Customer Reviews (2)

Eleven Stories from the Master of the Short Story
...

"The Party & Other Stories," volume 4 of The Ecco Press edition, contains eleven stories written during the period from the mid-1880s to the mid-1890s. These are stories from Chekhov's so-called "middle period," the years after Chekhov had finished his medical studies and began writing and publishing the longer, more serious psychological studies whose characteristics became a universal ascription for short stories of that sort: "Chekhovian." As Harold Bloom has written, "the formal delicacy and somber reflectiveness [of Chekhov's stories] make him the indispensable artist of the unlived life, and the major influence upon all story-writers after him."

Every one of the stories in this volume is a remarkable example of Chekhov's ability to write in simple, straightforward fashion, while, all the time, illuminating with almost microscopic precision the internalized, psychological lives of his characters. As one commentary on Chehov's writing during this period has noted, apropos of the stories in this volume (and in contrast to Chekhov's early humorous stories): "Characters are no longer perceived satirically, as social archetypes, but seen from within. And the inner life revealed is often an unhappy one, the characters' 'real life' being in sharp contrast with their 'world of desire,' reached only through memory or fantasy."

The stories range from long to short, each a near-perfect model of the short story, worthy of enjoyment and careful study. The longest of the stories, "A Woman's Kingdom," tells of Anna Akimovna, the daughter of a factory owner who, as a young girl, mingled with the working classes, only to find herself the lonely, single, middle-aged heiress and proprietor of those same factories later in life. It is a remarkable exploration of Anna's loneliness and of her yearning to return to the life of her childhood, as well as of the separation between owner and worker in an industrialized Russia. As Anna says, longingly: "Yes, I'll go and get married. I will marry in the simplest, most ordinary way and be radiant with happiness. And, would you believe it, I will marry some plain working man, some mechanic or draughtsman."

In the title story, "The Party," Chekhov brilliantly probes the mind, the thoughts, the silent unhappiness and dissatisfaction of Olga Mihalovna, a pregnant, married woman who clearly does not like her philandering, brash husband or her social obligations. In a passage that strikingly illustrates both the luster of Chekhov's art and the deep-seated discontent of the character of his story, Olga stands watching her guests, the partygoers of the story's title, glide by in boats:

"Olga Mihalovna looked at the other boats, and there, too, she saw only uninteresting, queer creatures, affected or stupid people. She thought of all the people she knew in the district, and could not remember one person of whom one could say or think anything good. They all seemed to her mediocre, insipid, unintelligent, narrow, false, heartless; they all said what they did not think, and did what they did not want to. Dreariness and despair were stifling her; she longed to leave off smiling, to leap up and cry out, 'I am sick of you,' and then jump out and swim to the bank."

These are just two of the stories. The volume also contains "The Kiss," a story that no less a literary arbiter than Bloom considers the best of Chekhov's early stories (written in 1887, when Chekhov was 27 years old). And the rest are equally good, demonstrating why Chekhov is considered among the greatest practitioners of the story-writer's art.

If you can, find this volume and the others in The Ecco Press's wonderful edition of Chekhov and read them all. If you can't, then find another edition. Just read Chekhov. You will not be disappointed.

Eleven Near-Perfect Stories from The Master of the Art
In 1984, The Ecco Press published a handsome thirteen-volume edition of The Tales of Chekhov containing the highly respected, if somewhat dated, English translations of Constance Garnett.The original thirteen volumes were subsequently supplemented by two additional volumes, "The Unknown Chekhov: Stories and Other Writings," translated by Avrahm Yarmolinsky (a volume which is still in print under the auspices of another publisher) and "Notebook of Anton Chekhov," translated by S. S. Koteliansky and Leonard Woolf.While I was fortunate to have purchased the entire paperback set at a pittance during a remainder sale (and it remains one of the favorites of my book collection), it is, alas, sadly out-of-print.

"The Party & Other Stories," volume 4 of The Ecco Press edition, contains eleven stories written during the period from the mid-1880s to the mid-1890s.These are stories from Chekhov's so-called "middle period," the years after Chekhov had finished his medical studies and began writing and publishing the longer, more serious psychological studies whose characteristics became a universal ascription for short stories of that sort: "Chekhovian."As Harold Bloom has written, "the formal delicacy and somber reflectiveness [of Chekhov's stories] make him the indispensable artist of the unlived life, and the major influence upon all story-writers after him."

Every one of the stories in this volume is a remarkable example of Chekhov's ability to write in simple, straightforward fashion, while, all the time, illuminating with almost microscopic precision the internalized, psychological lives of his characters.As one commentary on Chehov's writing during this period has noted, apropos of the stories in this volume (and in contrast to Chekhov's early humorous stories): "Characters are no longer perceived satirically, as social archetypes, but seen from within.And the inner life revealed is often an unhappy one, the characters' `real life' being in sharp contrast with their `world of desire,' reached only through memory or fantasy."

The stories range from long to short, each a near-perfect model of the short story, worthy of enjoyment and careful study.The longest of the stories, "A Woman's Kingdom," tells of Anna Akimovna, the daughter of a factory owner who, as a young girl, mingled with the working classes, only to find herself the lonely, single, middle-aged heiress and proprietor of those same factories later in life.It is a remarkable exploration of Anna's loneliness and of her yearning to return to the life of her childhood, as well as of the separation between owner and worker in an industrialized Russia.As Anna says, longingly: "Yes, I'll go and get married.I will marry in the simplest, most ordinary way and be radiant with happiness.And, would you believe it, I will marry some plain working man, some mechanic or draughtsman."

In the title story, "The Party," Chekhov brilliantly probes the mind, the thoughts, the silent unhappiness and dissatisfaction of Olga Mihalovna, a pregnant, married woman who clearly does not like her philandering, brash husband or her social obligations.In a passage that strikingly illustrates both the luster of Chekhov's art and the deep-seated discontent of the character of his story, Olga stands watching her guests, the partygoers of the story's title, glide by in boats:

"Olga Mihalovna looked at the other boats, and there, too, she saw only uninteresting, queer creatures, affected or stupid people.She thought of all the people she knew in the district, and could not remember one person of whom one could say or think anything good.They all seemed to her mediocre, insipid, unintelligent, narrow, false, heartless; they all said what they did not think, and did what they did not want to.Dreariness and despair were stifling her; she longed to leave off smiling, to leap up and cry out, `I am sick of you,' and then jump out and swim to the bank."

These are just two of the stories.The volume also contains "The Kiss," a story that no less a literary arbiter than Bloom considers the best of Chekhov's early stories (written in 1887, when Chekhov was 27 years old).And the rest are equally good, demonstrating why Chekhov is considered among the greatest practitioners of the story-writer's art.

If you can, find this volume and the others in The Ecco Press's wonderful edition of Chekhov and read them all.If you can't, then find another edition.Just read Chekhov.You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
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)

Free!
It's hard to beat free.A lovely collection of Chekhov to read on city subway rides by phone. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description

Plays
The Anniversary
The Bear
The Cherry Orchard
Ivanoff
On The High Road
The Proposal
The Sea-Gull
Swan Song
The Three Sisters
A Tragedian In Spite of Himself
Uncle Vanya
The Wedding

Customer Reviews (3)

Maestro Chekhov
Anton Chekhov is THE master of the short story. He weaves characters, events, and emotions into a veritable symphony of life. Oh, I do wish I had been exposed to his stories and plays years ago. Instead, I shall have to be content in reading them in my old age. Thanks Kindle and Mobi.

Chekov's Works are Worth a Try!
Works of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Huge collection. (200+ Works) The Sea-Gull, Uncle Vanya, The Cherry Orchard, The Lady with the Dog, The Witch, The Schoolmistress ... more. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

This collection will expose you to not only some of the best stories by Anton Chekhov, but some of the best stories ever written in any language. His stories demonstrate a tight, crisp, and unadorned revelation of character. His charactives act, yearning and struggling to define themselves without authorial intrusion. They're laid bare by life, as we all are. Many stories capture in a few thousand words what other authors need tens of thousands to achieve. Pure genius. Pure insight. Read and re-read Chekhov, the master of the form.

Works of Anton Chekhov
I love short stories by A.P. Chekhov and his plays too. What an excellent collection! Kindle-friendly ebook! ... Read more

Product Description

These critically hailed translations of The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters and the other Chekhov plays are the only ones in English by a Russian-language scholar who is also a veteran Chekhovian actor.

Without compromising the spirit of the text, Paul Schmidt accurately translates Chekhov's entire theatrical canon, rescuing the humor "lost" in most academic translations while respecting the historical context and original social climate.

Schmidt's translations ofChekhov have been successfully staged all over the U.S. by such theatrical directors as Lee Strasberg, Elizabeth Swados, Peter Sellars and Robert Wilson. Critics have hailed these translations as making Chekhov fully accessible to American audiences. They are also accurate -- Schmidt has been described as "the gold standard in Russian-English translation" by MichaelHolquist of the Russian department at Yale University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

The Plays of Anton Chekhov
This book came in the condition as the seller described.I'm rather pleased with it; not a stain, underline, or highlight, and the spine is still strong.It came in a timely fashion, which I truly appreciate.I will be playing Masha in Chekhov's "The Seagull" at my university in April, and I found the exploration of other Chekhov plays very helpful.

The most excellent translation
of any I've ever read.This should be your first and last stop for a good, workable and layered translation of Chekhov's brilliant work.

Good Quality
Looking forward to reading the book for my acting class! Thank you for the excellent service and bargain prices! :)

The Plays of Anton Chekhov, TRs. by Paul Schmidt
The book arrived promptly and exactly as advertised. No complaints.It was a former library book, but that wasn't a problem for me. The condition was very good.

no links to each play?
this is useless on a kindle ~no way to skip ahead. sorry i bought it ... Read more

Product Description
The present volume makes available the inimitableNotebook of Anton Chekhov as well as those passages from Chekhov'scorrespondence that reveal his innermost beliefs as a writer and aman. His lively opinions on the theatre, on stories and novels, onliterary figures like Zola, Tolstoy and Gorky, the clinical detachmentof Chekhov the physician always tempered by the tender concern andinvolvement of the artist with his people and his times, make this alasting and universal testament. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Brilliant!!
This is a fascinating book, for fans of both great literature and great biography. There have been many collections of Chekhov's letters, but this one points out the errors in those previous ones (such as the one edited by Lillian Hellman) and corrects them. It focuses primarily on the letters in which Chekhov talked about his literature and the productions of his plays, and on his relationships with other artists, such as Tolstoy, Gorky, Stanislavsky and many others less well known outside of Russia. It also corrects many misperceptions about Chekhov created the various memoirs (such as Stanislavsky's) and biographies based on the erroneous information in those memoirs.

The Chekhov that the reader gets to know through this book is avividly real human being.

Karlinsky si!Chekhov si!
A fabulous book!!No one could ask for a better read, late at night, with the blankets tucked around one, and a hot buttered rum at one's side!!

Chekhov was a man!!

The Best Source of Information on Chekhov's Life and Art
There are many biographies of Chekhov, including the new one by Rayfield, but this edition of the letters is the best source of the writer's life and thought.Long out of print, it was wise of Northwestern University Press to re-issue this book.The other editions of the letters, by Hellman and another by Yarmolinsky, cannot compare.
This volume is valuable for its superb, lengthy introduction, which is a capsule biography.In addition, each of the fifteen sections are introduced by an engaging biographical headnote.
The letters themselves are the record of an extraordinary person, a man who instructed other writers to succeed in their work by feeling "compassion down to their fingertips."
This book shows the emotions and thoughts of the writer who lived that simple but wise piece of advice.
Among the more amusing letters is the one to his wastrel brother, in March 1886, in which he wittily enumerates the qualities of well-bred people.Among them: "They don't guzzle vodka on any old occasion, nor do they go around sniffing cupboards....They shun all ostentation: empty barrels make the most noise."
This volume is full of such humorous but sage advice, and reveals the man behind the extraordinary short stories and plays better than any biography.
You will remember some of the letters in this book throughout your lifetime. ... Read more

Product Description
The sensational onstage suicide of Russian actress and opera singer Kadmina in 1881 led Alexei Suvorin to memorialize her in his 1888 four-act play Tatyana Repina. One year later, his friend Anton Chekhov, himself fascinated by Kadmina, sent Suvorin a one-act play, which was in fact a fifth act continuation of Tatyana Repina, with instructions to show it to no one. When the play was finally made public years later by Chekhov's brother Mikhail, it presented a mystery: Was it, as the brother claimed, a parody? Or was the brother simply distancing himself from a then controversial Suvorin? Russian historian and linguist John Racin examines the enormous documentary record to make the case that Chekhov's one-act was written as an earnest artistic complement to Suvorin's. Racin's convictions led him to retranslate both Tatyana Repinas, presented here with additional relevant texts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exploring the Mind
"The Duel" by Anton Chekhov, is a classic exploration of the human mind. I would definitely recommend you read this book because it is an incredible story told through the eyes and minds of many completely different people, all striving for the same thing; to forgot the days they lost, and make the best of the days they still have.This is a great message and a good wake up call to all those who waste time, telling us to appreciate the little things, and not waste a life on petty squabbles.That is another reason I would recommend this book, because of the moral.But most importantly, it's intriguing story.Anton Chekhov pits a general, an adulterous doctor, a zoologist, a deacon, and a mistress in a small town in the Caucasus.He tells the story through all their eyes, and you find out all of these people, whether they are in love, friends, rivals, or just acquaintances, all just wish for the 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 the duel.When faced with the idea of the duel, the doctor comes to reason with his faults and his future and in the face of death, resolves his life and what he should do. ... Read more

Product Description
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
Called the greatest of short story writer, Anton Chekhov changed the genre itself with his spare, impressionistic depictions of Russian life and the human condition.Now, thirty of his best tales from the major periods of his creative life are available in this outstanding one volume edition.Included are Chekhov's characteristically brief, evocative early pieces such as "The Huntsman" from 1885, which brilliantly conveys the complex texture of two lives during a meeting on a summer's day.Four years later, Chekhov produced the tour de force "A Boring Story" (1889), the penetrating and caustic self-analysis of a dying professor of medicine.Dark irony, social commentary, and symbolism mark the stories that follow, particularly "Ward No. 6" (1892), where the tables turn on the director of a mental hospital and make him an inmate.Here, too, is one of Chekhov's best -known stories. "The Lady with the Little Dog" (1899), a look at illicit love, as well as his own favorite among his stories, "The Student," a moving piece about the importance of religious tradition.

Atmospheric, compassionate, and uncannily wise, 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, in doing so, a true understanding of his greatness.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Perfection
Nobody does a short story better. Chekhov was so thoroughly good I can't possibly speak a negative word. There is good stories and there is great stories and all these are great stories. Chekhov differed from many in that he has this fatalistic, almost sarcastic view of the human struggle. He makes you wonder if you've got your own life right or not. What cost will you pay for your mistakes? This seems to be the eternal question he was attempting to cover.

surprisingly interesting
I purchased thisStories of Anton Chekhov as a Christmas gift.I decided to read a story or 2 just to see what type of book my son is interested in before I gave it to him.I find myself getting caught up in all the stories.It is so refreshing to read something that is not just a lot of fluff and profanity.I would recommend this to anyone interested in historical writings

The Master of the Short Story
A true master of the form of the short story, this collection of stories illustrates the full depth of Chekov's range of subjects and characters:serfs, bishops, doctors, merchants, coroners, in the country, city, and in between.There seems to have been no area of Russia where Chekov did not have an intimate, exhaustive knowledge.Every story is finely crafted, concise yet exacting, detailed yet brisk.Chekov manages to juggle these mutually exclusive elements of the art of short story, giving most of the stories the feel of longer, fully treated works in a very tight space.Simply put, Chekov well deserves his designation as one of the great masters of the short story.

Everyone must read these stories!
I saw 2 of Chekhov's plays in college and I honestly don't remember them.Glenn Close appeared in one I remember, but beyond that I was obviously distracted.Nothing could have prepared me for the perfection of these stories.I have never read a collection that had such an impact.Chekhov's clear-eyed world view peers at tiny physical details in the lives of the characters to see into their souls.They are tragic heroes in common clothes.

Chekhov looks on without judgment.His attitude is humane and liberal.No matter how foolish his subjects, his attitude is never condescending.

I hadn't realized it until I finished Pevear's forward, but Chekhov begins to slip subtly into stream of consciousness in several stories.This and many other innovations make Chekhov a pivotal figure in fiction writing.He is certainly under appreciated at present.

(I can't compare it, of course, but the P&V translation is another gift.)

Wonderful but depressing stories
Anton Chekhov is largely known for his plays (The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya), but he is also widely regarded as a master of the short story. However to fully appreciate these stories the reader should be somewhat familiar with the state of fiction in Russia during the last half of the 19th century as well as social and political conditions in the country at that time.Some knowledge of Chekhov's personal history and his philosophy of life is also helpful. Lacking these insights one is likely to find these stories to be excessively negative and depressing.

One difficulty in reading this book of his best short stories is that the first few (50 pages or so) are unrelentingly depressing; death and unrequited love being the main themes and they are told in Chekhov's spare style. A Boring Story is a longer and more interesting piece. It includes some aspects of Chekhov's philosophy, and while it ends on another depressing note, there is still an element of hope present. Ward No. 6 is perhaps the best of these stories, as well as the longest. It tells of a hospital in Siberia with a ward for mental patients. The story centers around a doctor (Andrei Yefichmych), a decent and compassionate man who gradually descends to the depths of the place. Along the way he has an interesting exchange with a mental patient, Ivan Dmitrich. The doctor suggests that one can be happy anywhere, even trapped in a prison, and cites the example of the Greek philosopher Diogenes who so distained material things that he lived in a barrel.The patient disagrees strongly, shouting, "I love life, I love it passionately!"He adds, tellingly, that maybe Diogenes would not have been so happy if he had had to live in a barrel in the wintry cold of Siberia!

The other stories in the book treat of a variety of people and situations from all walks of Russian life.While despair and a sense of hopeless fatalism remains the main thrust of many of these stories, there is also an element of hope present. Chekov keeps coming back to the idea that the future will be better.Some stories, such as Anna on the Neck, even have an element of humor. The last story, The Fiancée, perhaps sums up Chekhov's view of Russian life. In this tale a young woman living in a small town becomes engaged to a local man. A guest from the city, Sasha, starts to talk with her about how empty her life will be if she marries this man. Gradually she begins to come to this realization and in the end leaves to move to St. Petersburg to have "a new, expansive, spacious life, and that life, still unclear, full of mysteries, lured and beckoned to her."

I have given Chekov a rating of 4 stars, rather than 5, because, compared to Guy de Maupassant and O. Henry, his stories do not sufficiently express the full range of human emotions. Both of the latter masters of the short story infuse their work with humor and even broad satire and this is the stuff of life as well as the dreary world that Chekov inhabits. Yet maybe Chekov is reflecting the reality of Russia in his time.In any case these stories are well worth reading.




... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1920.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

Product Description
Written in Chekhov's signature style, these letters ascertain his undisputable status as master of the written word. Besides dealing with personal matters, they also offer an interesting commentary on his various works as well as the political and social scenario of that age. Chekhov's characteristic blend of vivid narration and wit makes them a pleasure to read.

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Product Description
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)

My book review
This was a completely great book.I loved it so much.It was a wonderful tale of a man who thinks his wife is a witch.She actually is.It's comical.But then the comedy turns bad when you see how miserable they rae. ... Read more

Product Description
An insight into the mind of one of the greatest writers! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Glimmer of Insight into the Master of the Short Story
In 1984, The Ecco Press published a handsome thirteen-volume edition of The Tales of Chekhov that contained the respected, if somewhat dated, English translations of Constance Garnett. The original thirteen volumes were subsequently supplemented by two additional volumes, "The Unknown Chekhov: Stories and Other Writings," translated by Avrahm Yarmolinsky (a volume which is still in print under the auspices of another publisher) and the book I review here, "Notebook of Anton Chekhov," translated by S. S. Koteliansky and Leonard Woolf.

Chekhov's stories are, of course, classic examples of the genre. In writing those stories, he was known (not surprisingly) to draw on numerous incidents from his everyday life. As Vladimir Nabokov relates in his "Lectures on Russian Literature," interpolating and quoting from an article on Chekhov:

" 'Do you know how I write my short stories?' [Chekhov] said to Korolenko, the radical journalist and short story writer, when the latter had just made his acquaintance. 'Here's how!' 'He glanced at his table,' Korolenko tells us, 'took up the first object that met his eye--it happened to be an ash tray--placed it before me and said: "If you want it you'll have a story to-morrow. It will be called 'The Ash Tray.' " ' And it seemed to Korolenko then and there that a magical transformation of that ash tray was taking place: 'Certain indefinite situations, adventures which had not yet found concrete form, were already beginning to crystallize about the ash tray.' "

Chekhov regularly recorded seemingly mundane daily incidents in notebooks and diaries and later referred to them in writing his stories. It is from this material that Koteliansky and Woolf have drawn in compiling the short (146 pages) collection of materials titled "Notebook of Anton Chekhov." While hardly an exhaustive collection of these materials, it is a useful little volume that illustrates some of Chekhov's writing habits.

The diary excerpts are a mere twelve pages from Chekhov's 1896 diary. The notebook excerpts are 130 pages from the notebooks written between 1894 and 1896. As the translators note in their short introduction to this collection, "[the] volume consists of notes, themes and sketches for works which Anton Chekhov intended to write, and are characteristic of the methods of his artistic production. If he used any material, he used to strike it out in the note-book."

While unfortunately out of print, "Notebook of Anton Chekhov" is a fascinating companion to Chekhov's stories, a little glimmer of insight into how Chekhov created the remarkably drawn pictures of nineteenth century Russian life that still enchant readers today.

A Glimmer of Insight Into the Master of the Short Story
In 1984, The Ecco Press published a handsome thirteen-volume edition of The Tales of Chekhov that contained the respected, if somewhat dated, English translations of Constance Garnett.The original thirteen volumes were subsequently supplemented by two additional volumes, "The Unknown Chekhov: Stories and Other Writings," translated by Avrahm Yarmolinsky (a volume which is still in print under the auspices of another publisher) and the book I review here, "Notebook of Anton Chekhov," translated by S. S. Koteliansky and Leonard Woolf.

Chekhov's stories are, of course, classic examples of the genre.In writing those stories, he was known (not surprisingly) to draw on numerous incidents from his everyday life.As Vladimir Nabokov relates in his "Lectures on Russian Literature," interpolating and quoting from an article on Chekhov:

" 'Do you know how I write my short stories?' [Chekhov] said to Korolenko, the radical journalist and short story writer, when the latter had just made his acquaintance.'Here's how!''He glanced at his table,' Korolenko tells us, 'took up the first object that met his eye--it happened to be an ash tray--placed it before me and said: "If you want it you'll have a story to-morrow.It will be called 'The Ash Tray.' " ' And it seemed to Korolenko then and there that a magical transformation of that ash tray was taking place: 'Certain indefinite situations, adventures which had not yet found concrete form, were already beginning to crystallize about the ash tray.' "

Chekhov regularly recorded seemingly mundane daily incidents in notebooks and diaries and later referred to them in writing his stories.It is from this material that Koteliansky and Woolf have drawn in compiling the short (146 pages) collection of materials titled "Notebook of Anton Chekhov." While hardly an exhaustive collection of these materials, it is a useful little volume that illustrates some of Chekhov's writing habits.

The diary excerpts are a mere twelve pages from Chekhov's 1896 diary.The notebook excerpts are 130 pages from the notebooks written between 1894 and 1896. As the translators note in their short introduction to this collection, "[the] volume consists of notes, themes and sketches for works which Anton Chekhov intended to write, and are characteristic of the methods of his artistic production. If he used any material, he used to strike it out in the note-book."

While unfortunately out of print, "Notebook of Anton Chekhov" is a fascinating companion to Chekhov's stories, a little glimmer of insight into how Chekhov created the remarkably drawn pictures of nineteenth century Russian life that still enchant readers today. ... Read more

Product Description
Contents: A Day in the Country; Old Age; Kashtanka; Enemies; On the Way; Vanka; La Cigale; Grief; An Inadvertence; The Black Monk; The Kiss; In Exile; A Work of Art; Dreams; A Woman's Kingdom; The Doctor; A Trifling Occurrence; The Hollow; After the Theater; The Runaway; Vierochka; The Steppe; Rothschild's Fiddle. ... Read more

Product Description

Translated by Constance Garnett

Customer Reviews (3)

Good collection, organization is horrible
This is a great collection. However, it is poorly designed from a navagating perspective, and getting through it is a challenge. First of all, this is not just a collection of stories. It also contains several plays and letters. The plays and letters, which are not listed in the table of contents, are at the front of the book. The plays run through location 4549, 10% of the way through the book. The letters section is next, running through location 8857, 20% of the way through. Then, finally, we get to the first book of stories, "The Bishop and Other Stories." The stories are listed in the contents, but are in alphabetical order, rather than the order they appear in the book. So, if you want to read the story "Aborigines," the first story on the table of contents, you can follow the hot link to location 44276, 67% of the way through the book. Then, I guess you can jump back to the table of contents and follow the second story, "About Love," to location 44276, 92% of the way through the book, then click back to the table of contents, to read the next story, and so on, but what a hassle! Of course, the books are not listed in the table of contents either, so if you're looking to read a particular book of stories be prepared to spend some time searching. It is tragic that common sense was not used in putting this collection together.

beware
reading chekhov's short stories will probably prevent you from enjoying the short stories of most of today's writers. he may have been the best there ever was. some of his stories are so sad, and yet somehow they are never depressing.

it is a great bargain!
Short Stories (200+) by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Anton Chekov is master of the short story. The collection is comprehensive and representative. ... Read more