内容简介
Called the greatest of short story writer, Anton Chekhov changedthe genre itself with his spare, impressionistic depictions ofRussian life and the human condition. Now, thirty of his best talesfrom the major periods of his creative life are available in thisoutstanding one volume edition. Included are Chekhov'scharacteristically brief, evocative early pieces such as "TheHuntsman" from 1885, which brilliantly conveys the complex textureof two lives during a meeting on a summer's day. Four years later,Chekhov produced the tour de force "A Boring Story" (1889), thepenetrating and caustic self-analysis of a dying professor ofmedicine. Dark irony, social commentary, and symbolism mark thestories that follow, particularly "Ward No. 6" (1892), where thetables turn on the director of a mental hospital and make him aninmate. Here, too, is one of Chekhov's best -known stories. "TheLady with the Little Dog" (1899), a look at illicit love, as wellas his own favorite among his stories, "The Student," a movingpiece about the importance of religious tradition. Atmospheric,compassionate, and uncannily wise, Chekhov's short fictionpossesses the transcendent power of art to awe and change thereader. This monumental edition, expertly translated, is especiallyfaithful to the meaning of Chekhov's prose and the unique rhythmsof his writing, giving readers an authentic sense of his style-and,in doing so, a true understanding of his greatness.
