Customer Reviews

Tales of Chekhov (13 Volume Set)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Noet that the translator is Constance Garnett (translated around 1920 or earlier). All the stories in this collection can be found in public domain.

Pros:
1. contains 201 stories and short novels. The most comprehensive collections so far.
2. beautiful book cover

Cons:
1. very poor paper quality, similar to newspaper
2. very poor printing. The edition is obvioulsy very old, and its font and printing are ugly.

If you do not really want such a complete collection, I suggest you to consider two modern library hardcover books:
1. Early Short Stories, 1883-1888. ISBN 0679603174.
2. Later Short Stories, 1888-1903. ISBN 0679603166.
The two books contain 112 stories and the third book from modern library "Longer Stories from the Last Decade" (ISBN 0679606637) contains 11 short novels. The translator of the three books are the same, Constance Garnett.

If you do not want to collect the books, but only want to read Chekhov's stories, I recommend the following two books by award-winning translators Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky (translated in 199x and 200x):

Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky
ISBN-10: 0553381008

The Complete Short Novels (Everyman's Library) (Hardcover)
by Anton Chekhov, Larissa Volokhonsky (Translator), Richard Pevear (Translator)
ISBN-10: 1400040493.

Hope it helps.

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....

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.

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.

Since there have been comments here about the paper quality and the printing, I'd like to chime in. For a long time I procrastinated in buying this 13-volume set because of my concern about newspaper-type paper and ugly printing. I finally gave in to desire, and am glad I did. "Newspaper-quality" is an exaggeration. The paper IS thin and not sparkling white, but in a set this capacious, the thinness of the paper keeps the individual books from getting inconveniently thick. I find the old-style type rather charming and certainly not ugly. Amazon has just reduced the price for the set to $60, a phenomenal deal. The image formed by the volumes when all are in the slipcase is lovely. I own several different volumes of selected Chekhov tales and am delighted to now have 200 stories in one collection.

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.

This translation of Chekhov's work made by Constance Garnett is exemplary. The short stories themselves are widely regarded as the best of their kind and many fine authors have used them as a guide to the art of writing, reading them meticulously and closely to pick up tips on how a master plies his craft. Yes, the paper and print of the books themselves are not of the finest quality. Nevertheless I am delighted to have this collection in my possession (despite the fact that I could easily have downloaded the lot for nothing at Gutenberg.) For a while I held back from making this purchase as another reviewer had disliked the physical package so much. I love a beautiful book as much as any other bibliomane but in this case I will accept the perfectly adequate but less than beautiful presentation, and joyfully, for the sake of the writing.

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.