Twenty-two lesser-known short stories from Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), including The Horse-Stealers, Ward No. 6, and the Petchenyeg.

Old Arkhip sits every day by the roots of a wizened, hunchbacked willow, fishing and exchanging whispered stories with the ancient tree. One of these takes Arkhip three decades back in time, to a quiet day in early spring when a strange encounter shook him momentarily from the rural bliss in which he lived, catapulting him into a world of crime, corruption, violence and murder. A quintessential example of Chekhov’s artistry, ‘The Willow’ is here accompanied by thirty-two other short stories – some of them never or rarely translated into English – which are representative of the three main phases of the author’s career: the short, light-hearted pieces of the late 1880s, the darker, more pessimistic tales of his maturity and the psychologically nuanced stories he wrote towards the end of his life. Taken together, this collection is further proof of Chekhov’s unparalleled skills as a practitioner of the short-story genre.

The essential edition of the greatest stories by the Russian master of the form Chekhov was without doubt one of the greatest observers of human nature in all its untidy complexity. His short stories, written throughout his life and newly translated for this essential collection, are exquisite masterpieces in miniature. Here are tales offering a glimpse of beauty, the memory of a mistaken kiss, daydreams of adultery, a lifetime of marital neglect, the frailty of life, the inevitability of death, and the hilarious pomposity of ordinary men and women. They range from the lighthearted comic tales of his early years to some of the most achingly profound stories ever composed.

All the farces of Russia's greatest dramatist are rendered here in the classic lively translations which audiences and scholars alike applaud on the stage and in the classroom. The blustering, stuttering eloquence of Chekhov's unlikely heroes has endured to shape the voice of contemporary theatre. This volume presents seven minor masterpieces: Harmfulness of Tobacco, Swan Song, The Brute, Marriage Proposal, Summer in the Country, A Wedding, The Celebration.

Uncle Vanya (1898) is a four-act play by Russian short story writer and playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first performed at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1899, directed by acclaimed actor Konstantin Stanislavski-who also played the role of Astrov. Reviews were lukewarm at first, but as the play continued to run, Uncle Vanya gained both popularity and critical prowess, and has since become one of the most influential dramas ever produced. When retired Professor Aleksandr Serebryakov and his young second wife Yelena arrive at their country estate, they disrupt the mundanity and relative boredom of provincial life for its inhabitants. While the elderly Serebryakov enjoys life in the city, Sonya, his daughter, and Vanya, his first wife's brother, remain at the estate to manage its daily upkeep. Vanya, whose only companion is Mikhail Astrov, a doctor dissatisfied with his life and role in the rural community, regrets his failure to become a man of letters, and blames Serebryakov for saddling him with responsibility for the estate. He also loves the beautiful Yelena and wishes he had realized it before she married his brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Sonya secretly loves Astrov, but fears he thinks of her as only a friend. As Serebryakov's decision to sell the estate in order to increase his income is revealed, Vanya-incensed by years of disappointment and disrespect, as well as his by own mother's idolization of the Professor-reaches his breaking point, bringing the play to its startling, powerful conclusion. Uncle Vanya is a masterful drama that illuminates the intersecting obligations of family while dissecting the bitterness and ambition which so often define the relationships of men. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

Love and Other Stories (1922) is a collection of twenty-three 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 showcases the author's unique talent for illuminating the intricacies of love and critiquing the values of social and political circles. In "Love," an aging bachelor meets a beautiful young woman named Sasha, sending passionate letters and soon proposing to her. Despite signs of irreconcilable differences-namely, Sasha's youthful innocence and childish disposition-he marries her and soon longs for the freedom of single life. "A Country Cottage" follows a young couple on a moonlit stroll in the vicinity of their humble home. Passing the local train station, they playfully discuss their plans for dinner while remarking on the beauty of the landscape. When a train passes through bearing a group of unexpected visitors, however, they find themselves torn between a longing for solitude and their tedious social obligations. In "The Death of a Government Clerk," a low-level official accidentally sneezes on the person sitting in front of him during a theater performance, only to realize the man is a prominent General. Horrified, the clerk spends the next day attempting to atone for his mistake, only to enrage the man further. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's Love and Other Stories is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Prozorov sisters pine for Moscow. Culture and life brim in the city center, while they live among the mundane of a crumbling army garrison after their father's death. Though living with their brother Andrey, nothing keeps them back but their own misfortune, decisions, and the inertia of negativity that continues to follow this family.

With an Introduction and Notes by Joe Andrew, Professor of Russian Literature, Keele University. Anton Chekhov is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of short stories. He constructs stories where action and drama are implied rather than described openly, and which leave much to the reader's imagination. This collection contains some of the most important of his earliest and shortest comic sketches, as well as examples of his great, mature works. Throughout, the doctor-turned-writer displays compassion for human suffering and misfortune, but is always able to see the comical, even farcical aspects of the human condition. Chekhov sees and depicts life with unwavering honesty and truthfulness, although a clear moral sense can be detected beneath his apparent objectivity.

Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil. Widely considered to be one of greatest ever writers of the form, Anton Chekhov's short stories offer unforgettable character, crystalline expression, and deep, powerful mystery. Collected here are five of his very best tales, 'The Lady with the Little Dog', 'The House with the Mezzanine', and the trilogy of stories, 'The Man in the Case', 'Gooseberries' and 'About Love'.

We need the theatre, couldn’t, couldn’t do without it. Could we? A successful actress visits her brother’s isolated estate far from the city, throwing the frustrated residents unfulfilled ambitions into sharp relief. As her son attempts to impress with a self-penned play, putting much more than his pride at stake, others dream of fame, love and the ability to change their past. Chekhov’s darkly comic masterpiece is reignited for the 21st century by one of the most exciting new voices in British Theatre, Anya Reiss, Winner of the Most Promising Playwright at both the Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle awards. This updated and revised edition was published following the West End production directed by Jamie Lloyd in 2022.

Weird isn't it. Years of the same old thing and then suddenly, without warning, tomorrow is a stranger. An old starship. Far from Earth. Prema Ramesh, the ship's grieving commander, seeks solace in the sacred mission of her ancestors: leading the remnants of humanity towards the Destination. A bountiful world on which their descendants will one day thrive. But after centuries in the void, the creaking vessel is falling apart, its crew is suffering. What good is a promised paradise when the present is unbearable? So when rumour spreads of another viable, much closer planet, the crew begin to dream of different possibilities. It could all end now. A new future beckons. But first the old structures must crumble. They won't fall without a fight. A playful adaptation of Chekhov's tragicomic final work. Joy in the infinite, loss on a galactic scale, small lives and great ambitions adrift in the cosmos. This edition is published to coincide with the world premiere at the Yard Theatre, London, in September 2022. A The Yard Theatre, ETT and HOME Manchester production, co-commissioned by The Yard Theatre and ETT.

Comprising four one-act comic vaudevilles and four short stories adapted for the stage by Michael Frayn, The Sneeze introduces readers to a less familiar selection of work by one of the greatest precursors of modern drama. First published in 1989, this reissue includes The Sneeze; The Alien Corn; The Bear; The Evils of Tobacco; The Inspector-General; Swan Song; The Prospect, and Plots. Michael Frayns translations of Chekhovs work marry the expertise of the translator with the innate understanding of a master dramatist and are widely regarded as the truest, most authentic renderings of Chekhovs work: His keen imaginative sympathy with the great Russian dramatist extends beyond translation ...But translation is an art at which he excels. Spectator

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 Liza's 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.

"Chekhov, speaking simply and never otherwise than as an artist and a humane man, shows us in fullness and plenitude the mystery of our lives."-Eudora Welty "What writers influenced me as a young man? Chekhov! As a dramatist? Chekhov! As a story writer? Chekhov!"-Tennessee Williams The Seagull is Anton Chekhov's brilliant four-act play that is considered a monumental work of drama, and one of the most sublime literary examinations of the complexities of love and friendship. First performed over a century ago, this play remains one of the most widely staged productions throughout the world. The four protagonists in The Seagull are all artists; Trigorin is a well-established writer, Arkadina is a renowned yet aging actress, her son Treplev is a struggling writer, and Nina is a young aspiring actress who is in love with Treplev. Success in love and in their art is a shared intent, yet within the play each character experiences an existential crisis in the darkness of unrequited love. With its play-within-a-play, its nods to Shakespeare, and intimate and profound character portrayals, this is an essential read for all serious students of drama and Russian literature. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Seagull is both modern and readable.

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 Liza's 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.

Ivanov (1889) is a drama in four acts by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. Written in ten days, the play premiered in 1887 at Moscow's Korsh Theatre and was initially a failure due to its rushed composition, production issues, and significant changes made to Chekhov's script. Disappointed but far from discouraged, Chekhov reworked the play to his satisfaction, and the edited version premiered to rave reviews in St. Petersburg in 1889. The play follows a man named Nikolai Ivanov and his wife Anna Petrovna. Deeply in debt, Ivanov is unable to pay for the recommended treatment for his wife's tuberculosis, which requires an extended stay in Crimea. When Ivanov leaves his estate to visit the Lebedev's, a wealthy socialite family to whom he is indebted, Anna and Lvov secretly follow him. There, he is seduced by the Lebedev's daughter Sasha, who confesses her love for him and convinces Ivanov to betray his wife. Anna witnesses their act in secret, and later confronts the man for whom she gave up her religion, family, and inheritance to marry. Incensed, Ivanov reveals to her the true nature of her illness, and the reality of his depravity is revealed. As the play concludes, Lvov decides that in order to prevent Ivanov from ruining the lives of others, he must be willing to risk his own. Ivanov is a psychologically intense drama by Anton Chekhov, a master storyteller whose characters always seem to lurk at the limit of decency, and yet remain fearfully human. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's Ivanov is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

Three Sisters (1900) is a drama in four acts by Russian playwright and short story writer Anton Chekhov. It was first performed at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1901, directed by acclaimed actor Konstantin Stanislavski-who also played the role of Aleksandr Ignatyevich Vershinin, a philosophizing artillery officer in love with middle Prozorov sister Masha. Reviews were mixed at first, but as the play continued to run, Three Sisters became a popular success, acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. The play follows the Provorov family, focusing on sisters Olga, Masha, and Irina, as well as their brother Andrei. Each character struggles to balance their secret ambitions while facing the daily circumstances of reality. Olga, the oldest sister, is an unmarried schoolteacher who often finds herself responsible for the lives and happiness of others. Masha, the middle sister, is unhappily married to the kind Latin teacher Fyodor Kulygin, who knows about her affair with Lieutenant-Colonel Vershinin but continues to love and care for her. Irina, the youngest, is a vain and childish woman engaged to a man she respect but does not love. Andrei is initially an ambitious and energetic young man whose ill-fated marriage ruins not only his prospects of becoming a professor in Moscow, but his will to live as a man with any sense of self-respect. Natasha, who begins as an orphaned young woman unfit for high society, eventually emerges as a manipulative, envious woman whose love for her two children is matched only by her will to control the lives of the entire Prozorov family. Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov is a brilliant drama whose complex characters make us believe, for a time, in an art more real than life. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Cherry Orchard (1903) is Russian playwright and short story writer Anton Chekhov's final play. It was first performed at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1904, directed by acclaimed actor Konstantin Stanislavski-who also played the role of Leonid Gayev, the bizarre and uninspired brother of Madame Ranevskaya. It has since become one of twentieth century theater's most important-and most frequently staged-dramatic works. After five years of living in Paris with her lover-where she fled following the death of her young son-Madame Ranevskaya is brought back to her Russian estate by her daughter Anya. In her absence, Varya, Ranevskaya's adopted daughter, has cared for the estate to the best of her ability, but the family's debts have forced them to put the house and its renowned cherry orchard up for auction. Leonid Gayev, Madame Ranevskaya's brother, hopes to keep the estate, while Yermolai Lopakhin-a wealthy neighbor despite being born a peasant-encourages the family to sell. Although they initially shelter Madame Ranevskaya, she soon discovers the truth and decides-against the family's wishes-to throw a party none of them can afford. As the play reaches its tragic conclusion, the wealthy are forced to acknowledge their circumstances have changed, and the characters who depend on them for employment must do what they can to survive. The Cherry Orchard is a powerful drama that takes an unsparing appraisal of the massive shift in political and social circumstances undergone by Russians in the early twentieth century. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Bishop and Other Stories (1919) is a collection of short stories by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. The title story of the collection, originally published in 1902, finds the author at his most introspective. Written while Chekhov was dealing with the long term effects of tuberculosis, a period in which he began to accept the inevitability of his own death, "The Bishop" is a meditative story that follows a dedicated man who, in the face of oblivion, wants nothing more than to go about his work to the best of his ability. "The Bishop" is the story of a man named Pyotr. Set during Easter Week, it begins while Pyotr is passing out palms at a service on the night before Palm Sunday. As he begins to feel faint, he sees his mother-whose presence he did not expect-and begins to cry. Over the next several days, Pyotr goes about his duties, caring for the sick and dying, officiating at the local cathedral, and meeting with his colleagues, all while growing sicker and increasingly irritable. As he succumbs to typhoid fever, his mother and his faith are all he has left in a world that will soon forget him. "The Letter" is a similarly religious, earlier story in which a conversation between two priests, Father Orlov and Father Anastasi, is interrupted by the deacon. As the three discuss what is to be done with the deacon's wayward son, the difference between morality and mercy is illuminated for all to see. The Bishop and Other Stories is a collection of seven short works of fiction by Russian literary icon Anton Chekhov. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's The Bishop and Other Stories is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

The Schoolmistress and Other Stories (1920) is a collection of short stories by Russian writer Anton Chekhov. "The Schoolmistress" was written in 1897 and published in an issue of Moscow's daily newspaper Russkiye Vedomosti. Even for Chekhov, whose work is characteristically bleak and noted for its unsparing realism, the title story of this collection is particularly hopeless. And yet, reading it alongside these other stories by a true icon of world and Russian literature, one cannot help but feel a sense of hope, reminded-as Chekhov's readers almost invariably are-of the light one finds in even the darkest of places. "The Schoolmistress," which Chekhov wrote in Nice, is a brief story that follows Maria Vasilyevna as she returns to the village where she lives and works after collecting her pay in town. On the way, her cart nearly overturns, and she is forced to get out in the middle of a freezing river. To dry off, she takes a break at a local tavern, where she meets the formerly handsome Khanov, a landlord of her acquaintance. As she continues on her journey, she muses on her lot in life. Beset with memories and regrets, she struggles to make it home to a life she can hardly bear. "A Nervous Breakdown," originally published in 1889, is the story of a young law student who reluctantly agrees to accompany his friends on a night in Moscow's red-light district. Overwhelmed with despair and guilt, he struggles to reconcile what he sees with his own idealistic sense of the world. These are only two of the twenty-one works collected in The Schoolmistress and Other Stories, which showcase the immense talents of Anton Chekhov, an icon of Russian literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anton Chekhov's The Schoolmistress and Other Stories is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern readers.

A play based around youthful hopes and dreams squashed by the necessary grind of life. Chekhov offers a closely observed study of a family falling apart. Everything is taken from the three sisters - Olga, Masha and Irina - the security of their comfortable home life, their ambitious plans for a bright future, love and lovers. A complex process of stripping away from them everything they hold dear is played out over four increasingly tense acts, bringing reward to some and despair to others.5 women, 9 men

Chekhov's iconic characters are relocated to Nigeria in this bold new adaptation. Owerri, 1967, on the brink of the Biafran Civil War. Lolo, Nne Chukwu and Udo are grieving the loss of their father. Months before, two ruthless military coups plunged the country into chaos. Fuelled by foreign intervention, the conflict encroaches on their provincial village, and the sisters long to return to their former home in Lagos. Following his smash-hit Barber Shop Chronicles, Inua Ellams returns to the National Theatre with this heartbreaking retelling of Chekhov's classic play.

The first of Chekhov's full-length dramas, Ivanov treads a fine line between broad comedy and tragic melodrama.