The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories

Tales of Chekhov #3

by Anton Chekhov

The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories

1. The Lady with the Dog
2. A Doctor's Visit
3. An Upheaval
4. Ionitch
5. The Head of the Family
6. The Black Monk
7. Volodya
8. An Anonymous Story
9. The Husband

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Fiction, Russia, Russian Literature, Literature, 19th Century

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1899

About the author

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 Alfred Dreyfus, his friendship with Suvorin ended

Reviews

[BookHunter M ُH َM َD · Rating 3 out of 5]

لولا النهاية الفجائية لأعطيتها نجمة أخرى.

كان يعيش حياتين: حياة ظاهرة، يعرفها ويرآها كل من ينبغي أن يعرفها ويرآها. حياة مليئة بالصدق النسبي والخداع النسبي، تشبه تماماً حياة جيرانه ومعارفه وأصدقائه. وحياة أخرى تمضي سراً، وحسب اتساق غريب للظروف. ربما كان عرضا، جرى كل ما كان بالنسبة له مهماً وطريفا وضرورياً، كل ما كان فيه مخلصا وصادقاً مع نفسه، كل ما كان يشكل نواة حياته، جرى في سرية عن الآخرين. أما ما كان كذبا، وقشرة يختبيء خلفها ليخفي الحقيقية، كعمله في البنك مثلاً ومناقشاته في النادي، وجنسه المنحط، وتردده في زوجته على الحفلات– كل ذلك كان ظاهراً. وحسب حاله كان يحكم على الآخرين، ولا يصدق ما يراه، ويعتقد دائماً أن لكل إنسان حياته الحقيقية الشيقة التي تمضي تحت ستار السرية مثلما تحت جنح الليل، وكل مخلوق فرد يقوم وجوده على الأسرار. وربما لذلك يسعى الإنسان المثقف بقلق من أجل أن تحترم الأسرار الشخصية.

[İntellecta · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the book "Der Vorleser" by Bernhard Schlink, I became aware of one of twelve short stories "Die Dame mit dem Hündchen" by Chehov's. In general, these short stories are about women from different social groups who reveal their feelings about relationship and adultery. Chekhov's unique and meaningful style impressed me the most, as none of his stories seemed boring or monotonous to me.

Consequently, these stories are absolutely recommended and especially worth reading.

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gusta mucho la tristeza de Chéjov, la emoción que le pone a las pequeñas cosas.
Esta antología cuenta con 10 cuentos, por lo tanto muchos no tienen más de 20 páginas y como me ocurre siempre con los relatos muchos me han sabido a poco...
Aún así he disfrutado mucho de todos ellos, siendo 'Casa con desván' mi preferitísimo y gustándome mucho también 'En casa' y 'Enemigos'.
Con lo breves que son estas historias el autor consigue que se queden rondando durante mucho tiempo por la cabeza.

[Issa Deerbany · Rating 3 out of 5]

تمضي حياتك على روتين معين وبأحداث قليلة وتكون راضيا عنها، او هكذا يتهيأ لك.
وفجأة تقابل شخصا يقلب حياتك رأسا على عقب. وتبدأ في البحث عن حلول لتبقى بالقرب من هذا الشخص.
ولكن يكون الحل بعيدا فاقد جاء هذا الشخص في التوقيت الخطأ.

[فايز غازي Fayez Ghazi · Rating 3 out of 5]

- قصة كلاسيكية اخرى من ادب تشيخوف التصويري.. تتماشى مع الأدب الروسي السائد في ذلك العصر... زوج يهرب من زوجته الى احضان النساء في مغامرة جديدة كلما سنحت فرصة .. الى ان يلتقي بالشقراء الجميلة صاحبة الكلب... يضيفها على القائمة، ليتبين له لاحقاً انها لم تكن علاقة عابرة بل احبهاّ

- هي ايضاً، تزوجت شخصاً لا تعرفه، قدمت له جسدها دونما حب (لزوجها)، وقدمت ذات الجسد الى "جوروف" فخانت نفسها في البداية وزوجها في الثانية، لكنها احبته!!

- وتكمل القصة بكلاسيكية سرية (وهذه منتشرة جداً في تلك الأيام وفي هذه الأيام على حد سواء)، ويبقيا يلتقيان بالسر ويعيشان تلك اللحظات الخاصة بهما بعيداً عن اعين البشر..

- يبقى السؤال افعلاً احبها واحبته؟ اسيكملان ام ستأتي شقراء اخرى لاحقاً؟

[KSS · Rating 4 out of 5]

وكأنما كانا طائرين مهاجرين، ذكراً وأنثى، أمسكوا بهما وأجبروهما على العيش فى قفصين منفردين.
يجبرنا القدر أحياناً أن نقابل الشخص الصحيح فى الوقت غير المناسب كما فى حالة بطلى قصتنا، فيجمعهما الحب وتفرقهما الظروف والأحوال، فديميترى رجل متزوج قارب الأربعين من العمر وآنا سيرجييفنا إمرأة متزوجة تصغره بعقدين وكلاهما غير سعيد فى حياته الزوجية، جمعتهما الصدفة وأحب كلاً منهما الآخر وكان لزاماً عليهما اتخاذ القرار الصعب وأن يترك كل واحد منهما الآخر لأن آنا سرجييفنا لا ترضى إلا بالحياة الشريفة ولن تسمح له بأن يمتهن كرامتها وينال منها، تفهم ديميترى ذلك تماماً وأصبح لا يفكر سوى فى آنا وترك نزواته ومغامراته حباً فى أمرأة لن تكون من نصيبه يوماً.
كان يعيش حياتين: حياة ظاهرة، يعرفها ويراها كل من ينبغي أن يعرفها ويراها، حياة مليئة بالصدق النسبي والخداع النسبي، وتشبه تماماً حياة معارفه وأصدقائه، وحياة أخرى تمضي سراً. وحسب اتساق غريب للظروف، ربما كان عَرضاً، جرى كل ما كان بالنسبة له مُهماً، وطريفاً وضرورياً، كل ما كان فيه مخلصاً وصادقاً مع نفسه، كل ما كان يُشكل نواة حياته، جرى في سرية عن الآخرين. أما ما كان كذباً، وقشرة يختبئ خلفها ليخفي الحقيقة، كعمله في البنك مثلاً، ومناقشاته في النادي، و"جنسه المنحط" وتردده مع زوجته على الحفلات- كل ذلك كان ظاهراً.
وحسب حاله كان يحكم على الآخرين، ولا يصدق ما يراه ويعتقد دائماً أن لكل إنسان حياته الحقيقية، الشيقة التى تمضى تحت ستار السرية مثلما تحت جنح الليل وكل مخلوق فرد يقوم وجوده على الأسرار، وربما لذلك يسعى الإنسان المثقف بقلق من أجل أن تُحترم الأسرار الشخصية.

[MihaElla · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories’ is, I think, the most remarkable collection of short stories that I have read of late. There are 9 stories collected within this pack (collection #3) and all of them are written like a perfect musical composition, in accordance with all the rules that makes a reader fall in love madly and irrevocably with the reading itself. Chekhov is such a great artist, such a force, that even his worst failings pass unnoticed. Of course, this is a terrible exaggeration from my side. There are no such failings. God Forbid! But I cannot help myself observing that there is somehow an obstinate exclusion of completely and definitely solving the mystery of love and the love affair relations.
His colours are rich and vivid, his style is irreproachable, his images are noble. I also loved that in these stories there is so much discussion and preaching in it. Nature and life is built on the pattern now so old-fashioned and rejected by the modern world: nightingales sing night and day, dogs bark in the distance, there are beautiful and blossoming gardens, sad and poetical estates where live beautiful women, or young ladies and men longing for the most conventional love. In a couple of words, Chekhov is like a vessel full of traditions, interesting memories and good platitudes.
He is not trying to solve any question, such as of God, of love, of pessimism, though he is a writer of fiction. I must confess that I had high expectations and looked forward to have some accounts settled properly. But this is not what happened, as he simply describes who has been speaking about what issue, how and in what circumstances. You feel that he is not a judge of his characters and of their conversations, but merely an impartial witness. I realized that Chekhov was right to proceed as such, and in truth I wouldn’t have liked to read the voice of the author how he is condemning in a way or another his characters. Also, I agree with him on his way of concluding the stories, because eventually there’s no making out anything in this world. It’s a fact that Chekhov is a brilliant psychologist under-cover but there is no need to make it out. He has this peculiar courage of expression and to me this it’s already something gained in the realm of thought.
And now that I have been spending hours while reading this amazing collection I feel, too, intensely happy. When the reading was carried out, it felt as the stories were alive. And I still well remember and liked it very much how he explained in one of his letters about his creation process on the stories:

“…the beginning of my stories is always very promising and looks as though I were starting on a novel, the middle is huddled and timid, and the end is, as in a short sketch, like fireworks. And so in planning a story one is bound to think first about its framework: from a crowd of leading or subordinate characters one selects one person only—wife or husband; one puts him on the canvas and paints him alone, making him prominent, while the others one scatters over the canvas like small coin, and the result is something like the vault of heaven: one big moon and a number of very small stars around it. But the moon is not a success because it can only be understood if the stars too are intelligible, and the stars are not worked out. And so what I produce is not literature, but something like the patching of Trishka's coat. What am I to do? I don't know, I don't know. I must trust to time which heals all things….”

PS: I have been listening to some music while the reading took place as, for a weird reason, I felt that I could assign some songs to the stories. It was more fun and worthwhile to guess what song goes to what story. Well, don’t condemn me. It comes naturally with old age :D

https://youtu.be/MAH-9014LoI

*****
The Lady with the Dog
Am cunoscut o fata (0:00)
Mai da-mi doar o zi din viata ta (17:14)
Stiu ca ma iubesti (27:47)

A Doctor’s Visit

An Upheaval

Ionitch
Nu uita (4:33)
Noapte de vis (9:42)
Domnisoara mea (13:38)

The Head of the Family
Nu am sa-ti mai scriu (21:13)

The Black Monk
N-am sa-ti mai fac placerea (38:51)

Volodya
Sluga vreau sa-ti fiu (47:51)
Te-am intalnit (53:39)
Gelozia (56:47)

An Anonymous Story
Dragostea (35:40)
Te-am tradat (31:44)

The Husband
Nu e doar vina mea (24:32)
Prea tarziu (42:48)
*****

[Yousra · Rating 5 out of 5]

ماذا يمكن أن أقول في حضرة أديب غير عادي؟؟ أديب طبيب يكتب قصصه - إن أراد - بمشرط جراح فيفتح مواضع الألم ويلقي الضوء على ما هو مؤلم وأحيانا ما يكتب قصصه بخفة ممتعة

أدين لهذا الكتاب باعتذار، فالكتاب له حوالي السنتين في مكتبتي ومع ذلك لم أتناوله إلا منذ أيام حينما انتابني هوس تشيخوف... اشتريت هذا الكتاب من مكتبة الشروق - الزمالك - حينما كان أطفالي يدرسون في مدرستهم القديمة ... كانت المكتبة على بعد أمتار قليلة من مدرستهما وكنت معتادة على الذهاب في موعد محدد تحسبا لظروف الطريق فإن بكرت في الوصول لأسباب متعلقة بخلو الطريق على غير العادة وتبقى بعض الوقت قبل خروجهما أتوجه إلى المكتبة لأشتري بعض الكتب وأزيل توتري بأن أتواجد في مكان أحبه وسط مناخ أحبه... وللغرابة فأنا لم أقرأ إلا القليل جدا مما اشتريته من هذه المكتبة في آخر سنة قبل نقل أولادي لمدرسة جديدة وكأنني أتجنب كل ما له علاقة بهذه المدرسة السيئة "بيبي هوم" ومديرتتها مالكتها الظالمة!! آسفة يا تشيخوف فأنا إنسانة مزاجية بطبعي وليس هذا فحسب بل أتأثر كثيرا بالظروف المختلفة

وقد يبدو غريبا أنني بدأت قراءة الكتاب بعدما شرعت في قراءة كتاب العمال القصصية وهو الكتاب الأول من أربعة مجلدات تضم أغلب اعمال تشيخوف، ولذلك عدة أسباب

أولا: أنا أعرف أن طبعات الشروق - بنجوين تعنى كثيرا بالكتابة باستفاضة عن مؤلفيها المختارين ولهذا أردت ان اقرأ ما كتب عن تشيخوف ... كانت هناك مقدمة الطبعة العربية بقلم المترجم القدير "أبو بكر يوسف" ثم ترجمة مقدمة الطبعة الإنجليزية والتي أضافت بعض الإضاءات حول حياة تشيخوف الشخصية وامور الحب والزواج وتفكيره اللا أدري والذي ليس إلحادا بالمناسبة وإنما هو اقرب إلى عدم الغوص في الغيبيات رغم ما يربط مبدأ اللاأدرية بالإلحاد ولذلك تعجبت لأنني كنت أعلم عن بناؤه كنيسة ومدرسة ومستشفى في مكان ما حيث استقر لفترة ... وجاءت الملاحق في طبعة الشروق - بنجوين لتكشف عن المناخ الذي نشأ فيه وتأثر به هذا الأديب العظيم ... المناخ الفكري والسياسي وأصدقائه المعاصرين من الأدباء وتدرجه في الأدب واهم محطات حياته الأدبية

ثانيا: أو ثاني سبب لقراءة الكتاب هو أنني ملولة بطبعي وطماعة مع من وما أحب ... إن احببت أسلوب كاتب ما أود أن ألتهم كتاباته كلها وإن كان هناك تنوعا فيها أردت ان أقف على الإختلافات ... كان صعبا ان اقرا عشرات القصص القصيرة وأنتقل من مجلد لآخر بتدرج بل أردت أن أقرا من كل بستان زهرة .... قصص قصيرة وروايات قصيرة ورواية طويلة وتمنيت ان يضم الكتاب مسرحية ولكن لا بأس فللمسرحيات مجلد ضمن مجموعة مؤسسة الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم - الشروق... لم يخب ظني واستمتعت كثيرا

لعل ملاحظتي الوحيدة كانت على تسمية المجموعة فأنا أحببت أكثر "الراهب الأسود" و"عنبر رقم 6" ولكن يبدو أن اختيار عنوان الكتاب يرجع لأسباب تجارية تتعلق بالتسويق فمن سيقرأ كتابا له عنوان من الإثنين المذكورين؟

صعب جدا أن أعبر عن إحساسي بكل قصة وكيفية تلقيها وتاويلها بل وكيفية إسقاطها على واقعنا فمازلن نتخبط في أخطاء الماضي العجيبة، وفي المجمل هي كلها مشاهد إنسانية بطرافتها او غرابتها وحتى بمآسيها وكأنه كان يملك من موهبة اخته وأخيه في التصوير - الرسم - الشيء الكثير ولكن بينما كانا يرسمان الصور بالألوان رسم هو قصصه بالكلمات

رائع، جميل، إنسان غير متكلف ولا مبتذل صاحب حضور جميل وأنصفه في ذلك وصف المترجم محمود مسعود له في مقدمة كتابه ليلة خريف حيث قال عنه أنه يشارك القارئ الضحك وكذلك قد تشعر به يكفكف دمعة قارئه

كتاب جميل وكاتب اجمل :)

[Peiman E iran · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، این داستان در موردِ مردی به نامِ «گومف» و زنی به نامِ «آنا» میباشد
‎آنها زمانی با یکدیگر آشنا میشوند که «آنا» شوهر دارد و «گومف» نیز زن و بچه دارد... ولی این موضوع، بازدارندۀ عشق و رابطه ای که با یکدیگر دارند، نخواهد بود
‎از دیدگاهِ این زن و مرد، دستِ سرنوشت آنها را برایِ یکدیگر خواسته و آنها را به هم رسانده است... آنها همچون دو پرندۀ مهاجر هستند که یکدیگر را دوست دارند، ولی هر دو در قفسی جداگانه زندانی شده اند... آنا و گومف میدانند که نیرویِ عجیبِ عشق، هر دویِ آنها را در زندگی دگرگون کرده است... آنا، هر چند وقت یکبار به بهانۀ دکتر رفتن، به شوهرش دروغ میگوید و از شهر بیرون میرود تا با گومف دیدار کند
‎آنچه در این رابطه و دلدادگی، روشن و آشکار بود، این است که پایان یافتنِ چنین عشقی، شُدنی نبوده و شُدنی نخواهد شد
-----------------------------------------------
‎امیدوارم از خواندنِ این داستان لذت ببرید
‎«پیروز باشید و ایرانی»

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chekhov seems to be one of those authors that sophisticated people read and have opinions on, and I had not read anything by him when I picked up this book. I was quickly seduced by his elegant and direct prose and his simple snapshots of life in turn-of-the-century Russia: life in the country, mostly, across different living conditions. The characters are flawed, but palpably real in their emotions and yearnings, and the misunderstandings that drive them apart (more often than not) ring painfully real.

The stratification of society and the uneven distribution of wealth and resources (and the effect this has on people’s lives) is at the front of many of these stories. The horrible circumstances the poor had to endure, the trap that society built around them and the powerlessness that others have to change those circumstances is described with both clarity and bitterness. But a lot of thought is also given to the illusory and temporary nature of happiness, and the senselessness of life when it is not enlightenment by art or enriched by the life of the mind. The overall tone of this collection is rather bleak, because no one ever seems to get what they want, or move past a certain level where their lives are less than satisfying.

I found the vignettes beautiful and sad, and while they reinforced my belief that I would have gone insane had I lived in the late 19th century, I didn’t feel as transported or inspired by them as expected. Maybe it’s me, and maybe I am not in the right headspace for the quiet, contemplative and melancholy Chekhov these days. Maybe I know first-hand of a few too many people who might as well live in a Chekhov story to find it enthralling right now… Some of these stories were absolutely perfect in length, encapsulating a moment, an episode of the characters’ lives that would have lost meaning had it been stretched out. But a few felt just a bit too short, just a little too hurried, or a bit too superficial. I might have to re-read this collection one day, to see if it feels different. 3 stars for now.

[Katia N · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I've finished reading this. But the year is coming to a close and I have not written properly how moving, deep, profound and little sad it was. And the rest of it. Here is the compromised solution. I've read slightly different selection and in Russian. But this book is the closest to the selection I've read. The selection was of Chekhov stories about love. In the introduction, there was an old joke that Parisian prostititutes in the 19th century used to say "Love was imagined by the Russians top replace paying".

Chekhov himself said in his diaries: "Love. It is either the remains of something disappearing that was enormous sometime ago, or it is a part of something that would become enormous in the future. At present, it does not satisfy and it gives much less than you anticipate from it."

And this transience and lack of possible resolution is all over these stories. Wonderful stuff. My favourites this time around:

Mire
Verochka
Volodya
Terror
The Two Volodyas
The Helpmate
Betrothed

This is a moving selection if you are in a mood for love as seen by Chekhov.

Happy New Year!
Let it be the one of love, tolerance and understanding.

[Elina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Η πρώτη μου συνάντηση με τον Τσέχοφ ήταν έρωτας με την πρώτη ματιά. Είναι ο δεύτερος κεραυνοβόλος έρωτας μετά τον λατρεμένο μου Τσβάιχ. Η εξιστόρηση της καθημερινότητας και των αξιών της εποχής με τόσο προσιτό τρόπο, είναι κάτι που με ευχαριστεί πάρα πολύ. Επίσης το γεγονός ότι παρατηρεί κανείς τόσες ομοιότητες με το παρόν, είναι επίσης κάτι που αυτόματα με βάζει σε σκέψεις για την αναζήτηση της αλήθειας. Είναι σίγουρο ότι θα αναζητήσω όλη τη βιβλιογραφία του Καλημέρες!!!

[Joshua · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m only reading the title story, Lady With Lapdog

Dmitry thinks he’s a cool guy, dates all kinds of women, and gets them into bed. Oh wait, he’s married. It’s the woman’s fault of course that he goes through them as often as he changes his underwear. If only they would let him continue to treat them like toys and accept him for the manipulative shit that he is, then the relationships would last.

So, he goes through all this cheating just to become self-aware that he is shit. Yet, he continues to cheat and becomes attached to a married woman. No matter how much he romanticizes these extramarital affairs, it is all a bunch of crap.

I’m going to read the married woman’s side of this story and see what she has to say in Joyce Carol Oates Lady With The Pet Dog

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in 19th century Russia, according to Chekhov, has a big problem. Boredom. Yes, that age old problem for the upper class. The lower class has poverty, misery and just trying to stay alive. But that is another story. You see, the upper classes can read, and in reading, they can read about themselves.

They have literature, art, theatre and music. That seems like a lot to do but eventually it all leads to boredom. And when one is bored, trouble is one step away.

Ah, life. Get married, be bored, have an affair, become regretful, stay married. Boring is not okay. Or perhaps you run away with your old flame like “Lady with Lapdog.” Seize the day. Don’t be bored.

Or is all harmless fun to get even with their boring husbands? In the case of “The Grasshopper,” Olga gets frightfully guilty of her “fling” with an artist (yikes!), especially on the news her boring husband is dying. Or is that just part of the fun? Perhaps, just not for him.

Or the case of “Ariadne.” She runs away with a married man but relies on her male friend to save the day. When her lover runs home after running out of money, she has a loveless affair with her male friend. He realizes that she just uses men, a constant theme in Chekhov. Men are men and women are cunning vixens. Ouch. What about equality and education? Out the door with misogyny. Bigger ouch.

Or you have strong women like Leda in “The House with an Attic.” She toils hard for the suffering of the village people, perhaps an early socialist, but her disdain for the young artist and his lofty view of the world, challenges him to no end.

How about “A Boring Story.” Our brilliant professor of medicine, Nicolai, leads a rather consistent but dull existence. Every day his wife complains about something (stop me if you have heard this one before?), his daughter wants to marry a nobody that the good doctor despises. Opera and theatre is boring (nothing has changed much in 30 years). Add in his insomnia issues and the challenges of lecturing for one hour forty each day after thirty years, and you can see he has a dilemma.

Thankfully there is Katya, his god daughter. In her youth, she had a fling, got pregnant, lost the child and left the guy. So she returns to visit the professor. Every day. She chatters on about the theatre, which he can’t stand, but he cherishes her companionship over his wife and daughter. Hold on, what is going on here? At 62, with his failing health and his dull life, our professor realizes, the clock is ticking. Time to act Nicolai! Tempus fugit.

Or Dmitry Ionych, Dr. Startsev, who was entertained by the family Turkin. Dad cracked jokes, mom recited unpublished novels and daughter pounded away at the piano. In truth, all mediocre talents. Ionych asked for daughter Kitty’s hand but she rejected him. He was too boring. She was going to be an artist. Then it was his turn. Was she too dull?

Or how about pure pessimism of Ward 6. “Life is a snare and delusion” said Dr. Ragin. Well this story delivers (and not a woman in sight). Just men abusing themselves and each other. We are a cruel race. One might say “be careful with your patients, or you will become one yourself.”

Chekhov is a keen observer of human folly. Love and life intermingled with boredom and death make for good reading. It’s amazing that still after 135 years, he is still relevant and enjoyable to read. We all get bored from time to time, so why not read these tales?

What ever your desire, whatever your sin, you will probably pay for it in the end. Wise words. The Gospel according to Chekhov.

Note. I first read this book back in 1979. Obviously it was overdue for a read and spurred on by the two fine short stories included in the Short Story Club.

[Amr Mohamed · Rating 4 out of 5]

اغلب اللي قراءته لتشيخوف قصص قصيرة تبقي كام صفحة بس لكن عبقريته أنه يكتب قصة احداثها بسيطة وقليلة وفي نفس الوقت بتقول معني وتعجبك عن روايات
عنبر رقم 6 كانت اول رواية قصيرة اقراءها له وكانت افضلهم بلا منازع وكانت سبب اني اشتري الكتاب ده
الكتاب يتكون من 12 قصة، قصتين قصيرة و10 روايات قصيرة

المنزل ذو العلية ⭐⭐⭐
وفاة موظف ⭐⭐⭐⭐
الرجل المعلب ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ايونيتش ⭐⭐⭐
السيدة صاحبة الكلب ⭐⭐
مزحة ⭐⭐⭐⭐
العروس ⭐⭐⭐
حبوبة ⭐⭐⭐
الراهب الأسود ⭐⭐⭐
في البيت الريفي ⭐⭐⭐
عنبر رقم 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
اللعوب ⭐⭐⭐

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read the entire collection, only the title story.

A rather droll little story of an illicit love affair and the ease with which a person can find his life changed.

[Jonathan Terrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must confess that I hold a deep dislike of Chekhov. Why is this? It is because of his sheer brilliance. The way he writes a short story is effortless and beautiful regardless of translation (I've read a few of the same stories from different translators and they all capture the story elegantly).

It is a dislike that stems from earlier in the year of 2012. In my literature class I was forced to attempt to adopt a Chekhovian style of writing to create an imaginative piece. I quickly found that his simple and yet at the same time elegant and complex manner of writing was too difficult for me to adopt for my own devices. His use of words is deceptively tight. It appears that anyone could mimic a Chekhovian style and yet he remains at the top of the short story writing field in my eyes.

So while I respect Chekhov's inhuman ability to write such short stories I must say that why oh why did he have to be such a genius? Or at least, why couldn't he have existed after the rest of us 'wanna-be' writers?

[Mostafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب ترجمه عبدالحسین نوشین و دارای ۱۱ داستان کوتاه می باشد.‌‌از میان این داستان ها حربا، ماسک، وانکا، سرگذشت ملال انگیز، سبک سر،
ئیونیچ و جان دلم بسیار تاثر برآنگیز بود...خصوصا داستان سبک سر که به نقد زندگی افرادی می پردازد که از این که مورد توجه افراد سرشناس(سلبریتی ها) قرارر می گیرند بسیار خرسند هستند و وقت زیادی از زندگیشان به بررسی احوال زندگی این گونه افراد سپری می شود...در حالیکه در زندگی شخصی خود انسان هایی را دارند که که به معنای واقعی کلمه انسان هستند.افرادی که برای راحتی و آسایش دیگران از هیچ تلاشی فروگذار نیستند...ولی غافل از آنکه دیده نمی شوند....

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...

This review only contains Lady with Lapdog review from the web..

19 pages short... I'm not into romance stories but I like Chekhov's writing. Although I enjoyed this story of 2 miserable ppl in miserable marriages that find eachother and fall in love I don't like the cheating and sneaking around factor. Overall, short good reading time.

[ِAya · Rating 4 out of 5]

اول ماخلصتها افتكرت جملة من مقال ل آلان دو بوتون "ستتزوج الشخص الخاطيء على أي حال" من اكتر الأفكار المفزعة ليا اتنين عايشين مع بعض كل حد فيهم ليه حياة سرية عن التاني والحب في الوقت الخطأ الاتنين اتجمعوا في قصة قصيرة وبصفتي شخصية متشائمة بأي شيء ليه علاقة بالمشاعر فواثقة ان الحب دائما أتى و يأتي وسيأتي في التوقيت الخاطيء

[عبدالرحمن عقاب · Rating 5 out of 5]

عجيب هذا الكاتب!
أسلوب قصصي متقن، وشخصيات تكاد تنطق من واقعيتها، ومواضيع تكاد تتحدث عن كل شخص، وتناول مبدع للإنسان بكامل إنسانيته إيجابا وسلبا.
تشيخوف في مجموعته هذه لا ينفك عن ضرب أروع الأمثلة في ما سبق. وتكاد لا تستطيع المفاضلة بين قصص المجموعة لشدة روعتها وتنوع موضوعاتها.
يشوقك الأدب الروسي وهذه ثالث محطاتي معه بتناوله لك ولمن حولك ولمن تعرف مثلهم بالتأكيد.
ويمكنني بتواضع الذي يعلم قليلا ويجهل كثيرا أن أقول أنه ما يمكن أن تسميه أدبا راقيا.

[Zahra Dashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

چخوف من رو به داستان کوتاه علاقه‌مند کرد. این چند وقت زیاد داستان کوتاه خوندم ولی علی‌رغم اینکه نویسنده رو تحسین کردم هیچ کدوم نتونستند من رو مشتاق خواندن داستان کوتاه کنند. به صرف وظیفه می خوندم. اما چخوف تا حدی زیادی این حال رو از بین برد. در مجموع کتاب رو دوست داشتم. چه داستان های ساده اش مثل چاق و لاغر و ماسک و ... چه داستان‌های طولانی‌تر مثل سرگذشت ملال ‌انگیز. کشش و سادگی و قشنگی انتقال حرف نویسنده من رو به وجد آورد، هرچند متاسفانه، علی رغم اینکه قبلا با خودم عهد کرده بودم مقدمه مترجم هیچ کتابی رو نخونم، خوندن مقدمه مترجم از لذت کشف راز هر داستان کم کرد (رسما اسپویل کرده بود!) ولی باز هم راضی ام. به هر حال توصیه ام اینه اگر در نسخه‌ای که می خونید مترجم اومده داستان‌ها رو رمزگشایی کرد، بی تردید مقدمه رو نخونده رد کنید و بذارید خود داستان برای شما رازش رو جرعه جرعه فاش کنه.

[Maryam Hosseini · Rating 4 out of 5]

به نظـر مـن اگر نمایشــنامه خـود به خـود خــوب اسـت ، برای آنکه بتواند در شــنـونده تاثـیر کند هـیــچ نیازی به زحـمتِ آکتـورها نیسـت ، بلکـه می توان فقـط به خواندن آن اکـتـفا کـرد
.و اگـر نمایشـنامه بد اسـت پـس هـیـچ بازی ای نمی تواند آن را به صــورتِ خوبی درآورد

سرگذشت ملال انگیز

[smsma mostafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

انه القدر يفعلها معنا مرارا فيأتى الأشخاص المناسبين فى الأوقات غير المناسبة

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chekov is the Cheever of the provinces.

[natalija · Rating 5 out of 5]

"zašto joj je bog dao tu neobičnu lepotu, gracioznost i pamet? nije moguće da je to učinio samo zato da bi se valjala u postelji, jela i lagala, neprestano lagala" - bukv jaaaaa

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read much Chekhov over the years, and only one other title since joining GR. So I could say this book was basically an introduction to his work for me. And I am not quite sure what to say about these nine stories.

They were intense, dramatic, compelling and very readable. But they were also dark, dreary, and full of despicable characters, especially the men. Slices of life and society as he saw them, I suppose?

Not an uplifting collection by any means, but as I said, very readable. I liked An Upheaval, where a young governess is shocked that her room has been searched when a brooch goes missing. How could her employers suspect her?! Can she possibly stay in the house after this? Do all servants have to accept such treatment?! Will she?!

Another favorite was The Black Monk, which explored that fine line between genius and madness. How much difference is there, really? And is a genius happier in his insane moments?

The longest was An Anonymous Story, which told of a man who went into service in a certain house, apparently as an undercover agent for some unnamed group. What does he plan to do and will he ever get the chance? Meanwhile, what does he witness in Orlov's house and how will it affect his plans? This was quite an intriguing tale, but the ending left me unhappy. I allowed myself to expect something completely different.

The Husband was the final story, telling how the arrival of cavalry officers in one village affects not only all the ladies but one husband in particular. What does he do when he sees his wife dancing quite innocently and happily with one of the officers?

I don't know if all of Chekhov's work has this grimness to it, or if it was just this collection. I will certainly try more someday but now I need to read something joyous to clear away all these shadows.

[Yann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans la plupart des romans russes, les personnages féminins me paraissent plus épais, les histoires affectives plus crédibles que dans les leurs homologues français. Dans chacune de ces quinze nouvelles, Anton Tchékov serre un tableau moral édifiant et plaisant sur le thème préféré de la littérature. Tatiana Tolstoï écrivit à l’auteur que son père avait lu quatre fois Douchtchka, l’une d’entre elle, dans une même journée. Il affirmait qu’elle l’avait rendu plus intelligent. Gorki raconte qu’un jour Tolstoï fit l’éloge de cette nouvelle devant Tchékov, les larmes aux yeux à cause de l’enthousiasme. Ce dernier, fiévreux ce jour-là, répondit : « C’est plein de coquilles… »

[Duane Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is dominated by two stories, The Lady with the Dog, and An Anonymous Story. They account for half of the book in volume, and they are, in my opinion, the two best stories of the collection. They are all good though. I never feel like I'm struggling to finish a Chekhov story. Much is made of his writing style and it certainly makes his stories flow effortlessly. It's easy to see why he is considered a master of the short story genre.

[Asséil Bokharouba · Rating 5 out of 5]

عجيب هذا الكاتب!
..أسلوب قصصي متقن، وشخصيات تكاد تنطق من واقعيتها، ومواضيع تكاد تتحدث عن كل شخص، وتناول مبدع للإنسان بكامل إنسانيته إيجابا وسلبا.
تشيخوف العزيز : لا شيء جديد ... التاريخ يعيد نفسه ... والحياة تشتاق لانسانيتك الخالدة