent writer because of his wonderful Dickens-like characterizations and his ability to come up with plot after plot to create a good story. Not all are actual short stories; some might be better described as incidents or day-in-the-life stories.
And he is an excellent writer. Here is an example of a description of a character. “…Fyodor Grebeshkov, stood before him. If you will visualize a tall, bony, hollowed-eyed man with a long sparse beard and brown hands, who bears a striking resemblance to a skeleton activated by means of screws and springs, and if you dress this figure in an incredibly threadbare black suit, you will have a portrait of Grebeshkov.”
In ‘Peasants’ the author uses the words filth, rags, poverty, fetid, drunkenness and abuse in a story of a dozen or so peasants living in a two-room hut. They sleep on sleeping shelves along the walls. We see the story through the eyes of a husband and wife who moved in with their child after he lost his job as a waiter in Moscow because of illness. The new arrivals feel trapped and they are regarded as just another mouth to feed.
In ‘Peasants’ we also read of the peasants’ attitudes toward death. “Only the rich peasants feared death; the richer they grew the less they believed in God and in the salvation of the soul, and only through fear of their earthly end, and to be on the safe side, did they burn candles and have prayers said. The poorer peasants had no fear of death. The old man and Granny were told to their faces that they had lived too long, that it was time for them to die, and they did not mind..... Marya, far from fearing death, regretted that it was so long in coming, and was glad when her children died. …They had no fear of death, but had an exaggerated terror of all sickness.... They frequently talked about colds, worms, and tumors that moved about in the stomach and rolled up under the heart. After all, they feared catching cold, and for this reason, even in summer, wore heavy clothing and warmed themselves on the stove. Granny …said she was not seventy, but fifty-eight; she thought that if the doctor found out her real age he would not treat her, but would tell her it was time for her to die instead of taking medicine.”
In ‘The Father,’ an old drunken man knows that he disgraces his three sons who support him with drinking money but he can’t help himself. He grovels before them and can't stop confessing how terrible he was as a father, how he lies to them, and what a disgrace he is to the family.
Some other stories are about an unfaithful wife; a judge ‘jailed’ by his nagging wife; a woman who loses three husbands; the despondency of a pianist being treated as a servant, not an artist; and a man who is so naïve that he acts as an ‘enabler’ in the affair between his wife and his best friend.
Chekhov wrote most of these stories from 1880 through the 1890s, many for newspapers while he was a medical student. He wrote so many stories there are dozens of editions of different collections of his stories. (One edition has 100!)
In the story ‘The Confession’ a man is elated because he was promoted to cashier. He feels everyone around him has changed and that life is better all around. Well it has changed for the better for the people around him because they all hit him up for money. He becomes a generous man and then makes his confession.
In ‘At Sea,’ a father-son sailor team have a hole drilled in the wall of the passenger suite so they can spy. They're particularly excited on this trip because it's a honeymoon suite for a beautiful young woman and her minister husband. What they see is so shocking that the father and son both walk away. And this written in 1883!
Chekhov is an excellent writer because of his wonderful Dickens-like characterizations and his ability to come up with plot after plot to create a good story. Not all are actual short stories; some might be better described as incidents or day-in-the-life stories.
And he is an excellent writer. Here is an example of a description of a character. “…Fyodor Grebeshkov, stood before him. If you will visualize a tall, bony, hollowed-eyed man with a long sparse beard and brown hands, who bears a striking resemblance to a skeleton activated by means of screws and springs, and if you dress this figure in an incredibly threadbare black suit, you will have a portrait of Grebeshkov.”
In ‘Peasants’ the author uses the words filth, rags, poverty, fetid, drunkenness and abuse in a story of a dozen or so peasants living in a two-room hut. They sleep on sleeping shelves along the walls. We see the story through the eyes of a husband and wife who moved in with their child after he lost his job as a waiter in Moscow because of illness. The new arrivals feel trapped and they are regarded as just another mouth to feed.
In ‘Peasants’ we also read of the peasants’ attitudes toward death. “Only the rich peasants feared death; the richer they grew the less they believed in God and in the salvation of the soul, and only through fear of their earthly end, and to be on the safe side, did they burn candles and have prayers said. The poorer peasants had no fear of death. The old man and Granny were told to their faces that they had lived too long, that it was time for them to die, and they did not mind..... Marya, far from fearing death, regretted that it was so long in coming, and was glad when her children died. …They had no fear of death, but had an exaggerated terror of all sickness.... They frequently talked about colds, worms, and tumors that moved about in the stomach and rolled up under the heart. After all, they feared catching cold, and for this reason, even in summer, wore heavy clothing and warmed themselves on the stove. Granny …said she was not seventy, but fifty-eight; she thought that if the doctor found out her real age he would not treat her, but would tell her it was time for her to die instead of taking medicine.”
In ‘The Father,’ an old drunken man knows that he disgraces his three sons who support him with drinking money but he can’t help himself. He grovels before them and can't stop confessing how terrible he was as a father, how he lies to them, and what a disgrace he is to the family.
Some other stories are about an unfaithful wife; a judge ‘jailed’ by his nagging wife; a woman who loses three husbands; the despondency of a pianist being treated as a servant, not an artist; and a man who is so naïve that he acts as an ‘enabler’ in the affair between his wife and his best friend.
Chekhov wrote most of these stories from 1880 through the 1890s, many for newspapers while he was a medical student. He wrote so many stories there are dozens of editions of different collections of his stories. (One edition has 100!)
December 30, 2020
“Chamava por Tanya, chamava pelo enorme jardim com as suas flores maravilhosas, chamava pelo parque, pelos pinheiros com as suas raízes nodosas, pelos campos de centeio, chamava pela sua ciência espantosa, pela sua mocidade, pela sua coragem, pela sua alegria, gritava pela vida que fora tão bela."
-O Monge Negro
Sendo uma devoradora de contos, nunca ter lido uma colectânea de Anton Tchekhov era mais do que uma falha, era uma autêntica incongruência. Comecei a leitura com alguma apreensão por não ser a maior fã dos russos e pelo teor dos primeiros contos. “Cabeça no Ar” convenceu-me de que os russos têm mesmo uma fixação doentia pela infidelidade feminina e “A Sereia” presenteou-me com a pior culinária do país (rábano, arenque, fígado, natas azedas, tudo empurrado com grandes doses de vodca). Felizmente, os verdadeiros acepipes estavam ainda por vir e houve uma sucessão de histórias magníficas protagonizadas por personagens a passar por algum tipo de provação ou acontecimento traumático.
Apesar das minhas expectativas e do lulu da Pomerânia, o conto mais famoso de Tchekhov, “A Dama do Cachorrinho”, não foi um dos meus preferidos, tendo sido superado pelos seguintes: “Tristeza”, “A Aposta”, “Kashtanka”, “A Ânsia de Dormir”, “O Conselheiro Privado” e “O Monge Negro”.
“Durante o primeiro ano, os livros enviados ao jovem encarcerado eram, principalmente, do género ligeiro: romances com complicadas intrigas amorosas, novelas policiais, contos fantásticos, comédias, etc. No segundo ano, deixou de ouvir música no pavilhão, e nos bilhetes que arremessava pela janela o prisioneiro só pedia obras de autores clássicos. No quinto, voltaram a soar as notas do piano, e o jovem requisitou vinho.
- A Aposta
-O Monge Negro
Sendo uma devoradora de contos, nunca ter lido uma colectânea de Anton Tchekhov era mais do que uma falha, era uma autêntica incongruência. Comecei a leitura com alguma apreensão por não ser a maior fã dos russos e pelo teor dos primeiros contos. “Cabeça no Ar” convenceu-me de que os russos têm mesmo uma fixação doentia pela infidelidade feminina e “A Sereia” presenteou-me com a pior culinária do país (rábano, arenque, fígado, natas azedas, tudo empurrado com grandes doses de vodca). Felizmente, os verdadeiros acepipes estavam ainda por vir e houve uma sucessão de histórias magníficas protagonizadas por personagens a passar por algum tipo de provação ou acontecimento traumático.
Apesar das minhas expectativas e do lulu da Pomerânia, o conto mais famoso de Tchekhov, “A Dama do Cachorrinho”, não foi um dos meus preferidos, tendo sido superado pelos seguintes: “Tristeza”, “A Aposta”, “Kashtanka”, “A Ânsia de Dormir”, “O Conselheiro Privado” e “O Monge Negro”.
“Durante o primeiro ano, os livros enviados ao jovem encarcerado eram, principalmente, do género ligeiro: romances com complicadas intrigas amorosas, novelas policiais, contos fantásticos, comédias, etc. No segundo ano, deixou de ouvir música no pavilhão, e nos bilhetes que arremessava pela janela o prisioneiro só pedia obras de autores clássicos. No quinto, voltaram a soar as notas do piano, e o jovem requisitou vinho.
- A Aposta
August 10, 2017
Este livro contém pouco mais de uma dúzia de contos, o que para avaliar um autor que escreveu ao longo da sua vida mais de 200 é manifestamente pouco. Do que li gostei, principalmente percebi o fascínio dos guionistas de Hollywood por Chekhov, pela facilidade com que expõe a ação e dá a ver conflito, algo que parece simples mas é difícil para quem se tem de cingir ao texto enquanto imagina e cria.
Existe um lado teatral em Chekhov, na forma como edifica os personagens e os movimenta na cena, algo que faz de modo muito rápido, também porque de contos se trata. Como se não tivesse tempo a perder, inicia focado na personagem principal quase isolada, e é a partir dela que elabora o resto, fazendo crescer o nosso interesse pelo conflito principal a partir dessa ligação.
Não podemos dizer que exista aqui uma escrita elaborada, ou questões de ordem abstracta, ainda assim o facto de pegar em assuntos do quotidiano e com os quais quase todos nos podemos relacionar facilita o caminho para a reflexão, nomeadamente pelo modo como gere os fechamentos das suas histórias, deixando as resoluções semi-abertas, passíveis de distintas leituras.
Um autor para continuar a ler.
Existe um lado teatral em Chekhov, na forma como edifica os personagens e os movimenta na cena, algo que faz de modo muito rápido, também porque de contos se trata. Como se não tivesse tempo a perder, inicia focado na personagem principal quase isolada, e é a partir dela que elabora o resto, fazendo crescer o nosso interesse pelo conflito principal a partir dessa ligação.
Não podemos dizer que exista aqui uma escrita elaborada, ou questões de ordem abstracta, ainda assim o facto de pegar em assuntos do quotidiano e com os quais quase todos nos podemos relacionar facilita o caminho para a reflexão, nomeadamente pelo modo como gere os fechamentos das suas histórias, deixando as resoluções semi-abertas, passíveis de distintas leituras.
Um autor para continuar a ler.
May 15, 2017
Руският човек обича да си спомня, но не обича да живее…: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/c...
Защото макар тия разкази да са писани в години, които свързваме по-скоро с Освобождението и първите години независима държавност, а в Руската империя – с тъкмо проведеното премахване на крепостничеството и плавното движение към революцията от 1905 г., те звучат изненадващо актуално. Във всички е вписана тая руска тъга, която постоянно терзае и изисква да правиш някакви щедри жестове и смели, безразсъдни действия. Любовта тук е почти винаги бягство от миналото и настоящето – тя е обещание за бъдещето, за нещо различно, за нещо да се случи изобщо. Често Чехов критикува за лекотата, с която се сключват бракове, особено в провинцията, където те са общо взето всичко, което може да се случи на едно младо момиче. И сетне обръща взор и към мъжете, които така често изпадат в трескаво опиянение и очакват, че няма да продължат да живеят, ако не предложат любовта си на тепсия. И всички последствия от тоя вечен танц, на който човечеството дължи и щастието, и мъката си, и величието, и нищетата.
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/c...
Защото макар тия разкази да са писани в години, които свързваме по-скоро с Освобождението и първите години независима държавност, а в Руската империя – с тъкмо проведеното премахване на крепостничеството и плавното движение към революцията от 1905 г., те звучат изненадващо актуално. Във всички е вписана тая руска тъга, която постоянно терзае и изисква да правиш някакви щедри жестове и смели, безразсъдни действия. Любовта тук е почти винаги бягство от миналото и настоящето – тя е обещание за бъдещето, за нещо различно, за нещо да се случи изобщо. Често Чехов критикува за лекотата, с която се сключват бракове, особено в провинцията, където те са общо взето всичко, което може да се случи на едно младо момиче. И сетне обръща взор и към мъжете, които така често изпадат в трескаво опиянение и очакват, че няма да продължат да живеят, ако не предложат любовта си на тепсия. И всички последствия от тоя вечен танц, на който човечеството дължи и щастието, и мъката си, и величието, и нищетата.
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/c...
March 27, 2017
4,5*
Tchekhov veio mudar a forma como olho para os contos. Se antigamente eles não me diziam grande coisa, agora vejo-me a procurar autores que se dedicaram e dedicam a esta forma de contar histórias.
Fiquei rendida à escrita do autor, tão simples mas tão cativante. Outro aspecto que me fez adorar estes contos são a componente cultural, o autor era russo e todas as histórias são sobre russos, adorei conhecer mais sobre este país e a sua gente. Mas é a habilidade do Tchekhov para escrever histórias interessantes, que me tocaram fortemente e que me deixaram pensativa, recorrendo apenas a poucas páginas, que me fez ficar rendida. Ele pega em temas variados, escreve sobre coisas simples do dia a dia, conta histórias felizes e tristes, às vezes trágicas, mas sempre de uma maneira que é impossível não apreciar. todas as suas personagens têm conteúdo, estão vivas naquelas páginas e têm algo a dizer ao mundo, e isto tudo, por vezes, apenas em cinco páginas. Li um conto por um dia, mais ou menos, e todos os dias ansiava pelo novo conto e pelos minutos que iria passar com as ideias que o autor um dia pensou sobre e escreveu. Ele tinha um dom para escrever contos.
Preciso de ler mais coisas suas para poder dizer que é um dos meus autores favoritos, mas acho que para lá caminha.
Tchekhov veio mudar a forma como olho para os contos. Se antigamente eles não me diziam grande coisa, agora vejo-me a procurar autores que se dedicaram e dedicam a esta forma de contar histórias.
Fiquei rendida à escrita do autor, tão simples mas tão cativante. Outro aspecto que me fez adorar estes contos são a componente cultural, o autor era russo e todas as histórias são sobre russos, adorei conhecer mais sobre este país e a sua gente. Mas é a habilidade do Tchekhov para escrever histórias interessantes, que me tocaram fortemente e que me deixaram pensativa, recorrendo apenas a poucas páginas, que me fez ficar rendida. Ele pega em temas variados, escreve sobre coisas simples do dia a dia, conta histórias felizes e tristes, às vezes trágicas, mas sempre de uma maneira que é impossível não apreciar. todas as suas personagens têm conteúdo, estão vivas naquelas páginas e têm algo a dizer ao mundo, e isto tudo, por vezes, apenas em cinco páginas. Li um conto por um dia, mais ou menos, e todos os dias ansiava pelo novo conto e pelos minutos que iria passar com as ideias que o autor um dia pensou sobre e escreveu. Ele tinha um dom para escrever contos.
Preciso de ler mais coisas suas para poder dizer que é um dos meus autores favoritos, mas acho que para lá caminha.
May 1, 2017
৫৩ সালের গা-ঝকঝকে কপি, বিশ টাকা দিয়ে কিনছি সেদিন :D
চেখফকে রীতিমত ডাকসাইটে মনে হচ্ছে। কয়েকটা গল্প মনে হয় আবার পড়া লাগবে। এইটা মনে হওয়ার কারণ, ওলেঙ্কার গল্পটা আগে একবার পড়ছিলাম, বাংলায়, মুজতবা আলীর একটা বইয়ে। বলেই ফেলি, তখন একেবারেই ভালো লাগে নাই। আজকে পড়তে গিয়ে দেখি ভালো লাগা ত ভালো লাগা, ঐ জিনিস মোটামুটি জেঁকে বসে ছিলো মাথায় গোটা বছর জুড়ে। যেইখানেই কলমের আঁচড়, সেইখানেই ওলেঙ্কা।
প্রথম পড়াতেই বিশপ, ইয়োনিচ, নামভাঙা গল্প, একটি ঘটনামাত্র, কুকুরসমেত নারী, ডাকিনী, এইগুলি অসাধারণ লাগছে। আচ্ছা, একটু গোপন করা হয়ে যায়। কুকুরসমেত নারী প্রথম দফায় ধরে নাই, বই শেষ করে আবার পড়ে দেখি, বাহ্, বেশ ত! অনেকের নাকী এই অনুবাদ ভালো মনে হয় নাই, যেহেতু রাশান পড়তে পারবো এমন ভবিষ্যৎ দেখি না সামনে, তাই এই প্রসঙ্গে কিছু বলতে পারতেছি না। খুবই ঊনবিংশ শতাব্দীর ইংরেজি। অবশ্য চেখফও ত বোধহয় তখনকারই।
কী আছে চেখফে? তেমন কোনো উপমা চোখে পড়লো না, গত একশ বছরে আধুন���ক কবিতা আর এতদ্দেশীয় ভাজাপোড়ারে যেভাবে গিলে খাচ্ছে গল্প, সেইসব কিছু নাই, স্রেফ গল্প বলে গেছেন চেখফ। সেই গল্পে বেশ কিছু ঘটনা ঘটে, এইটুকই, কোনো মানসিক অন্তর্দ্বন্দে ডুব দেয়াদেয়ি নাই, কোনো মানবিক অবসাদ নাই। শ্লেষ আছে বিস্তর। কিছু চরিত্র আছে, যারা বেশ রক্তমাংশের, লেখার ভঙ্গি, অনুবাদ মেনে নিলে, বেশ সরল, কোনো জ্ঞান দেয়াদেয়ি নাই। হয়ত ভালো লাগার কারণও নাই খুব বেশি। আমার ভালো লাগছে। গল্পগুলি গল্পই থাকে না হয়, এর বেশি কিছুতে গিয়ে ঠেকে না, কিন্তু হ্যাঁ, পড়ার ফাঁকে গল্প হয়ে ওঠার চেয়ে বড় দর্শনধারী দিব্যি তারে কে দিয়েছে।
আগে কেনো পড়ি নাই!
চেখফকে রীতিমত ডাকসাইটে মনে হচ্ছে। কয়েকটা গল্প মনে হয় আবার পড়া লাগবে। এইটা মনে হওয়ার কারণ, ওলেঙ্কার গল্পটা আগে একবার পড়ছিলাম, বাংলায়, মুজতবা আলীর একটা বইয়ে। বলেই ফেলি, তখন একেবারেই ভালো লাগে নাই। আজকে পড়তে গিয়ে দেখি ভালো লাগা ত ভালো লাগা, ঐ জিনিস মোটামুটি জেঁকে বসে ছিলো মাথায় গোটা বছর জুড়ে। যেইখানেই কলমের আঁচড়, সেইখানেই ওলেঙ্কা।
প্রথম পড়াতেই বিশপ, ইয়োনিচ, নামভাঙা গল্প, একটি ঘটনামাত্র, কুকুরসমেত নারী, ডাকিনী, এইগুলি অসাধারণ লাগছে। আচ্ছা, একটু গোপন করা হয়ে যায়। কুকুরসমেত নারী প্রথম দফায় ধরে নাই, বই শেষ করে আবার পড়ে দেখি, বাহ্, বেশ ত! অনেকের নাকী এই অনুবাদ ভালো মনে হয় নাই, যেহেতু রাশান পড়তে পারবো এমন ভবিষ্যৎ দেখি না সামনে, তাই এই প্রসঙ্গে কিছু বলতে পারতেছি না। খুবই ঊনবিংশ শতাব্দীর ইংরেজি। অবশ্য চেখফও ত বোধহয় তখনকারই।
কী আছে চেখফে? তেমন কোনো উপমা চোখে পড়লো না, গত একশ বছরে আধুন���ক কবিতা আর এতদ্দেশীয় ভাজাপোড়ারে যেভাবে গিলে খাচ্ছে গল্প, সেইসব কিছু নাই, স্রেফ গল্প বলে গেছেন চেখফ। সেই গল্পে বেশ কিছু ঘটনা ঘটে, এইটুকই, কোনো মানসিক অন্তর্দ্বন্দে ডুব দেয়াদেয়ি নাই, কোনো মানবিক অবসাদ নাই। শ্লেষ আছে বিস্তর। কিছু চরিত্র আছে, যারা বেশ রক্তমাংশের, লেখার ভঙ্গি, অনুবাদ মেনে নিলে, বেশ সরল, কোনো জ্ঞান দেয়াদেয়ি নাই। হয়ত ভালো লাগার কারণও নাই খুব বেশি। আমার ভালো লাগছে। গল্পগুলি গল্পই থাকে না হয়, এর বেশি কিছুতে গিয়ে ঠেকে না, কিন্তু হ্যাঁ, পড়ার ফাঁকে গল্প হয়ে ওঠার চেয়ে বড় দর্শনধারী দিব্যি তারে কে দিয়েছে।
আগে কেনো পড়ি নাই!
May 29, 2020
Пуснах си за слушане “Цигулката на Ротшилд”. Един живот, изтъкан от пропуснати ползи, горчиви съжаления и закъснели прозрения, е в сърцевината на разказа и на цялото творчество на този лекар на човешката душа - Антон Павлович Чехов. Съпроводен от неземната мелодия на вълшебна, невидима цигулка.
”Ах, какви загуби! ... Но нищо от това дори и не му се бе присънило, животът му бе преминал безполезно, без никакво удоволствие, бе пропаднал напразно, за тоя дето духа; напред вече нищо не оставаше, а като се огледаше назад — и там нищо освен пропуснати ползи, и то толкова големи, та даже да те втресе. И защо човек не може да живее така, че да ги няма тези загуби и щети? ... Защо хората правят винаги не точно това, което трябва? ... Защо въобще хората си пречат един друг да живеят? Та нали от това има толкова пропуснати ползи! Ако нямаше злоба и ненавист, хората биха имали един от друг огромна полза.”
”Ах, какви загуби! ... Но нищо от това дори и не му се бе присънило, животът му бе преминал безполезно, без никакво удоволствие, бе пропаднал напразно, за тоя дето духа; напред вече нищо не оставаше, а като се огледаше назад — и там нищо освен пропуснати ползи, и то толкова големи, та даже да те втресе. И защо човек не може да живее така, че да ги няма тези загуби и щети? ... Защо хората правят винаги не точно това, което трябва? ... Защо въобще хората си пречат един друг да живеят? Та нали от това има толкова пропуснати ползи! Ако нямаше злоба и ненавист, хората биха имали един от друг огромна полза.”
February 8, 2016
Considered the greatest short story writer, Anton Chekhov changed the genre itself with his spare, impressionistic depictions of Russian life and the human condition. 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. 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.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
March 17, 2018
Este livro apresenta-nos cerca de uma dúzia de contos do autor, num estilo cínico e quase como pequenas lições de moral e de exploração de caráter, bem ao estilo do que já tive oportunidade de reparar em alguns autores russos.
Enquanto que alguns dos contos parecem quase inacabados (ou pelo menos parecem um pouco vagos) fiquei com alguns preferidos que gostaria de reler:
O Autor
A Aposta
A Condecoração
O Pavor
Fiquei com curiosidade de conhecer melhor a obra de Tchekov de modo a compreender mais facilmente algumas das ideias que tenta transmitir.
Enquanto que alguns dos contos parecem quase inacabados (ou pelo menos parecem um pouco vagos) fiquei com alguns preferidos que gostaria de reler:
O Autor
A Aposta
A Condecoração
O Pavor
Fiquei com curiosidade de conhecer melhor a obra de Tchekov de modo a compreender mais facilmente algumas das ideias que tenta transmitir.
April 16, 2014
Recién leído Guy de Maupassant, me encuentro con su contraparte ruso. La comparación que hace W. Somerset Maugham en el prólogo confronta la maestría de los relatos breves de ambos. Una colección de cuentos magnífica; quizá lo único que la afecta sean las traducciones de algunos de ellos, pues es notorio que las versiones en español se recopilaron de varias fuentes. Casi todos los relatos -o viñetas, o anécdotas-, son una maravilla. No les sobra ni les falta una sola palabra. Para no reducir la reseña a un recuento de mis favoritos, los dividiré en tres grupos:
Los cómicos: El orador (Оратор) , Amorcito (Душечка) , Cirugía (Хирургия) , El camaleón (Хамелеон) , La venganza (Месть) y El vengador (Мститель) , entre otros. En verdad cómicos, especialmente el primero.
Denuncia: Estos son los más impactantes. Varios de ellos tienen en común una dura crítica a la superficialidad de los aristócratas respecto al pueblo llano, muchas veces idealizado por ellos y objeto de un paternalismo que se deriva de una apreciación dolorosamente somera de su estado. La Princesa (Княгиня) , Pesadilla (Кошмар) y Vañka (Ванька) son los más memorables de este grupo. La denuncia queda finalmente en nada, pero no deja de ser una sacudida a la conciencia. Me recuerdan mucho El Sueño de Makar , de Vladimir Korolenko.
Ruptura con el romanticismo: Realmente no sé si llamarlos de esta forma. Son el grupo más numeroso y por lo visto, el más apreciado por la crítica. Los denomino así por el hecho de que, tratando sobre relaciones humanas, el final no es el esperado: redención, perdón, felices para siempre; antes bien, el final termina en lo insulso y mediocre, poniendo en su justo sitio a los personajes y al lector. La psicología de los personajes simplemente es genial, queda enteramente abierta a la propia interpretación, pues se describe con absoluta profundidad. En algunos casos no pude pasar al siguiente cuento sin haber “digerido” el último, un proceso que llegó a tomarme días. La dama del perrito (Дама с собачкой) , Iónich (Ионыч) , Ana colgada al cuello (Анна на шее) , La cigarra (Попрыгунья) , Grischa (Гриша ) , La casa del sotabanco (Дом с мезонином) , Las Grosellas (Крыжовник) , entre otros, entran en este grupo.
Sé que estoy predispuesto a amar los libros que leo, pero luego de leer este, realmente desearía que muchos más se dieran la oportunidad de disfrutar y apreciar a Anton Chekhov tanto como yo.
Los cómicos: El orador (Оратор) , Amorcito (Душечка) , Cirugía (Хирургия) , El camaleón (Хамелеон) , La venganza (Месть) y El vengador (Мститель) , entre otros. En verdad cómicos, especialmente el primero.
Denuncia: Estos son los más impactantes. Varios de ellos tienen en común una dura crítica a la superficialidad de los aristócratas respecto al pueblo llano, muchas veces idealizado por ellos y objeto de un paternalismo que se deriva de una apreciación dolorosamente somera de su estado. La Princesa (Княгиня) , Pesadilla (Кошмар) y Vañka (Ванька) son los más memorables de este grupo. La denuncia queda finalmente en nada, pero no deja de ser una sacudida a la conciencia. Me recuerdan mucho El Sueño de Makar , de Vladimir Korolenko.
Ruptura con el romanticismo: Realmente no sé si llamarlos de esta forma. Son el grupo más numeroso y por lo visto, el más apreciado por la crítica. Los denomino así por el hecho de que, tratando sobre relaciones humanas, el final no es el esperado: redención, perdón, felices para siempre; antes bien, el final termina en lo insulso y mediocre, poniendo en su justo sitio a los personajes y al lector. La psicología de los personajes simplemente es genial, queda enteramente abierta a la propia interpretación, pues se describe con absoluta profundidad. En algunos casos no pude pasar al siguiente cuento sin haber “digerido” el último, un proceso que llegó a tomarme días. La dama del perrito (Дама с собачкой) , Iónich (Ионыч) , Ana colgada al cuello (Анна на шее) , La cigarra (Попрыгунья) , Grischa (Гриша ) , La casa del sotabanco (Дом с мезонином) , Las Grosellas (Крыжовник) , entre otros, entran en este grupo.
Sé que estoy predispuesto a amar los libros que leo, pero luego de leer este, realmente desearía que muchos más se dieran la oportunidad de disfrutar y apreciar a Anton Chekhov tanto como yo.
May 11, 2017
http://podmosta.bg/razkazi-i-povesti-...
На 29 януари 1860 в Таганрог, Русия се ражда Антон Павлович Чехов. Мъж, който след време ще бъде наричан „гениален“, „велик“, „вълшебник“, както и „най-добрият автор на къси разкази в света“. Самият Толстой ще каже по негово име „несравним художник на живота“.
Чехов е лекар по професия и писател по призвание. В практиката си лекува физическите болежки, а чрез творчеството си носи облекчение на душевните скърби. Словата му се леят като амброзия и носят на читателя покой и удовлетворение. В творчеството си той извършва прецизна дисекция на човешките характери, емоции, мисли и действия.
Освен на своите читатели, Чехов повлиява и на редица литературни величия като Михаил Булгаков, Джеймс Джойс, Ърнест Хемингуей, Владимир Набоков, Селинджър, Тенеси Уилямс, Вирджиния Улф, Боб Дилън, Чарлз Буковски и много други.
„Аз въобще не искам от мен да произлезе нещо особено или да създам нещо велико, но просто ми се иска да живея, да мечтая, да се надявам, да успявам навсякъде… Животът… е кратък и трябва да го живеем по-добре.“, казва Чехов, но създава над 900 произведения, които оставят дълготрайна следа в литературната история. Малка, но добре подбрана селекция от тях излизат в новия сборник на издателство „Colibri“.
Там място намират някои от белетристичните шедьоври на Чехов – „Човекът в калъф“, „Дамата с кученцето“ и „Лекокрилата“. Освен тях българският читател ще има възможността да прочете и по-малко известни разкази на Вълшебника като „Верочка“, „Княгинята“, „Агафия“, „Шведската кибритена клечка“, „Къщата с полуетажа“ и „Студент“.
Сборникът е допълнен с поетичната повест „Степ“, която е историята на едно пътуване. В това повествование се описва пътуване в степите през погледа на едно момче, което е изпратено да живее далеч от дома си. Негови придружители са свещеник и търговец. Сюжетът е предаден като се следва мисълта на героите. „Степ“ е определяна като „енциклопедия на Чеховата поетика„. Повестта „Три години“, която разказва историята на един брак по сметка, пък е определяна като „еволюция на човешките чувства.“ и също намира място в сборника. Освен тях читателят ще се срещне и с „Егерът“, „В чужда страна“, „Шило в торба“, „Пътникът от I класа“ „Щастието“, „Светлини“, „В имението“, „Съпругата“ и „Новата вила“.
„Писателят трябва много да пише, но не трябва да бърза.“
е творческо верую на великия разказвач. А аз парафразирам: Читателят трябва много да чете, но определено не трябва да бърза, четейки Чехов. Чехов е за чудните дни, когато човек е разкъсан между желанието да пие чай или да се обеси или за тъжните вечери, когато двама почти непознати се разхождат и говорят за странно осветеното море; когато водата е с люляков цвят, мек и топъл, а от луната по нея се е проточила златна пътека. Чехов трябва да се приема на бавни хапки, да се предъвква, като парче пчелна пита – да смукваш бавно и с наслада до последната капчица мед.
„Равнодушието е паралич на душата.“, казва Антон Павлович и не оставя читателя си равнодушен към думите. Изданието на „Colibri“ е прекрасен подарък, който да направите на любим човек или на себе си. 570 страници изящество в чудно луксозно издание. Преводът е дело на Пенка Кънева, а художник на корицата е Стефан Касъров.
На 29 януари 1860 в Таганрог, Русия се ражда Антон Павлович Чехов. Мъж, който след време ще бъде наричан „гениален“, „велик“, „вълшебник“, както и „най-добрият автор на къси разкази в света“. Самият Толстой ще каже по негово име „несравним художник на живота“.
Чехов е лекар по професия и писател по призвание. В практиката си лекува физическите болежки, а чрез творчеството си носи облекчение на душевните скърби. Словата му се леят като амброзия и носят на читателя покой и удовлетворение. В творчеството си той извършва прецизна дисекция на човешките характери, емоции, мисли и действия.
Освен на своите читатели, Чехов повлиява и на редица литературни величия като Михаил Булгаков, Джеймс Джойс, Ърнест Хемингуей, Владимир Набоков, Селинджър, Тенеси Уилямс, Вирджиния Улф, Боб Дилън, Чарлз Буковски и много други.
„Аз въобще не искам от мен да произлезе нещо особено или да създам нещо велико, но просто ми се иска да живея, да мечтая, да се надявам, да успявам навсякъде… Животът… е кратък и трябва да го живеем по-добре.“, казва Чехов, но създава над 900 произведения, които оставят дълготрайна следа в литературната история. Малка, но добре подбрана селекция от тях излизат в новия сборник на издателство „Colibri“.
Там място намират някои от белетристичните шедьоври на Чехов – „Човекът в калъф“, „Дамата с кученцето“ и „Лекокрилата“. Освен тях българският читател ще има възможността да прочете и по-малко известни разкази на Вълшебника като „Верочка“, „Княгинята“, „Агафия“, „Шведската кибритена клечка“, „Къщата с полуетажа“ и „Студент“.
Сборникът е допълнен с поетичната повест „Степ“, която е историята на едно пътуване. В това повествование се описва пътуване в степите през погледа на едно момче, което е изпратено да живее далеч от дома си. Негови придружители са свещеник и търговец. Сюжетът е предаден като се следва мисълта на героите. „Степ“ е определяна като „енциклопедия на Чеховата поетика„. Повестта „Три години“, която разказва историята на един брак по сметка, пък е определяна като „еволюция на човешките чувства.“ и също намира място в сборника. Освен тях читателят ще се срещне и с „Егерът“, „В чужда страна“, „Шило в торба“, „Пътникът от I класа“ „Щастието“, „Светлини“, „В имението“, „Съпругата“ и „Новата вила“.
„Писателят трябва много да пише, но не трябва да бърза.“
е творческо верую на великия разказвач. А аз парафразирам: Читателят трябва много да чете, но определено не трябва да бърза, четейки Чехов. Чехов е за чудните дни, когато човек е разкъсан между желанието да пие чай или да се обеси или за тъжните вечери, когато двама почти непознати се разхождат и говорят за странно осветеното море; когато водата е с люляков цвят, мек и топъл, а от луната по нея се е проточила златна пътека. Чехов трябва да се приема на бавни хапки, да се предъвква, като парче пчелна пита – да смукваш бавно и с наслада до последната капчица мед.
„Равнодушието е паралич на душата.“, казва Антон Павлович и не оставя читателя си равнодушен към думите. Изданието на „Colibri“ е прекрасен подарък, който да направите на любим човек или на себе си. 570 страници изящество в чудно луксозно издание. Преводът е дело на Пенка Кънева, а художник на корицата е Стефан Касъров.
May 30, 2014
'Amem! Casem-se! Façam asneiras!... A asneira é muito mais necessária e sã que todos os nossos esforços no sentido de levarmos uma vida sensata.' (O Conselheiro Privado)
Mundialmente aclamado como o mestre do conto moderno, Chekhov deixou-nos centenas de contos, alguns romances e várias obras de teatro. Como introdução pessoal ao seu trabalho escolhi esta edição de Contos Escolhidos.
O interesse de Chekhov pelo ser-humano e pela forma como este interage com os da sua espécie torna-se óbvio desde o início. Através de uma prosa simples e recorrendo a um vocabulário descomplicado, Chekhov descreve os seus personagens de forma objectiva, nas suas banais actividades do quotidiano.
'(…) bem ponderadas as coisas, tudo neste mundo é maravilhoso, tudo, exceto aquilo que imaginamos e fazemos quando perdemos de vista os mais sublimes objectivos da existência e esquecemos a nossa dignidade de homens.' (A Dama do Cachorrinho)
Chekhov encantou-me com a sua extraordinária capacidade para embelezar trivialidades, numa escrita brilhante mas económica, enchendo-as de significado, tornando-as inesperadamente complexas… Ou simples; e afinal somos nós que complicamos sempre tudo… A variedade dos temas abordados torna a leitura deste livro ainda mais interessante, passando por questões de abandono, solidão, adultério, relações familiares, obsessão, liberdade, amor, loucura, individualidade, comunicação - enfim, sobrevivência!
Mantendo-se neutro durante grande parte da viagem, o autor limita-se a uma descrição honesta e natural das vidas alheias, chegando-nos apenas um zumbido das verdadeiras implicações. Ao confiar desta forma no critério pessoal do leitor, Chekhov criou uma série de contos que podem ser pequenos em tamanho mas cujo conteúdo nos permite argumentar por horas.
Tratando-se de uma seleção de contos há sempre aqueles que nos marcam mais de acordo com as nossas experiências e/ou tendências; no meu caso destaco 'A Aposta', 'Kashtanka', 'A Dama do Cachorrinho' e 'O Monge Negro' como preferidos.
'Andava maluco…tinha a mania da grandeza… Mas fora isso sentia-me lúcido, ativo e sempre satisfeito… Era um homem interessante e original. Agora tornei-me racional e sólido, como toda a gente. Sou um medíocre e a vida não passa de uma coisa enfadonha. Oh, que cruéis… que cruéis vocês foram para mim! Tinha alucinações… que mal fazia isso aos outros? Que mal, pergunto eu? (O Monge Negro)
April 6, 2022
"Тъй си е - рече той, - ей го лакътя, ама не се стига с уста... Има щастие, само дето умът не ни стига да го намерим."
April 24, 2018
As long as my memory goes back in time, we as a family of booklovers have always loved Russian books. I can never forget those days, when our school Principal will declare at the very start of assembly that "we are going to have a Russian Book Fair" organized at the later half of the day. As soon as the assembly will be over, I will barge in her room and give her two options :), Number one, to call my mom from her office phone or Number two, lend me a coin so I can use the pay phone outside to call her and let her know :). Princy happened to be my mom's best friend (Kitty party and all), would always oblige with the first option. And my mom, the less said the better, will always (without fail) will walk in way before the school is over and will have a cotton bag full of her choice of books with an empty bag waiting for me :) to be filled with my choice of books. During those days, we may get only one pair of brand new cloths each, that too only on Diwali but there was no stopping or any such rule applied to books. The only condition she did put in before buying the books was that, we have to give her the summary of the book (verbally) as soon as we finished. The names that I could recollect of what all we read during those days were Tolstoy (her favorite), Gogol (my favorite), Dostoyevsky (common), Gorky etc (I do not remember the rest of the names). I have no idea or memory as how much sense their books made to me at that time, but I loved reading them. I still cannot forget that thick black book, full of Ghost stories, (forgot the name and the writer too, but the only thing I remember about it is that the stories were mostly based in, or around Kiev) which was cherished by almost all my friends back then as there was only one copy available, and was priced very steeply, yet we end up getting it :). Russian writers were simply magic for us and we loved them big time, till life happened :) and I moved on.
Chekhov Omnibus I landed accidentally at Crosswords last year, when I noticed that they had an offer going on, something like 40% on First book, 50% on Second and 60% on Third :). I let my wifey and kiddo pick up one book each and myself, I picked up this thick Omnibus at the hugest discount possible. It's been quite a few years that I have / had read anything from that part of the world. Tolstoy's "Confessions" was an exception that I read last year, quite a gloomy read, totally philosophical and takes you on a ride to search the meaning of your life (rather Tolstoy's). So, Chekhov not only surprised me with his dozen odd stories, he rather shocked me with the deep philosophy that each story took me on. It was actually a "Oh My God - Not Anton Chekhov" moment for me. If only I hadn't read (and loved Murakami), I would have never finished this book and half of these stories which were not only gloomy but also very painful, and at times have no set endings, open endings, broken narratives as well as quite a few times - No Closure. I was like WHOA!! What did I just read? Is this what Chekhov is famous for? but each and every story, kept taking me deeper into the journey with the amazing man that he was (if only the translation was any better, more on that later). The majority of the characters in almost all the stories were either poor peasants, teachers, doctors or totally down trodden people with almost no life and no future to look forward to.
It took me close to 11 days to finish this giant of a book with more then a dozen odd stories. Some were as big as 50-60 pages and then some were as small as 8-10 pages only, but the impact of all of them were exactly same. Unfortunately I haven't read a Russian book in a long time so I guess I have totally lost touch. But on the positive side, this one so much reminded me of my favorite Writer cum Movie maker - Satyajit Ray, that I just can't describe it in words. On your face reality shown just as it is. No judgments. I never expected these kind of stories from Chekhov, I thought he would be more like light heart, humorous writer. Although his terrific sense of humor too is pretty much visible through these stories but they are way heart-touching than what I expected. As I mentioned that almost all the stories have an open ending or no ending at all. Imagine, a forty page story where a man is big time in love with a married female, who too in turn loves him but the situation is such that they just can't continue the relationship any longer, much to the hopes of readers that they should get reunited. The story suddenly ends saying "I never met that guy after that day and have no idea what happened next" :). I mean, can you believe that? I just couldn't believe how many stories had an extra marital angle to them plus most of them had a broken family with no support from anywhere. Is this what Chekhov was famous for? One more thing that I loved most about these stories is that almost all of them are told in first person, with a narrator telling it to a friend or a relative. That actually keeps it very interesting for the reader. I really need to get some more of him and read them soon to know if all his books are like that. Do let me know if you have read these stories or any other works of Chekhov that you believe were similar to these. Which one book that you would recommend big time as his best work? I would really like to read it asap.
A word on World's worst translator: Constance Garnett: If you ever see a book (especially Russian) with that name as the translator, I will say, DO NOT even touch it with a barge pole, rather run for your life and never enter that book shop. What a terrible terrible translation. The language and the choice of words that she has for this one, initially at least 100+ pages I thought I was reading a British book and not a Russian. Plus, I want to mention this that, this actually became a first book from Russia where I have read words like "Slut", "C*** and so many similar cringe-worthy terms. That I will refuse to accept that Russian writers will every use in their stories or will accept even in translation. I am now too keen to pick up the same Omnibus from a better translator and read it again soon to actually know if the stories ended the same way Constance has translated them or she changed that too. It was such a heart-break and on top of that, dime a dozen grammatical mistakes, spelling mistakes were such a big turn off. Although I am no expert on language but it was quite shocking for me to be able to notice so many sad mistakes. It totally looked like a half heart effort from her and I really wonder why someone will ever take these kind of classical stories that casually.
Chekhov Omnibus I landed accidentally at Crosswords last year, when I noticed that they had an offer going on, something like 40% on First book, 50% on Second and 60% on Third :). I let my wifey and kiddo pick up one book each and myself, I picked up this thick Omnibus at the hugest discount possible. It's been quite a few years that I have / had read anything from that part of the world. Tolstoy's "Confessions" was an exception that I read last year, quite a gloomy read, totally philosophical and takes you on a ride to search the meaning of your life (rather Tolstoy's). So, Chekhov not only surprised me with his dozen odd stories, he rather shocked me with the deep philosophy that each story took me on. It was actually a "Oh My God - Not Anton Chekhov" moment for me. If only I hadn't read (and loved Murakami), I would have never finished this book and half of these stories which were not only gloomy but also very painful, and at times have no set endings, open endings, broken narratives as well as quite a few times - No Closure. I was like WHOA!! What did I just read? Is this what Chekhov is famous for? but each and every story, kept taking me deeper into the journey with the amazing man that he was (if only the translation was any better, more on that later). The majority of the characters in almost all the stories were either poor peasants, teachers, doctors or totally down trodden people with almost no life and no future to look forward to.
It took me close to 11 days to finish this giant of a book with more then a dozen odd stories. Some were as big as 50-60 pages and then some were as small as 8-10 pages only, but the impact of all of them were exactly same. Unfortunately I haven't read a Russian book in a long time so I guess I have totally lost touch. But on the positive side, this one so much reminded me of my favorite Writer cum Movie maker - Satyajit Ray, that I just can't describe it in words. On your face reality shown just as it is. No judgments. I never expected these kind of stories from Chekhov, I thought he would be more like light heart, humorous writer. Although his terrific sense of humor too is pretty much visible through these stories but they are way heart-touching than what I expected. As I mentioned that almost all the stories have an open ending or no ending at all. Imagine, a forty page story where a man is big time in love with a married female, who too in turn loves him but the situation is such that they just can't continue the relationship any longer, much to the hopes of readers that they should get reunited. The story suddenly ends saying "I never met that guy after that day and have no idea what happened next" :). I mean, can you believe that? I just couldn't believe how many stories had an extra marital angle to them plus most of them had a broken family with no support from anywhere. Is this what Chekhov was famous for? One more thing that I loved most about these stories is that almost all of them are told in first person, with a narrator telling it to a friend or a relative. That actually keeps it very interesting for the reader. I really need to get some more of him and read them soon to know if all his books are like that. Do let me know if you have read these stories or any other works of Chekhov that you believe were similar to these. Which one book that you would recommend big time as his best work? I would really like to read it asap.
A word on World's worst translator: Constance Garnett: If you ever see a book (especially Russian) with that name as the translator, I will say, DO NOT even touch it with a barge pole, rather run for your life and never enter that book shop. What a terrible terrible translation. The language and the choice of words that she has for this one, initially at least 100+ pages I thought I was reading a British book and not a Russian. Plus, I want to mention this that, this actually became a first book from Russia where I have read words like "Slut", "C*** and so many similar cringe-worthy terms. That I will refuse to accept that Russian writers will every use in their stories or will accept even in translation. I am now too keen to pick up the same Omnibus from a better translator and read it again soon to actually know if the stories ended the same way Constance has translated them or she changed that too. It was such a heart-break and on top of that, dime a dozen grammatical mistakes, spelling mistakes were such a big turn off. Although I am no expert on language but it was quite shocking for me to be able to notice so many sad mistakes. It totally looked like a half heart effort from her and I really wonder why someone will ever take these kind of classical stories that casually.
February 18, 2023
Jeśli mnie pamięć nie myli, to jest moje pierwsze zetknięcie się z twórczością Czechowa. Wrażenia mam dosyć pozytywne.
"Dyrektor pod kanapą i inne opowiadania" jak sama nazwa wskazuje, składa się z samych opowiadań. Ta książka to niezły egzamin dla krótkiej formy. Warto nadmienić, że ta publikacja składa się z 51 opowiadań (jeśli dobrze przeliczyłam) na.. 208 stronach. Niektóre opowiadania mają kilka akapitów, a niektóre dosłownie kilka zdań. Zanim człowiek zaangażuje się to już jest zmiana i dostajemy coś innego. Myślę, że ta pozycja będzie dobra dla osób, które chcą spróbować Czechowa, ale równocześnie łatwo się rozpraszają i nie lubią długich fragmentów, bo tutaj wszystko zostało zamknięte w formie mikro. Autor w tych opowiadaniach podkreśla, w większości przypadków, negatywne cechy ludzkie oraz ich zachowanie. Zdrada, kłamstwo, pazerność, nielogiczne myślenie, obłuda, podwójne standardy, złe traktowanie kobiet, tworzenie iluzji uporządkowania i stabilności, kiedy w środku jest armageddon, kwestie moralności i pozostałe rzeczy. Wszystko okraszone jest dozą satyry - oczywiście nie taką, że będziemy pokładać się ze śmiechu, ale czasem można parsknąć.
3,5 gwiazdki. Na początku podchodziłam bardzo sceptycznie do tej pozycji, ale finalnie spodobało mi się i na pewno będę chciała jeszcze coś od Czechowa spróbować.
"Dyrektor pod kanapą i inne opowiadania" jak sama nazwa wskazuje, składa się z samych opowiadań. Ta książka to niezły egzamin dla krótkiej formy. Warto nadmienić, że ta publikacja składa się z 51 opowiadań (jeśli dobrze przeliczyłam) na.. 208 stronach. Niektóre opowiadania mają kilka akapitów, a niektóre dosłownie kilka zdań. Zanim człowiek zaangażuje się to już jest zmiana i dostajemy coś innego. Myślę, że ta pozycja będzie dobra dla osób, które chcą spróbować Czechowa, ale równocześnie łatwo się rozpraszają i nie lubią długich fragmentów, bo tutaj wszystko zostało zamknięte w formie mikro. Autor w tych opowiadaniach podkreśla, w większości przypadków, negatywne cechy ludzkie oraz ich zachowanie. Zdrada, kłamstwo, pazerność, nielogiczne myślenie, obłuda, podwójne standardy, złe traktowanie kobiet, tworzenie iluzji uporządkowania i stabilności, kiedy w środku jest armageddon, kwestie moralności i pozostałe rzeczy. Wszystko okraszone jest dozą satyry - oczywiście nie taką, że będziemy pokładać się ze śmiechu, ale czasem można parsknąć.
3,5 gwiazdki. Na początku podchodziłam bardzo sceptycznie do tej pozycji, ale finalnie spodobało mi się i na pewno będę chciała jeszcze coś od Czechowa spróbować.
July 26, 2023
Mis disculpas para quieres han tenido una visión distinta a la mía, probablemente quienes conozcan otras obras suyas o lo valoren por su personalidad como escritor lo vean con otra mirada más completa, sin embargo como cuentista no me ha llenado, todos sus relatos me han quedado sólo en lo descriptivo y costumbrista, sin los cierres que caracterizan a este género literario.
April 12, 2021
Sé que los cuentos de Chejov son un clásico de la literatura y me imagino que fueron increíbles en su época. Me gustó mucho su manera de narrar los sentimientos de los personajes, pero muchos de los textos carecen de un buen final además de que los títulos me han parecido poco originales.
La edición que leí tenía 60 cuentos y sólo me han gustado 20:(
Dejo mis textos favoritos en caso de que quiera reerlos:
El álbum
El beso
El misterio
El trágico
En el campo
En la administración de correos
En la oscuridad
Historia de un contrabajo
La obra de arte
La muerte de un funcionario público
La corista
La víspera del juicio
Los mártires
Los muchachos
Los simuladores
Poquita cosa
El asesinato
Un hombre conocido
Un hombre irascible
Consejos a un buen escritor
La edición que leí tenía 60 cuentos y sólo me han gustado 20:(
Dejo mis textos favoritos en caso de que quiera reerlos:
El álbum
El beso
El misterio
El trágico
En el campo
En la administración de correos
En la oscuridad
Historia de un contrabajo
La obra de arte
La muerte de un funcionario público
La corista
La víspera del juicio
Los mártires
Los muchachos
Los simuladores
Poquita cosa
El asesinato
Un hombre conocido
Un hombre irascible
Consejos a un buen escritor
Read
January 30, 2023Czechow przedstawia obraz carskiej Rosji - absurdów biurokracji, wyzysku, totalitarnej władzy niszczącej ludzką godność i rozbijającej relacje - w serii obrazków, które można uznać za literackie widokówki, pocztówki z przeszłości. Obrazki są pełne lokalnego kolorytu, zabawne, ale jest w nich niepokojącego, jak w obrazach Hoppera. Na pierwszy rzut oka wszystko wydaje się normalne, na drugi widać brak klamek w drzwiach pokoju, siniaki po uścisku ręki na przywitanie, zalewanie emocjonalnych problemów wódką. Poszczególne opowiadanie nie zostaną ze mną na długo, ale ogólny obraz już tak.
October 28, 2018
Mais um exemplo de como a ficção russa é acessível, saborosa e humanizada. Claro, que não terei gostado de todos os contos de igual forma, porque são muitos, mas destaco Kashtanka e A Aposta como os melhores desta antologia. Kashtanka porque descobri o prazer de ler grandes autores que se põem na pele de personagens caninas com realismo e doçura. Também gostei de A Dama do Cachorrinho (embora pouco tivesse a ver com o protagonismo que o autor dá a Kashtanka), entre outros.
February 6, 2021
3.5
Apesar de ter gostado bastante de alguns contos, no geral não foi uma leitura entusiasmante.
Apesar de ter gostado bastante de alguns contos, no geral não foi uma leitura entusiasmante.
November 14, 2021
3,5 pewne rzeczy się tu zestarzały, niektóre problemy i zwłaszcza stosunek do kobiet, ale narzekanie na ludzką głupotę to zawsze fun
February 13, 2023
So this was volume 1 of Chekhov’s Select Tales by Chatto & Windus, translated by Constance Garnett. Twenty five stories over 595 pages, a lovely hardback edition from 1967.
Having read around thirty of Chekhov’s stories previously, I already have him held in high respect but after finishing this volume, I consider him now as indispensable, one of the greatest writers I have ever read and although books should be finished, I am disappointed that this has ended.
There were maybe two or three stories that I did not totally enjoy but the others I could not get enough of. I think my favourites would be My Life, The Teacher Of Literature, An Anonymous Story, Ionitch, A Woman’s Kingdom, Mire, Gusev and The Darling.
Chekhov knew humanity so deeply, his writing is so well observed and I realised while reading these stories he knew the lives and thoughts of the rich, the poor, the young and old and both men and women alike. He also hooks you into the story so effectively within the first few sentences of each tale, he sets a scene so quickly, it only takes a few words to captivate you.
I am now searching for more, I already have the 2nd volume of the Chatto & Windus and have bought another Penguin collection to add to another three short editions I already own.
Having read around thirty of Chekhov’s stories previously, I already have him held in high respect but after finishing this volume, I consider him now as indispensable, one of the greatest writers I have ever read and although books should be finished, I am disappointed that this has ended.
There were maybe two or three stories that I did not totally enjoy but the others I could not get enough of. I think my favourites would be My Life, The Teacher Of Literature, An Anonymous Story, Ionitch, A Woman’s Kingdom, Mire, Gusev and The Darling.
Chekhov knew humanity so deeply, his writing is so well observed and I realised while reading these stories he knew the lives and thoughts of the rich, the poor, the young and old and both men and women alike. He also hooks you into the story so effectively within the first few sentences of each tale, he sets a scene so quickly, it only takes a few words to captivate you.
I am now searching for more, I already have the 2nd volume of the Chatto & Windus and have bought another Penguin collection to add to another three short editions I already own.
September 15, 2025
Algunos me gustaron mucho y otros muy poco, como casi siempre pasa con las recopilaciones de cuentos (creo que tres estrellas es un buen promedio). En general los que me parecieron más interesantes fueron los de pocas páginas que buscan ser mas ligeros y divertidos. Los otros iban generando buen drama de a poco pero al final se desinflaban y las últimas líneas se sintieron como poca cosa.
September 28, 2022
5*
Vídeo de Opinião em: https://youtu.be/grM1h9h7n0M
Maravilhoso!
Vídeo de Opinião em: https://youtu.be/grM1h9h7n0M
Maravilhoso!
Read
January 9, 2025lugesin ainult kirsiaia poole peale, chat aitas💋
March 11, 2017
I don't think I need to say much about Chekhov and his brilliance in the short story genre. Anybody looking for some insight into his undeniable and outstanding genius with the written word needs to just read some of his stories and be prepared for having his/her mind blown. His stories are quintessentially Russian. Chekhov does not need the overly lyrical prose of a Nobakov, or the pessimistic bent of a Dostoyevsky to provide the insight into human nature that he does.
A special mention to the first story in the collection - "The Bet" was the first Chekhov story I read in school as part of the curriculum, and to revisit it was a burst of nostalgia. I could still remember the story verbatim, a product of me having read it numerous times back then. To read it again was a pleasure, and a reminder of what really got me into reading in the first place.
A special mention to the first story in the collection - "The Bet" was the first Chekhov story I read in school as part of the curriculum, and to revisit it was a burst of nostalgia. I could still remember the story verbatim, a product of me having read it numerous times back then. To read it again was a pleasure, and a reminder of what really got me into reading in the first place.
August 23, 2017
За влиянието на Aнтон П. Чехов върху модерната проза може да се говори много и това е съвсем нормално с оглед на литературното наследство, което оставя след себе си – над 900 творби, превърнали се в доказателство, че и в наглед обикновената реалност се крие минимумът на едно максимално живеене.
И макар аз да предпочитам пиесите му, вярвам, че „Разкази и повести“ от Антон П. Чехов са прекрасно доказателство, че класиката може да бъде и достъпна и да напомня през смях, че животът е щастлива случайност и кратко да резюмира света във въпроси и в опозиции – комично-трагично; красиво-грозно; мечта-реалност; любов-омраза.
http://knijno.blogspot.bg/2017/08/blo...
И макар аз да предпочитам пиесите му, вярвам, че „Разкази и повести“ от Антон П. Чехов са прекрасно доказателство, че класиката може да бъде и достъпна и да напомня през смях, че животът е щастлива случайност и кратко да резюмира света във въпроси и в опозиции – комично-трагично; красиво-грозно; мечта-реалност; любов-омраза.
http://knijno.blogspot.bg/2017/08/blo...
May 2, 2020
No leí exactamemte esta selección sino que la de Alma Clásicos Ilustrados que no pude encontrar en la aplicación. He leído muchos cuentos de Chéjov pero la selección de Alma me pareció particularmente depresiva. Por eso el libro se me hizo un poco pesado, pero la maestría del autor exige las cinco estrellas.
May 11, 2020
3.5.
To było wspaniałe satyryczne, humorystyczne i przyjemne spotkanie. Moje pierwsze z rosyjskim klasykiem. Opowiadania te są krótkie, ale bardzo urokliwe w formie, ironiczne i przewrotne w przekazie, wytykające nasze (tak, tak, nasze nasze! mimo że większość z nich powstała w latach 80. XIX wieku!) ułomności, słabości, naszą hipokryzję.
To było wspaniałe satyryczne, humorystyczne i przyjemne spotkanie. Moje pierwsze z rosyjskim klasykiem. Opowiadania te są krótkie, ale bardzo urokliwe w formie, ironiczne i przewrotne w przekazie, wytykające nasze (tak, tak, nasze nasze! mimo że większość z nich powstała w latach 80. XIX wieku!) ułomności, słabości, naszą hipokryzję.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews