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Universally acclaimed as the master of the short-story form, Anton Chekhov began his literary career as the author of brief tales and vignettes of Russian life when he was still a young medical student. Later rejected by the writer in the same self-effacing way in which he repudiated some of his most celebrated works, the stories in this collection not only testify to the early promise of his genius, but deserve to be appreciated for their lapidary vividness and their intrinsic stylistic quality.
Mostly dealing with the lives of downtrodden "little" men and low-ranking civil servants as they navigate the corruption and malpractice of Russian officialdom, this volume - here presented in Stephen Pimenoff's lively new translation - bristles with wit and humour, and is tinged by that understated note of melancholy and lyricism that is a trademark of Chekhov's writing.
About the author
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), Russian physician, dramatist and author, is considered to be one of the greatest writers of short stories and modern drama. Born in Taganrog, a port town near the Black Sea, he attended medical school at Moscow University. He began writing to supplement his income, writing short humorous sketches of contemporary Russian life. A successful literary careered followed, before his premature death of TB at the age of 44. He is best-remembered for his four dramatic masterpieces:
The Seagull (1896),
Uncle Vanya (1899),
Three Sisters (1901) and
The Cherry Orchard (1904).
Summary
This volume - here presented in Stephen Pimenoff's lively new translation - bristles with wit and humour, and is tinged by that understated note of melancholy and lyricism that is a trademark of Chekhov's writing.
Foreword
Presented in Stephen Pimenoff's lively new translation, this unique collection includes stories mostly dealing with the lives of downtrodden "little" men and low-ranking civil servants as they steer their actions through the corruption and malpractice of Russian public officials.
