After getting caught at a friend’s estate during a sudden storm, Ivan tells his friends the story of his brother who was determined to raise enough capital to buy himself a townhouse where he could plant gooseberry bushes. Through ruthless ambition, marrying an old widow for his own financial gain along the way, Ivan’s brother was able to fulfill his desires, but became an unlikable and proud person in the process.HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in...

"The Darling" (1899) is a short story by Russian author Anton Chekhov.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian playwright and short story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history.Translated by Thomas Seltzer.

Ward No. 6 by Anton Chekhov is a haunting and intellectually powerful novella that explores madness, morality, and the indifference of society through one of the most unsettling narratives in Russian literature. First published in 1892, this profound work blends psychological depth with philosophical inquiry, revealing Chekhov's penetrating insight into the human condition. Set in a remote provincial hospital, the story centers on Dr. Andrei Yefimych Ragin, a thoughtful yet detached physic...

In Anton Chekhov's "Misery," grieving cabman Iona grapples with the recent death of his son. His attempts to share his shattered emotions with others prove futile, leaving him desperate for connection. Isolation drives Iona to pour out his heart to his horse, highlighting the deep loneliness that accompanies profound grief. Chekhov's poignant narrative underscores the struggles of communication amid personal loss and the poignant solace found in unlikely companionship.

'I did have hallucinations, but did they harm anyone? Who did they harm, that's what I'd like to know!'

Vanka is an 1886 short story by Anton Chekhov. A nine-year-old boy is in desperate need to convince his grandfather, his only relative (a wayward character, who seems to be totally indifferent to the boy's fate), to take him back to his country home. Stealthily, he writes a letter to describe the unbearable life he leads in the house of the shoemaker Aliakhin, whom he serves as an apprentice for, suffering from hunger, abuse and humiliation. Finally, very pleased with his ...

“Spectacular…This new Vanya has a conversational smoothness that removes the cobwebs sticking to those other translations that never let you forget that the play was written in 1897…One of the most exquisite renderings of Uncle Vanya I’ve encountered.” —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times“Quietly arresting…A canny and colloquial world-premiere translation…A beautifully rewarding exploration of stunted lives still bending toward the...

While at a party organized by the lieutenant of his regiment, the shy and awkward Ryabovitch is suddenly kissed by an unknown woman in a dark room. This unexpected and electrifying encounter marks a turning point in his life and a shift in his personality, arousing his passions and setting him on a desperate quest to discover the identity of the mysterious lady.One of Chekhov’s most admired stories, ‘The Kiss’ is joined in this volume by five equally celebrated tales in a brand-new transla...

In this classic short story, Chekhov takes a snapshot of the Russian life, illuminating the harsh complexities and yet subtle simplicities that interact seamlessly together.

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Biographical Sketch of Anton Chekhov by Constance Garnett’ from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of Anton Chekhov’.Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Chekhov include...

A native Frenchman no longer tutors the wealthy landlord's children as they've grown up and left the house. The Frenchman is now paid simply to be around, to be properly dressed, to smell of scent, and to listen to Kamyshev's babble, to eat and drink and sleep. It may sound like a dream job but there's always a catch. Chekhov challenges the reader to reflect on the meaning of happiness and fulfilment, and the lengths people will go to find it. Read in English, unabridged.

A Vintage Shorts “Short Story Month” SelectionSophia Lvovna loves Little Volodya, but she is married to Big Volodya. A classic Chekhov story of love, anguish, and revelation.Anton Chekhov is widely regarded as the father of the modern short story, and “Big Volodya and Little Volodya” demonstrates his subtle and profound comic mastery. A selection from Forty Stories, spanning Chekhov’s entire career, in Robert Payne’s lively translation.An eBook short.