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Swan Song is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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The Schoolmistress, and other stories is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Translated by CONSTANCE GARNETT. ... Read more

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Love is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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The Duel and Other Stories is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Review of The Duel and Other Stories
Having read several of chekhov's plays, I decided to read some of his stories.In reading the stories you will see, I think, that it is obvious he was also a playwrite.This is because of Chekhov's amazing ability to compress someone's entire life, all their feelings and emotions into, in some cases, 20 pages.There were 6 stories in all, but I will just review the 3 I like best, though I'm not saying the other stories are bad, just not as good.

The Duel is the main and longest story, but I don't really think it was the best.It is the story about a man in the Caucasus and his troubles with his wife and a biologist which culminates in a duel.All the characters are excellently written, and the story was very well done, but the end leaves much to be desired, and seems like he tried too quickly to wrap up the story.It could have been almost a masterpiece, but the faulty ending really ruined it.

My Wife was a very good story about a man who, after having married a woman who does not love him, struggles with the situation they have put themselves in, living in different parts of the same house and hardly ever speaking.I really liked this one and it reminded me very much of some of his plays.

The Black Monk was my favourite story, it is about a young scholar, idolized by his adopted father and bride to be, who suffers from maglomania, and sees hallucinations.Finally, when he is cured, he is no longer the same person, acting cruel and spiteful towards the people he once loved.It was incredibly done and you really feel for all the characters.I think it best shows off Chekhov's ability as a writer.
This book is definitely a good introduction to chekhov's short works and shows you that he was more than a playwrite

a great (short) novel
Those seeking a dramatic duel should go for A Hero of Our Time. This, like the best Russian literature, is about how to live, a drama of outlooks on life and love. The superficial couple at the story's centre are less offensive than most of the "respectable" figures. The zoologist in particular, is truly shocking in his callous view of "inferiors". Only the character of the doctor is absolutely likeable. In its evocation of the stultifying atmosphere of a time and place, this is both lyrical and profound. ...

The Duel, a review
"The Duel" by Anton Chekhov, is a classic exploration of the human mind. One reason I would recommend this book is it's moral.This book is an incredible story told through the eyes and minds of many completely different people all striving for the same thing; to forget the days they lost and make the best of the days they still have. This is a good wake up call to all those who waste time, telling then to appreciate the little things and not waste life on petty squabbles.But most importantly, it's intriguing story.Anton Chekhov pits a general, an adulterous doctor, a zoologist, a deacon, and a mistress against each other in a small town in the Caucasus.He tells the story through their eyes, and the reader find out all of these people, whether they are in love, friends, rivals, or just acquaintances, all just wish for wings to fly away and escape the tediousness of everyday life.All this centers around the hatred between the zoologist and the doctor which eventually explodes into a duel.When faced with possibility, the doctor comes to reason with his faults and his future and in the face of death, he resolves his life and what he must do to make his life right. ... Read more

Product Description
Realistic and highly sensitive, Chekhov's plays revolve around a society which is on the brink of a tremendous upheaval. This volume includes five plays: IVANOV, THE SEAGULL, UNCLE VANIA, THREE SISTERS, and THE CHERRY ORCHARD. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anton Chekhov : A Realist: Not A Romantist ...
Anton Chekov, no doubt; is one of the leading Russian Dramatist .He truly portarys the life without any philosophy or mystery but realistically... Uncle Vania depicts the aimlessness of Rural Life that how it devours thepotentials of people:how it makes civilized,cultured and learned menfrustrated and sick of their relations as well as of theirsurroundings.Life in country side is rotten and decayed but how peoplehandle it?What are their hopes?how do they kill the time ?well, read thebook and find out ! ... Read more

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The Bishop and Other Stories is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Drama / General; Drama / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; Drama / Continental European; Fiction / Classics; Fiction / Literary; Fiction / Short Stories; Foreign Language Study / Japanese; Foreign Language Study / Portuguese; History / Europe / Russia ... Read more

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Big on language and character description, sometimes short on plot
I have been wanting to start reading Chekhov' short stories for quite some time. I was finally prompted to start when Francine Prose, in her excellent book "Reading Like a Writer," said that Chekhov's short stories were her favorite and that all aspiring writers should read them. She talked a lot about his stories, especially about their well-crafted language, character descriptions, and how they broke common rules.

Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was a little disappointed. I do admire Chekhov's character description and his description of nature, particularly the Russian landscape. For me, though, a lot of his plots fell short. Some of the stories had no real beginning and no real ending. Rather they were inter-connected parts of other stories that were included in the volume, and read like a novel told in serials, with one short story picking up where another left off. It was interesting to read about the day in the life of a 19th-century Russian official, and to read his philosophical meanderings related to peasantry and education and the like, but some of the stories consisted of only that, and after awhile parts of them became rather redundant and boring. To me Tolstoi's Ana Karenina, which I have been reading off and on for some time (way too long!) now, contains everything that most of these short stories did, and more, because it sticks with the same engaging characters and has a moving plot, even if some of it gets bogged down with the same philosophical meanderings. Perhaps if I hadn't read Tolstoi or Dostoevsky I would have really loved Chekhov, I'm not sure. At this point in time, though, although I liked him, I didn't like him as much as those two authors.

I liked the stories contained in the beginning of this book more than the stories at the end; perhaps it was due to the redundancy factor. My favorite was "The Grasshopper," which was about a young woman who was married to a rather boring, older doctor, but her heart was with the theater and with the dramatic and famous people she hung out with. Eventually she has an affair and leaves her husband, and in many way this is a timeless story about relationships, that could have been told yesterday as much as it could have been told in Chekhov's time. The story seemed so realistic that I did some research into Chekhov's life and found that he married an actress named Olga (which is the name of the wife in the story) and that there were many other similarities between his life with her and the life of the couple in the story.

I will read more short stories by Chekhov and thus far my conclusion is that I really enjoy some of them and I don't really enjoy others. So it may be one of those experiences where I read everything to find the gems. I did enjoy this book although I didn't love it as much as I was expecting to, and I give it 3.5 stars.

For more book reviews and posts of interest to readers and writers, please visit my Blogspot blog, Voracia: Goddess of Words. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / Short Stories; Fiction / Literary; ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Short stories, Russian; ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Drama / General; Drama / Continental European; Drama / General; Drama / American; Drama / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; Drama / Continental European; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anton Chekhov
Chekhov's Plays by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Chekhov's "The Three Sisters", "The Sea-Gull", "Uncle Vanya" are my favorite plays. The translations are brilliant. Great ebook overall.
... Read more

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Translated by CONSTANCE GARNETT. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: Macmillan; Publication date: 1922; Subjects: Fiction / Short Stories; Fiction / Literary; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Kindle RIP OFF!
Caveat Emptor! If you purchase the Kindle edition of this you will only receive volume 13, a single book, not the whole collection.

If you purchase a Kindle edition of any other book would you expect to only receive the last couple of chapters? Very unhappy with this.

LOVE OF LITERATURE


I started reading the Russian writers--Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Turgenev, Gogol, and Chekhov--in the mid-1960s with Anton Chekhov becoming my favorite of all.Anyone developing an appreciation of Chekhov's writings will be overjoyed with this astounding boxed set of 13 books.

I've read all the reviews here and have to disagree with any that do not find praise and pleasure in these 13 volumes being back in print again. Even the colorful, striking painting by Vasily Ivanovich Surikov covering the 13 spines of the books is an added attraction setting off this boxed set, visually announcing to readers that this is a unique set of books.

The first volume of Constance Black Garnett's volumes of Chekhov's writings was printed in 1916.By then she had already released translations of Turgenev's writings in 13 volumes, and 7 volumes of Dostoyevsky's plus translations of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and War and Peace.Almost anyone reading the works of Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, or Chekhov in the early years of the 20th century read them via her quality translations.

By 1984, Echo Press began to re-publish all 201 of Garnett's translations.These 13 volumes represent "the most comprehensive collection of Chekhov stories in what is still the best complete translation available in English." (The Atlantic Monthly).At the price of $150 dollars, even without Amazon's generous discount, this boxed set is one of the best bargains I've seen in the near 50 years reading and collecting books.

It is evident whoever put this set back into existence not only has a love of literature, but has great appreciation of Anton Chekhov's writings.Though I took several comparative literature courses in college, cannot recall Chekhov being included.Since I have purchased books by Anton Chekhov since the middle 1960s, can safely say his writings are today both much more difficult and much more expensive when found than ever before. We very much need a collection of his writings such as this to remain in print.

A reader finding any fault whatever in this modestly price boxed set has little understanding of the dilemma of anyone seeking to own a set of Anton Chekhov's writings.These 13 volumes are without any doubt the best we've ever seen in our lifetime or probably will ever see.This is a truly magnificent publishing venture to be celebrated.

Get them before they are no longer extant. A boxed set of these 13 volumes now sits on my home library shelves.

Semper Fi.

A cherishable collection
I think of Chekhov as my writing "mentor", and have read almost all his stories in translation--and I have always wanted to own this collection, although the material is all available online.I am very happy with my purchase, and here's why:

1. The volumes are almost exact replicas of the first editions released from 1916-1922:While some may consider this a drawback, with the old-style type and print-impression, I think it is a big plus.The print is thick, generous, and very readable.Chekhov is one of those writers who is meant to be read slowly; the pages here are not crammed with material, and seem to encourage one to savor the texture of the writing.

These are the editions through which all great American writers, from Hemingway to Eudora Welty discovered Chekhov for the first time.

2. The covers are handsomely designed, and on the back, each volume has a blurb from a prominent writer--such stalwarts as Nadine Gordimer write about what Chekhov means to them, which I find invaluable.

3. The paper is old-style paper, thick and rough of texture--which I prefer, and I think is necessary for this edition: Putting vintage print on smooth, modern office-style paper would have been odd and off-putting.

There are certain writers whose work, I believe, one must have physically on the shelf--Shakespeare and Chekhov are two such writers.It is not enough to have just one or two of Shakespeare's plays, his "Complete Works" ought to be there.Same case with Chekhov--this is the most comprehensive set available in English, in the US, so far.(A more extensive "Collected Works" was issued in English translation by a Russian publisher in the 80s, but is unavailable in the US.)

But that's my side.About you: If you are new to Chekhov, you might want to get a "selection" such as the ones recommended by the other excellent reviewers; if however, you are familiar with and admire Chekhov--strongly recommend this.

Masterpiece
This author needs no introduction. He is the inventor of the modern short story. A forerunner of authors like Somerset Maugham, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf to name a few. Chekhov's strength lies in the manner in which he captures the subtlest of human feelings and his portrayal of reality however stark it may be. Chekhov's stories are unique in the sense that they are hardly ever judgemental. They are supposed to be objective and as real as it can be. But I doubt this claim because he makes you weep without him weeping even once in his stories. How does this happen ?
Well in all his stories , the central characters run a whole gamut of feelings that are highly judgemental. The author paints these characters and the readers identify themselves with them. You are swayed to make judgements , nurture prejudices and become biased , along with these central characters. To that extent , his stories are subjective and emotional. The simple reason being , he penned these characters and their feelings are his. But again it is nearly impossible to be absolutely objective and rational in story telling. Because we want to read stories and not police reports about a crime. The readers want the stories to be alive and kicking with emotions and feelings. Any attempt at telling stories otherwise, will only make for drab and lifeless reading.
One of few occasions where I regret not having known Russian. Oh how I would have loved it to hear his stories as it is ! But this is not to be taken as any criticism of Constance Garnett's translation. She has done a marvellous job. Iam not capable to judge the quality of her translation, as I dont know Russian. I thank her all the same as Iam able to read this master story teller's works because of her.
I have posted nearly the same review for another of this author's books by the same translator.

strongly recommended to fans of Garnett's translations
X. Zhang makes valuable points, but let me file what may be a minority report.Granted, the paper on which this edition is printed appears to be disappointingly pulpy--we'll have to see how it ages.But its 1920s typeface and layout are very generous and easy on these ageing eyes of mine.It's unfortunate that the publisher has not yet made any pages from the books available through Amazon's 'search inside this book' feature....Readers considering the Modern Library volumes, which I used to own and which can now be hard to find, should keep in mind that that edition is a reduced selection, whereas the Ecco set includes all of the stories translated by Garnett;an advantage of the ML edition, though, is that it's generally organised chronologically (following the order in which Chekhov composed the stories), whereas the Ecco reproduces the organisation of Garnett's original volumes of translation.For me, all things considered, the Ecco edition is probably the one purchase in 2006 that's given me the most pleasure.But it may not be right choice for others.... ... Read more

Product Description
The Schoolmaster is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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Including "The Duel," "Ward No. 6," "A Woman's Kingdom," "Three Years," "My Life," "Peasants," and "In the Ravine," as well as a biographical introduction and a chronology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A masterful sketch of the mannerisms of common folks
Anton Chekhov was a master of drawing portraits of common people. The seven short novels included in this collection provide a glimpse of Russian society. Chekhov provides a snapshot after snapshot of the lifestyle of his characters, focusing on their ideas and actions with a detached, but conscious word play. The reader finds himself drawn to characters that are flawed and life-like, and every idiosyncrasy of human existence is revealed in somewhat commonplace circumstances and settings.

These stories include "Ward No. 6", "Peasants" and "My Life", which are highly representative of Chekhov's style and ability. These stories provide a very subtle, but important counterpoint to Tolstoy's thoughts and writings. Around this time, Leo Tolstoy was articulating his vision of society and Christianity in texts like "The Kingdom of Heaven is Within You", where he glorifies the peasants, manual labor and poor, suggesting that the rich are immoral and responsible for the suffering of masses. Tolstoy had lived a luxurious life compared to Chekhov, and so his impressions and ideas were formed by observations from a distance. Chekhov grew up in harsher circumstances, and had a first hand experience of living among the common people. In Chekhov's stories, the common people lie, cheat, bribe, drink, steal, help each other and make each other happy or miserable, without the need of divine or aristocratic influence. In Chekhov's stories, the philosophical is often pushed to background, as practical daily chores and needs take center-stage.

While Dostoevsky was master of psychological selves of his characters and Tolstoy was a titan in capturing life of (rich) Russians, Chekhov's sensibility drew him to the trivialities, to the humor and tragedy of the masses. He wrote about these with sympathy, but in his honest depiction of his characters, he leaves no aspect untouched. Thus his stories seem to criticize the ones that he chooses to write about: be it peasants or city dwellers, the workers or the government servants. The shameful, pitiful or repelling facets of his characters are representative of human beings that have ever constituted the majority among us. Even in his time, the stories were controversial for their socio-political criticisms. Yet Chekhov was not criticizing anyone, or offering any solutions to the predicaments and problems of existence in different social circles. Chekhov wrote about his subjects as it is, as they were. These stories are based on Russian people, and yet they represent the reality in every part of the world. (I am sure that all the characters described in these stories abound in India!)

The stories must be read by anyone who has constructed a rosy picture of rural life or manual labor in their minds. These stories are must read for communists, for them who believe that poverty makes men moral, for them who believe that ignorance is bliss, for them who wish to know how human beings of every class behave in real life. Be it individuals or social milieu, Chekhov fashions events, dialogues and descriptions that are vivid, terse and precise and hence these stories are examples of how a writer must write. Highly recommended. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good up to the end
I loved this play all the way up to the end. I don't want to ruin the ending, but let's just say it leaves you deflated. Chekhov is a master storyteller and his dialogue is so amazing!. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. Translation of Diadia Vania ... Read more

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Life & Tragedy
This was the first Chekhov work that I've read and it was so well-constructed that I can't wait to read another. This play is a quick read loaded with symbolism and emotion. It's loaded with realism that isn't entriely pessimistic. A good choice if you're in the mood for strong writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

For my Literature and Medicine class
Read for Ward No. 6 and Enemies. Some stories easier to get through then others; if you're a Russian lit aficionado, dig in.

Chekhov's Doctors
The greatest works of fiction afford a glimpse into human nature, into its dark secrets, pettiness, and callowness, as well as into moments of true magnanimity.Conflict and misunderstanding between individuals is another core ingredient in the best of fiction.The best writers have an innate grasp of what makes up the human creature, and have a fluency in psychological analysis that comes only from keen natural intuition.Yet even the most subtle grasp of human nature alone is insufficient material for the creation of great fiction; for the successful author must also be able to draw from a rich backdrop of life experience.

Medicine, like few other professions, provides such a backdrop and as such it is likely not coincidental that there exists a glorious intersection between the fields of writing and medicine.A physician, in the course of his daily work regularly comes across the themes that most people encounter only infrequently-fear, illness, suffering, and death, as well as hope, courage, and perseverance.These titanic forces flush out the essence of human nature, and the physician who is so inclined is provided with boundless material for the exploration of humanity through fiction.

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), the great Russian author and playwright, was a physician by trade.Chekhov draws abundantly on his experience in medicine in his fiction and drama, and this is brought out in a recently published compilation of Chekhov's medically-related short stories.

In this volume of stories, Chekhov imposes a frank-almost brutal-examination of human nature, and a critical look at the practice of medicine and at those who practice it.The themes in his stories are apparently timeless; any practicing physician will recognize the cynicism, politics, burnout, and overwork that is described by Chekhov.In one story of a beleaguered, overworked rural doctor in the employ of the state, Chekhov even provides a glimpse into what must have been a nineteenth century Russian version of the frustrations of working in a managed care environment.In the story, the physician is forced to care for a large, impoverished population in a clinic over which he exercises no executive authority.Not only is he powerless under the system to fire his incompetent, corrupt, and drunken support staff, but in his prescriptions is at the mercy of a central power that determines the source of pharmaceuticals.

Another story traces the devolution of an earnest, ideological young physician into a money grubbing, lazy, and cynical doctor who treats his patients like objects.This same doctor, who possesses abundant theoretical knowledge of pathology and the practice of medicine, is utterly unable to apply his wisdom to heal patients because of his stifling arrogance and lack of empathy for his patients.

Some of Chekhov's physicians struggle to strike a balance between adequate time for their own lives and families and availability to their patients.This conflict is starkly illustrated by a story in which a physician is forced to choose between attending the deathbed of his only child and responding to an emergency call.

Chekhov also examines the proper role of professional objectivity and distance in medicine.At what point does the curtain that every physician draws between himself and his patient in order to facilitate detached, objective thinking become a mighty bulkhead constructed primarily for self defense?Several stories explore this question, and Chekhov seems to conclude that the answer lies in a happy medium.

All is not dark, however, in the world of Chekhov's doctors.Even amidst the burnout, substance abuse, and money-worship of some of his characters, there are the redeeming qualities of absolute dedication, devotion to the pursuit of medical knowledge, and perseverance even under very unfavorable circumstances.The doctors in his stories are complex, and some of these redeeming qualities even coexist with the uglier traits in some of Chekhov's characters.

Chekhov's Doctors is a well-edited volume that arranges stories in an inviting and readable sequence, (saving lengthier, heavier stories for later in the volume).Dr. Coulehan, the editor, also places Chekhov's stories in historical context, providing the reader with, for example, an ample yet not overwhelming background of Chekhov's relationship with Tolstoy (whose titan influence was difficult for any contemporary Russian author to escape).Of particular interest is a series of commentary in the back of the volume that provides a brief analysis of each story from the author's perspective as a medical doctor. ... Read more

Product Description
The first complete American translation of Chekhov's ten vaudevilles. The comedic one-act farces are: The Bear, The Proposal, On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco, The Night Before the Trial, On the High Road, The Wedding, The Anniversary, A Tragic Role, and Tatyana Repina. These are jewels for the stage -- ready to use for actors and directors, and for students of drama who wish to enrich their appreciation of the virtuosity and complexity of this great Russian playwright. Chekhov wrote these confections early in his career, before he tuned to his serious plays. All ten have been newly (and faithfully) translated and assembled in a unique collection here, to make them fresh and accessible for contemporary actors and audiences. An introduction is included for literary historical perspective, as well as a glossary and pronunciation guide for the actor's usage. ... Read more