Selected Short Stories of Chekhov (Illustrated and Linked Reading Edition)

Author: [Russian] Anton Chekhov
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) was a prominent realist master of art in late 19th-century Russia. Born into a family of small merchants, he graduated from the medical faculty of Moscow University in 1884 and practiced medicine for many years. In 1896, he visited Sakhalin Island to investigate the exiled residents there, which had a positive influence on his literary career. He married an actress in 1901 and passed away in 1904 at the young age of 44 due to incurable tuberculosis. The dozen or so short and medium-length stories included in this book are all renowned masterpieces with high artistic achievement. They are not only representative works of the author but also outstanding achievements of late 19th-century Russian literature. The most prominent artistic features of Chekhov's works are: realism, simplicity, and humor. He regarded the simplicity of style and the refinement of language as the highest standard of art. His works draw material from ordinary daily life but address significant social issues, with profound content, concise writing, vivid imagery, and a gentle tone. After finishing reading, readers are often left with a lingering sense of satisfaction.