Customer Reviews

Anton Chekhov: Selected Stories

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In the introduction to this book, some compare Chekhov's writing to lace: the beauty of his stories are as much about what's left out as what's left in. Indeed, to a certain extent, that is true. In this book you will find some of the most gently funny and heartbreakingly poignant stories ever written. His writing is almost that of a parish priest recounting the tales of his town, in that he passes no judgement on even the most vile of the characters he has created, but instead allows us to judge each character for ourselves. It's a wonderful glimpse, not only at late-Czarist Russia, but at humanity in general. I highly recommend this book.

Stories in the Signet 1960 edition: 1. The Confession 2. He Understood 3. At Sea - A Sailor's Story 4. A Nincompoop 5. Surgery 6. Ninochka - A Love Story 7. A Cure for Drinking 8. The Jailer Jailed 9. The Dance Pianist 10. The Milksop 11. Marriage in Ten or Fifteen Years 12. In Spring 13. Agafya 14. The Father 15. In Exile 16. Three Years 17. The House with the Mansard -- An Artist's Story 18. Peasants 19. The Darling.

Chekhov may have been from a different culture and era, however, his legacy still leaves an impact on millions of readers and writers worldwide. No storyteller thus far, has been able to blend humor and tragedy in the fashion that made Chekhov so universally loved. Selected Stories is a sampling of some of his finest works. With compassion and delicacy, Chekhov writes of the lives of ordinary people who are struggling to overcome conflict, however trivial their problems may be. One story deals with a man who must teach his young son not to smoke even though he himself is a smoker. Another story describes how a middle-aged man is thought peculiar by family and friends because he has never married. These are just a few examples of how this century-old Russian literature is still relevant to today's frame of mind. Chekhov's talent cannot be overstated. His life was short but what he left behind was majestic and grand.

Having been forced into a kind of bondage of late (Translate that into having my wife communicating to me in rather harsh term to "clean this mess of yours up or I will do it for you," which further translates into "I had better not let her do it for me because all my "stuff" will end up in the dust bin.) I have been cleaning, cleaning and cleaning, or rather reorganizing somewhat. In this process I have found boxes upon boxes of books stashed here and there; boxes of books to be more precise, dating back to the mid 1950s through current times. During this period of manic and forced cleaning I have run across many, many very old and dear friends. This work, Anton Chekhov, Selected Stories, translated by Ann Dunnigan with a delightful forward by Ernest J. Simmons is one of those friends, which while not forgotten, was never the less most certainly out of sight...for a number of years.

I bought this book in the early 1960s while taking a course at an obscure college in Texas; a course dealing with the study of the short story, its evolution, and impact. Wow! I have never been overly fond of Russian writers in general but I must tell you folks that this small collection made a major impression on me and I can remember spending well over a year reading Chekhov's work and reading and rereading this particular little book...to the point that it is now falling apart.

What a story teller! What a writer!

This small paper back contains a wonderful example of Chekhov's work; short stories, which are taken from the period 1883 through 1898. The editor has selected stories (see below) which demonstrate Chekhov's wonderful range. This guy wrote about everyone. Their station in society made no difference to this writer and what is so stunning and remarkable is that Anton knew his subject matter! At times you get the impression that more than one author is at work here despite the fact that his style holds true through story after story.

Following is a list of what the reading will find between the covers of this 1960 edition:

The Confession - 1883
He Understood - 1883
At Sea (A Sailor's Story) - 1883
A Nincompoop - 1883
Surgery - 1884
Ninochka (A Love Story) - 1885
A Cure for Drinking - 1885
The Jailer Jailed - 1885
The Dance Pianist - 1885
The Milksop - 1885
Marriage in Ten or Fifteen Years - 1885
In Spring - 1886
Agafya - 1886
The Kiss - 1887 (One of the longer selections)
The Father - 1887
The Exile - 1892
Three Years - 1895 (Could almost be classified as a small novella)
The House with the Mansard (An Artist's Story) - 1896
Peasants - 1897
The Darling - 1889

Now some to many of these stories can be read in a very short time. May I encourage those who have never read this author to slow it down a bit though and savor every sentence; indeed, every word! This is not the type of collection that you want to set through and read cover to cover with no break. In my opinion is it is best to read story, ponder it for a few days, and the proceed to the next. For me it is sort of like eating a box of mixed chocolates...it I gobble them down all at once, I cannot enjoy the distinct flavor of each and every one in their turn.

It is my opinion that anyone interested in short stories (sadly, a dying art at this time) needs to read and study this particular author. This is particularly true of the young student. Chekhov was one of the best and to leave him out of your reading regimen would truly be a loss.

Hmmm, I note and remember now that I bought this copy at the student book store and paid all of .50 cents...new! Wow, that was a long time ago, was it not? (Although I also remember that my wife was in a constant state of agitation over my spending a goodly amount of our food and rent money on books...bless her heart.)

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

This collection of stories and tales are drawn from the years 1883-1898 and offers the reader a good sampling of Chekhov's prose style, as well as his insight into the nineteenth century Russian character. The characters that occupy places in these stories represent every segment of Russian society: from land owner to peasant, from the scholar to the merchant, from the honest to the perfidious. Chekhov was a doctor by education and training, and this scientific background allowed him to approach his subjects with an objective detachment with little inclination to make his characters "grow." Therefore, Chekhov portrays his characters as they actually were, and never makes a moral judgement as to any weaknesses that might be uncovered.

Chekhov wrote hundreds of these stories and tales in addition to his work as a dramatist, and this element of detachment runs through both genres. If, however, the author assumes a detachment from his characters, he never loses hope for a better day when poverty and ignorance will be eliminated. This theme is also repeated in his dramatic works.

The translation by Ann Dunnigan is a good one and enables the non-Russian reader to fully enjoy Chekhov's simple but beautiful style.