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Nikolay Kharlamov has been accused of murdering his wife. ‘In the Court’ follows his trial, describing everything in almost molecular detail. Chekhov’s storytelling paints an uncomfortably realistic image of the clerical system- indifference, cold attitudes, and stale atmospheres. This intelligent exploration of human emotion and reaction is perfect for all fans of Chekhov, Hannah Arendt and Max Weber.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel, and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860 -1904) is a master of the short story as a genre. His detailed and often miserable descriptions of everyday Russian life speak to his own experiences, and his characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death, no matter their storyline. In his plays, he tends to dramatize and explore social and existential problems, whilst his short stories focus more on the horror present in everyday life, and the mystery that cloaks monotony. The majority of his popular plays, such as ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Seagull’, and ‘A Hunting Accident’ have been adapted into movies starring actors like Toby Jones, Roger Allam and Elisabeth Moss.
Well, you brought this on yourself. Not only were you browsing the Russian classics section – literature with a reputation so dour and depressing that it has reached meme status, but when you on top of that pick out the one book titled "Sorrow", we can only imagine that you've taken the advice of the people complaining about your sunny disposition and the spring in your step. Fortunately, you're in good hands as Chekhov is a virtuoso of the moody human blues.The plot is very simple: An old man must take his wife to the hospital before she expires. Then we learn that it's a 20 mile trip on an awful road, that it's biting cold and snowing, that the man is an alcoholic (and a mean one at that), that his horse is a wreck and then real adversity eventually sets in.Still, Russian literature is famous for a reason – and that reason might just be its similarity to Finnish sauna tradition: That sometimes you have to go roll around naked in the cold, cold snow to truly appreciate the nice, relaxing warmth you have around you.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life. Contrary to pop culture belief, Chekhov was neither a gun enthusiast or a crew member of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek.
The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories (1917) is a collection of nine stories by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. Recognized today as foundational for the development of the modern short story, Anton Chekhov has transcended Russian literature to become one of the most popular and acclaimed authors in history, in any language. This collection includes ¿The Lady with the Dog,¿ a meditative tale of forbidden desire and the frailty of hope described by Vladimir Nabokov as ¿one of the greatest stories ever written¿ despite breaking ¿[a]ll the traditional rules¿ of storytelling.The title story of the collection follows Dmitri Gurov, a married middle-aged man who falls in love with a young newlywed while on vacation in Yalta. The woman he desires, Anna Sergeyevna, is also unhappy with her marriage, and soon the two spend their days together before Anna decides to go home to her husband. Back in Moscow, Gurov¿a man who has had many affairs¿finds himself unable to shake the memory of Anna, and longs for the chance to see her once more. In ¿A Doctor¿s Visit,¿ a young doctor named Korlyov journeys to the home of a recently deceased industrialist, where he has been called to care for the frail heiress Liza. There, he finds himself beset with dark thoughts and even darker visions, and soon discovers that the cure for Lizäs illness may be far beyond his skill.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov¿s The Lady with the Dog and Other Stories is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.
Fydor Lukitch Sysoev has been regarded as the best teacher for as long as he can remember, he cares about his students and never forgets an injustice or mistreatment. However, his confidence and patience are about to be tested by a series of difficult exam questions and an anniversary dinner. ‘The Schoolmaster’ is Anton Chekhov’s take on the value of a good teacher and the powerlessness of ageing. This masterful short story is essential for fans of Orwell, Tolstoy and JD Salinger. A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860 -1904) is considered to be a master of the short story as a genre. His detailed and often miserable descriptions of everyday Russian life speak to his own experiences, and his characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition and death, no matter their storyline. In his plays, he tends to dramatize and explore social and existential problems, whilst his short stories focus more on the horror present in everyday life, and the mystery that cloaks monotony. The majority of his popular plays, such as ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Seagull’, and ‘A Hunting Accident’ have been adapted into movies, giving fans of his literature a fresh avenue to explore his perspectives.
Olga Mikhaylovna is pregnant, and she has spent the day plodding through her husbands name-day party, waiting on their guest's hand and foot. Tired of being pleasant to everyone, she takes a moment to herself in the garden. Her peace is shattered as she spots her husband talking to another woman, and as her suspicions begin to mount, Anton Chekhov creates a moving, gut-wrenching portrait of the destructive forces of our dark thoughts. A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860 -1904) is considered to be a master of the short story as a genre. His detailed and often miserable descriptions of everyday Russian life speak to his own experiences, and his characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition and death, no matter their storyline. In his plays, he tends to dramatize and explore social and existential problems, whilst his short stories focus more on the horror present in everyday life, and the mystery that cloaks monotony. The majority of his popular plays, such as ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Seagull’, and ‘A Hunting Accident’ have been adapted into movies, giving fans of his literature a fresh avenue to explore his perspectives.
A modern-day Hamlet, Laevsky enjoys blaming his issues on the corrupting influence of his time and civilization. Van Koren, on the other hand, believes strongly in the survival of the fittest. When the two of them become tangled in a game of infidelity, debts, and deception, it is not long until a physical duel ensues. A complex tale of transformation, human fragility and forgiveness, it was adapted to screen as a historical drama in 2010.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860 -1904) is considered to be a master of the short story as a genre. His detailed and often miserable descriptions of everyday Russian life speak to his own experiences, and his characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition and death, no matter their storyline. In his plays, he tends to dramatize and explore social and existential problems, whilst his short stories focus more on the horror present in everyday life, and the mystery that cloaks monotony. The majority of his popular plays, such as ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Seagull’, and ‘A Hunting Accident’ have been adapted into movies, giving fans of his literature a fresh avenue to explore his perspectives.
Saveliy is highly suspicious that his wife, Raisa is a witch. She is constantly luring people into their poverty-ridden house, under the pretence of shelter from a storm, in order to seduce them. His suspicions seem to be confirmed as a mailman and his coachman appear at their doorway, unable to contend with the harsh winds outside. Bursting with dialogue, and modelled on the real-life, secluded church that fascinated Chekhov himself, the tale of this sexton and his reluctant wife is widely considered to be one of Chekhov’s most successful short stories.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860 -1904) is considered to be a master of the short story as a genre. His detailed and often miserable descriptions of everyday Russian life speak to his own experiences, and his characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition and death, no matter their storyline. In his plays, he tends to dramatize and explore social and existential problems, whilst his short stories focus more on the horror present in everyday life, and the mystery that cloaks monotony. The majority of his popular plays, such as ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Seagull’, and ‘A Hunting Accident’ have been adapted into movies, giving fans of his literature a fresh avenue to explore his perspectives.
"The Lady with the Dog" is one of Chekhov’s most popular short stories, following the adulterous relationship between two married people. Dmitri is unhappy in his marriage and curses the monotony of his life. Anna’s marriage does not offer her the happiness she seeks, and the two form a strange pair, held together by their misfortune. After the vacation, things go back to normal. Or do they really? A story of suppressed desires, hidden love, and anger, "The Lady with the Dog" is a bittersweet tale of charming adventures, unbearable life, and the pursuit of happiness. It is definitely well worth reading.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
A short story written in the vein of the Gothic tradition, "The Black Monk" tells of a Kovrin, a Russian scholar, who is suffering from stress and overworking. He goes to the countryside, to an idyllic garden, where he starts seeing a ghostly apparition in the figure of a black monk. Step by step, Kovrin begins to lose his sanity and health, largely due to the influence of the black monk. Touching upon the powers of one’s imagination and the hallucinations of a trouble mind, Chekhov creates a haunting story of madness, love, and the supernatural.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
Lieutenant-General von Rabbek is a local aristocrat, who invites the officers of the Reserve Artillery Brigade to a cup of tea with brandy. Of all the guests, Ryabovitch is the most unpleasant one. While doing his best to avoid talking to people, Ryabovitch enters a dark room, where he an unknown woman surprises him by kissing him, then running away. The unexpected kiss awakes Ryabovitch's curiosity and passion, and the man spends the rest of the evening searching for the mysterious woman.Why does nobody like Ryabovitch? Why is he avoiding the other guests? Who was the woman that kissed him? Will he be able to find her again and what will happen if he does?You can find all the answers in Anton Chekhov’s short story "The Kiss".B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".
Dmitri Gurov is a nearly forty-year-old man, who is married and has three children. He is unhappy with his marriage and regrets this big mistake every single day. While on a vacation, Dmitri meets Anna Sergeyevna – a young lady, who just like him is unhappily married. Very soon a love affair enfolds between the two and they start secretly meeting at different places. Unfortunately, Anna must go back to Moscow because her husband is having some health issues. Dmitri cannot live with the thought of never seeing her again and sets off to find her.Why is Gurov not happy with his marriage? What exactly is he missing? How long is the affair going to last and can it evolve into something greater? Will Dmitri be able to find Anna in the big city?You can find all the answers in Chekhov’s short story "The Lady with the Dog".B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".
After Olenka Plemyannikova’s father dies, she marries Ivan Kukin – the owner of the local theater. She soon takes over some of his paperwork-related roles and becomes more involved in the business. Unfortunately, Kukin dies in Moscow during one of his work-related travels. Olenka’s grief does not last too long and she soon gets married to a timber yard worker named Vasily Pustovalov. They live a happily and comfortable life together, until one day Pustovalov gets sick and dies a few days later. What is the reason behind the death of Olenka’s spouses? Does it have anything to do with her or it is nothing more than bad luck? Will she get married once again after Vasily’s death? Or will she give up and live alone for the rest of her life?You can find all the answers in Chekhov’s short story "The Darling".B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".
Yakov Ivanov is a seventy-year-old coffin maker and fiddler who hates Jews. Rothschild is a poor Jewish flautist, who plays in the village orchestra. When Yakov’s wife, Martha, becomes seriously ill he starts building her coffin in preparation for the worst. Unfortunately, the fiddler’s fears become true when his wife dies and he sinks into a deep depression. Rothschild pays Yakov a friendly visit, but what happens is not pleasant at all for the poor Jew.How is the violinist’s life going to change after his wife’s death? What will happen with Rothschild when he pays the visit to Yakov? What will actually happen with the old coffin maker at the end of this story?This short story about poorness, hatred and grief was written and published in 1894.B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".
While hosting a party, a banker makes a bet with one of his guests, who is a lawyer. The topic of the bet is capital punishment and whether it is worse or better than a life sentence. The banker sees the capital punishment as more humane than life imprisonment, whilst the young lawyer completely disagrees. The bet is as follows: if the lawyer spends fifteen years in complete isolation, the banker will give him two million rubles. As the years pass, the banker realizes that he will go bankrupt if he loses the bet. That is why he decides to kill the lawyer, but the note he finds shocks him.Was did they make such a bet? Is it worth it to spending fifteen years in isolation for two million rubles? Which of the two men is right? Will the banker really kill the lawyer, or will he change his mind? How is this bet going to end?You can find all the answers in Anton Chekhov’s short story "The Bet", first published in 1889.B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".
Anton Chekhov’s short story "The Wife" offers a panoramic description of Russian life amidst the constantly warring oppositions of marriage. The frost of winter cannot compare to the impasse in the relationship between Pavel and his estranged wife. The disintegration of the spouses in their rich mansion is portrayed against the background of abject suffering and poverty of the peasantry. A typical Chekhovian story, "The Wife" focuses mainly on the lack of communication and understanding, and the characters’ disillusionment is a warning sign for the deepening problems Russian aristocracy is facing at that time. A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
Chekhov’s short story "The Orator" tells of a rather embarrassing situation when a famous orator stands in front of a crowd at a funeral ceremony. Filled with satire towards and critique of the hypocritical and petty-minded people, Chekhov masterfully presents the world as a reflection in the eyes of a dead man. Connoisseur of the human psyche and a chronicler of Russian daily grind, the author’s irony and sarcasm permeate every level of life, earning his short stories a place among the best in the field.A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and explores social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
Chehkov’s short story "The Beggar" revolves around the theme of spiritual transformation where a depraved alcoholic becomes a better person through compassion and kindness. A perfect example of a narrative with a twist, the short story offers some insight into the topic of knowing the other and delving deeper into the human psyche. What is more, Chekhov places his characters and their extraordinary encounters against the mundane daily grind, a typical characteristic feature of his whole work. The unexpected ending reveals Chekhov’s affinity to conclude his stories with a touch of morality. A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
"The Teacher of Literature" tells the story of Nikitin, a young teacher at the local school, who proposes to Masha, the daughter of a wealthy man. The story oscillates between bouts of happiness and immense love to moments of depression and existential crisis. The realization of the main character that the world is nothing but filled with vulgarity clashes with his previous perfect state of existence. Chekhov masterfully manipulates the story and his protagonist, leading him to the realm of madness and uncertainty. A prolific writer of seven plays, a novel and hundreds of short stories, Anton Chekhov is considered one of the best practitioners of the short story genre in literature. True to life and painfully morbid with his miserable and realistic depictions of Russian everyday life, Chekhov’s characters drift between humour, melancholy, artistic ambition, and death. Some of his best-known works include the plays "Uncle Vanya", "The Seagull", and "The Cherry Orchard", where Chekhov dramatizes and portrays social and existential problems. His short stories unearth the mysterious beneath the ordinary situations, the failure and horror present in everyday life.
Combining psychological detail with a strong sense of place and time, The Story of a Nobody bears all the hallmarks of Chekhov's genius, and perfectly captures the political and social tensions of its day.
This unique collection offers a perfect introduction to one of Russia's - and the world's - greatest writers.
A classic four-act romantic tragedy by Chekhov, Uncle Vanya premiered to excellent reviews in 1899.Aleksandr Vladimirovich Serebryakov is a former university professor, now retired in a rural estate. His daughter Sonya and her husband - the titular Vanya - manage his affairs. However all is not well in the Serebryakov household, with drama swift to follow the professor's announcement to sell his country estate. The result of this sudden revelation is scheming, romantic and otherwise, between the play's nine principle characters. The tensions crescendo as we see what Vanya and others may resort to as the security to which they were accustomed is imperilled, and difficulties thought consigned to the past shockingly resurfaces. Essentially a extensive rewrite of his play The Wood Demon, authored over a decade earlier, Uncle Vanya reflects the stylistic improvements which Chekhov learned in the intervening period.
This superb play by Anton Chekhov presents drama and romance between an ensemble cast of vivid, evocative characters.We join Sorin, a retired government servant who lives on his estate with his wife who is a famed stage actress named Arkadina. Their son, Konstantin Treplyov, is a playwright who has recently published an unconventional work which has attracted much public attention. However, in spite of his artistic talents Konstantin is prone to troubles of mood. His habit of shooting seagulls influences the plot, and provides the play with its title. In keeping with his penchant for romantic flair, Chekhov establishes potential romances early in the story. Masha, the estate keeper's daughter, is taken by Konstantin but herself liked by a schoolteacher named Medvedenko. These romances in turn fuel the plot - as the reader is left guessing as to who will pair off with whom.
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