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A Russian Affair
About Love
The House with the Mezzanine
A Visit to Friends
Ionych
The Lady with the Little Dog
The House with the Mezzanine
A Visit to Friends
Ionych
The Lady with the Little Dog
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
10 people are currently reading
1292 people want to read
About the author
Anton Chekhov
5,967 books9,782 followers
Antón Chéjov
(Spanish)
Dramas, such as The Seagull (1896, revised 1898), and including "A Dreary Story" (1889) of Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, also Chekov, concern the inability of humans to communicate.
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against [a:Alfred Dreyfu
Dramas, such as The Seagull (1896, revised 1898), and including "A Dreary Story" (1889) of Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, also Chekov, concern the inability of humans to communicate.
Born ( Антон Павлович Чехов ) in the small southern seaport of Taganrog, the son of a grocer. His grandfather, a serf, bought his own freedom and that of his three sons in 1841. He also taught to read. A cloth merchant fathered Yevgenia Morozova, his mother.
"When I think back on my childhood," Chekhov recalled, "it all seems quite gloomy to me." Tyranny of his father, religious fanaticism, and long nights in the store, open from five in the morning till midnight, shadowed his early years. He attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog from 1867 to 1868 and then Taganrog grammar school. Bankruptcy of his father compelled the family to move to Moscow. At the age of 16 years in 1876, independent Chekhov for some time alone in his native town supported through private tutoring.
In 1879, Chekhov left grammar school and entered the university medical school at Moscow. In the school, he began to publish hundreds of short comics to support his mother, sisters and brothers. Nicholas Leikin published him at this period and owned Oskolki (splinters), the journal of Saint Petersburg. His subjected silly social situations, marital problems, and farcical encounters among husbands, wives, mistresses, and lust; even after his marriage, Chekhov, the shy author, knew not much of whims of young women.
Nenunzhaya pobeda , first novel of Chekhov, set in 1882 in Hungary, parodied the novels of the popular Mór Jókai. People also mocked ideological optimism of Jókai as a politician.
Chekhov graduated in 1884 and practiced medicine. He worked from 1885 in Peterburskaia gazeta.
In 1886, Chekhov met H.S. Suvorin, who invited him, a regular contributor, to work for Novoe vremya, the daily paper of Saint Petersburg. He gained a wide fame before 1886. He authored The Shooting Party , his second full-length novel, later translated into English. Agatha Christie used its characters and atmosphere in later her mystery novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd . First book of Chekhov in 1886 succeeded, and he gradually committed full time. The refusal of the author to join the ranks of social critics arose the wrath of liberal and radical intelligentsia, who criticized him for dealing with serious social and moral questions but avoiding giving answers. Such leaders as Leo Tolstoy and Nikolai Leskov, however, defended him. "I'm not a liberal, or a conservative, or a gradualist, or a monk, or an indifferentist. I should like to be a free artist and that's all..." Chekhov said in 1888.
The failure of The Wood Demon , play in 1889, and problems with novel made Chekhov to withdraw from literature for a period. In 1890, he traveled across Siberia to Sakhalin, remote prison island. He conducted a detailed census of ten thousand convicts and settlers, condemned to live on that harsh island. Chekhov expected to use the results of his research for his doctoral dissertation. Hard conditions on the island probably also weakened his own physical condition. From this journey came his famous travel book.
Chekhov practiced medicine until 1892. During these years, Chechov developed his concept of the dispassionate, non-judgmental author. He outlined his program in a letter to his brother Aleksandr: "1. Absence of lengthy verbiage of political-social-economic nature; 2. total objectivity; 3. truthful descriptions of persons and objects; 4. extreme brevity; 5. audacity and originality; flee the stereotype; 6. compassion." Because he objected that the paper conducted against [a:Alfred Dreyfu
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 14, 2011
Girl's first Chekhov. Hmmm sigh.
This is one book in a series of 20 Penguin has classified as its Great Loves series. It's been far too long since I picked up something Russian, and I thought this little volume would be a perfect introduction to Anton Chekhov, one of the greats. While the first two stories were definitely my favorites, I really did love the collection as a whole. Chekhov is very conservative in his writing. It's as if he wants to use only the perfect and exact words. There's never unnecessary description; everything he has to say is important, or he wouldn't say it at all. I hung on to every word of these stories and found myself reading carefully and meticulously so as not to miss anything and to take it all in. Highly recommended if you're as big a fan of the Russians as I.
This is one book in a series of 20 Penguin has classified as its Great Loves series. It's been far too long since I picked up something Russian, and I thought this little volume would be a perfect introduction to Anton Chekhov, one of the greats. While the first two stories were definitely my favorites, I really did love the collection as a whole. Chekhov is very conservative in his writing. It's as if he wants to use only the perfect and exact words. There's never unnecessary description; everything he has to say is important, or he wouldn't say it at all. I hung on to every word of these stories and found myself reading carefully and meticulously so as not to miss anything and to take it all in. Highly recommended if you're as big a fan of the Russians as I.
June 30, 2017
Even the weakest of these stories ("The House with the Mezzanine") is better than what you or I could write, but my favorite story is "The Lady with the Little Dog".
December 12, 2010
My first Chekov. The kind of beautiful and simple prose that doesn't just sit in your head but swirls around in your chest, chokes you up with emotion. Nobody does love greater justice - he doesn't sell it as a goal or misrepresent it as perfect, but simply writes about it, horrible and matter-of-fact and perversely desireable. Feel like I ought to read this again and again: to understand it better, to cheer myself up, everytime I have to deal with a broken heart. Perfect example of why I love Russian literature.
April 26, 2010
Love can be impossible - When Gurov sees the lady with the little dog on a windswept promenade, he knows he must have her. But she is different from his other flings - he cannot forget her. Chekov's stories are of lost love, love at the wrong time and love that can never be.
June 12, 2019
I'm a fan of Anton Chekhov and this little book didn't disappoint. It contains five short stories all revolving around the theme of love. Like all Chekhov's work they all have an underlying depressive and hopeless theme which never really shifts.
This is definitely not a book that will cheer you up, but I think in the fast-past society we live in today a lot of these short stories will still resonate with the modern audience.
This is definitely not a book that will cheer you up, but I think in the fast-past society we live in today a lot of these short stories will still resonate with the modern audience.
May 1, 2024
This caught my eye at the library and, as it's a series of short stories, I thought it'd be a good way of dipping my toe in to Chekhov's writing.
In all honesty, I expected it to be a heavy read which would largely go over my head. But I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying the stories and musings about life, some of which felt timeless.
"...the monotonous, hollow roar of the sea that reached them from below spoke of peace, of that eternal slumber that awaits us. And so it roared down below when nether Yalta or Oreanda existed. It was roaring now and would continue its hollow, indifferent booming when we are no more."
"As he sat there... soothed and enchanted at the sight of those magical surroundings - sea, mountains, clouds, wide skies - Gurov reflected that, if one thought hard about it, everything on earth was truly beautiful except those things we ourselves think of and do when we forget the higher aims of existence and our human dignity."
"Those pointless business affairs and perpetual conversations - always on the same theme - were commandeering the best part of his time, his best strength, so that in the end there remained only a limited, humdrum life, just trivial nonsense."
"We grow old, get fat, go to seed. Day after day life drags on in its lacklustre way, no impressions, no thoughts... During the day I make money, in the evening there's the club and the company of card-sharpers, alcoholics and loudmouths whom I cannot stand. So what's good about it?"
"And he judged others by himself, disbelieving what he saw, invariably assuming that everyone's true, most interesting life was carried on under the cloak of secrecy, under the cover of night, as it were. The private, personal life of everyone is grounded in secrecy and this perhaps partly explains why civilised man fusses so neurotically over having his personal secrecy respected."
In all honesty, I expected it to be a heavy read which would largely go over my head. But I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying the stories and musings about life, some of which felt timeless.
"...the monotonous, hollow roar of the sea that reached them from below spoke of peace, of that eternal slumber that awaits us. And so it roared down below when nether Yalta or Oreanda existed. It was roaring now and would continue its hollow, indifferent booming when we are no more."
"As he sat there... soothed and enchanted at the sight of those magical surroundings - sea, mountains, clouds, wide skies - Gurov reflected that, if one thought hard about it, everything on earth was truly beautiful except those things we ourselves think of and do when we forget the higher aims of existence and our human dignity."
"Those pointless business affairs and perpetual conversations - always on the same theme - were commandeering the best part of his time, his best strength, so that in the end there remained only a limited, humdrum life, just trivial nonsense."
"We grow old, get fat, go to seed. Day after day life drags on in its lacklustre way, no impressions, no thoughts... During the day I make money, in the evening there's the club and the company of card-sharpers, alcoholics and loudmouths whom I cannot stand. So what's good about it?"
"And he judged others by himself, disbelieving what he saw, invariably assuming that everyone's true, most interesting life was carried on under the cloak of secrecy, under the cover of night, as it were. The private, personal life of everyone is grounded in secrecy and this perhaps partly explains why civilised man fusses so neurotically over having his personal secrecy respected."
July 12, 2022
Using the summer holidays to pursue one of my many pet projects which is to book worm my way through the rather wonderful Penguin 20-book series "Great Loves" (escapism much?).
So, book 3/20 Anton Chekhov's collection of five short stories called "Russian Affair" (1896). I know the sensitivities these days, so please note that this is not a political statement, it just seems that many of the world's best literature on love was written by Russians (Turgenev's 'First Love' is also in this series) :-). And I don't need to point out how magical Chekhov's writing is although I feel Russian is better read in German rather than English translations.
Impossible love is, of course, the most exciting love all and this is the theme of these five stories. Throughout the stories, there's also a lot of comforting sadness about the fact that everything, even the most ecstatic beginnings, already contains its inevitable end ("It was a sad August night - sad because there was already a breath of autumn in the air").
So, book 3/20 Anton Chekhov's collection of five short stories called "Russian Affair" (1896). I know the sensitivities these days, so please note that this is not a political statement, it just seems that many of the world's best literature on love was written by Russians (Turgenev's 'First Love' is also in this series) :-). And I don't need to point out how magical Chekhov's writing is although I feel Russian is better read in German rather than English translations.
Impossible love is, of course, the most exciting love all and this is the theme of these five stories. Throughout the stories, there's also a lot of comforting sadness about the fact that everything, even the most ecstatic beginnings, already contains its inevitable end ("It was a sad August night - sad because there was already a breath of autumn in the air").
June 13, 2020
Sadly, I didn't like this very much.
The first story was alright, and I kind of liked the second one which was a little political. I think maybe I should have read all of this in context to better understand Chekhov and the times he lived in, but then again, I think I wouldn't have enjoyed the last 3 stories even if I were an expert on Russia in the 19th century.
For a book this short, there were just too many very young, beautiful women with 'childlike' features (always characterised as quite stupid or at least naive by the male protagonists), getting together with bitter, middle aged men.
The first story was alright, and I kind of liked the second one which was a little political. I think maybe I should have read all of this in context to better understand Chekhov and the times he lived in, but then again, I think I wouldn't have enjoyed the last 3 stories even if I were an expert on Russia in the 19th century.
For a book this short, there were just too many very young, beautiful women with 'childlike' features (always characterised as quite stupid or at least naive by the male protagonists), getting together with bitter, middle aged men.
January 9, 2022
Interesting tiny anthology of 5 love stories. Not the best Russian lit I've read but good overall.
March 17, 2022
3.75/5
This was my first Chekhov and what a good introduction. I enjoyed every story, how character-driver they were, how introspective. Will definitely read more.
This was my first Chekhov and what a good introduction. I enjoyed every story, how character-driver they were, how introspective. Will definitely read more.
May 27, 2024
Tasty
December 14, 2025
A good selection of short, sweet stories.
July 4, 2020
Ah. Turned out I'd already read 3/5 of these short stories in my 'Lady with the Little Dog' collection, so a read cut short! But the 2/5 were excellent. I say this a lot, but Russian Literature is the best out there, and Chekhov was the master of the short story.
July 17, 2016
The 4 of them where philosophical/political stories disguised as love stories, and I'm absolutely fine with that! Favourite bits:
We have loads of doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, lots of people who can read and write, but there's a complete lack of biologists, mathematicians, philosophers and poets. One's entire intellect, one's entire spiritual energy has been used up satisfying transient, temporary needs. Scholars, writers and artists are working away--thanks to them life's comforts increase with every day. Our physical needs multiply, whereas the truth is still far, far off and man still remains the most predatory and filthy of animals and everything conspires towards the larger part of mankind degenerating and losing its vitality. In such conditions an artist's life has no meaning and the more talented he is the stranger and more incomprehensible his role, since, on closer inspection, it turns our that, by supporting the existing order, he's working for the amusement of this rapacious, filthy animal. I don't want to work... and I shan't! I don't need a thing, the whole world can go to hell! --The House with the Mezzanine
I think that no one has ever truly described love--and how could anyone describe that tender, joyful, agonizing feeling! Anyone who has but once experienced it would never even think of putting it into words! --Ionych (the words might be less cool when you consider what a superficial ass he is, but anyways)
Gurov reflected that, if one thought hard about it, everything on earth was truly beautiful except those things we ourselves think of and do when we forget the higher aims of existence and our human dignity. --The Lady with the Little Dog
We have loads of doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, lots of people who can read and write, but there's a complete lack of biologists, mathematicians, philosophers and poets. One's entire intellect, one's entire spiritual energy has been used up satisfying transient, temporary needs. Scholars, writers and artists are working away--thanks to them life's comforts increase with every day. Our physical needs multiply, whereas the truth is still far, far off and man still remains the most predatory and filthy of animals and everything conspires towards the larger part of mankind degenerating and losing its vitality. In such conditions an artist's life has no meaning and the more talented he is the stranger and more incomprehensible his role, since, on closer inspection, it turns our that, by supporting the existing order, he's working for the amusement of this rapacious, filthy animal. I don't want to work... and I shan't! I don't need a thing, the whole world can go to hell! --The House with the Mezzanine
I think that no one has ever truly described love--and how could anyone describe that tender, joyful, agonizing feeling! Anyone who has but once experienced it would never even think of putting it into words! --Ionych (the words might be less cool when you consider what a superficial ass he is, but anyways)
Gurov reflected that, if one thought hard about it, everything on earth was truly beautiful except those things we ourselves think of and do when we forget the higher aims of existence and our human dignity. --The Lady with the Little Dog
October 24, 2025
𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 "𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚", 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅.
This book is a collection of 5 short stories by Anton chekhov. All of these stories have a common subplot or factor that's an affair or a love story which remains incomplete. Each story begins with the possibility of love, a spark, a dream and eventually ends with its dissolution, not through catastrophe but through human weakness, fear, or the slow erosion of feelings. Chekhov isn’t interested in romantic fulfillment; he’s interested in what stops it.
● About Love: Alyokhin falls in love with his friends wife Anna and eventually they have to seperate.
● The house with the mezzanine: This one is my fav. There's a nameless painter, our protagonist and his love interest Zhenya, and her sister Lida.
● A visit to a friend: This was my least fav story. It had themes of nostalgia and disillusionment .
● Ionich: This was also interesting, it shows that with time and success how much a man can change and how the fleeting love passes. Dimitry ionich falls in love with a young woman, Ekaterina who rejects him because she wants more from life and believes marriage will hinder her. But after years when she fails to establish her career she returns back to ionich and confesses her feelings only to find him disillusioned and changed.
✿ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔.
✿ 𝑶𝒉, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 - 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘! 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 - 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈! 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔!
✿ 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆? 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑾𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒕, 𝒈𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅. 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚, 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔...
● The lady with the dog: This is probably my 2nd fav story from this collection. Dimitri Gurov and Anna sergeyevna start a flirtatious affair and eventually find themselves deep in love with each other. However they are both married and know how doomed they are.
✿ 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍, 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 ... 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒊𝒕! 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚.
✿ 𝑰 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒆. 𝒊 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰'𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈.
✿ 𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒖𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓- 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉.
This book is a collection of 5 short stories by Anton chekhov. All of these stories have a common subplot or factor that's an affair or a love story which remains incomplete. Each story begins with the possibility of love, a spark, a dream and eventually ends with its dissolution, not through catastrophe but through human weakness, fear, or the slow erosion of feelings. Chekhov isn’t interested in romantic fulfillment; he’s interested in what stops it.
● About Love: Alyokhin falls in love with his friends wife Anna and eventually they have to seperate.
● The house with the mezzanine: This one is my fav. There's a nameless painter, our protagonist and his love interest Zhenya, and her sister Lida.
● A visit to a friend: This was my least fav story. It had themes of nostalgia and disillusionment .
● Ionich: This was also interesting, it shows that with time and success how much a man can change and how the fleeting love passes. Dimitry ionich falls in love with a young woman, Ekaterina who rejects him because she wants more from life and believes marriage will hinder her. But after years when she fails to establish her career she returns back to ionich and confesses her feelings only to find him disillusioned and changed.
✿ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔.
✿ 𝑶𝒉, 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 - 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘! 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 - 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒇𝒖𝒍, 𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈! 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔!
✿ 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆? 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑾𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒕, 𝒈𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅. 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚, 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒏𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔...
● The lady with the dog: This is probably my 2nd fav story from this collection. Dimitri Gurov and Anna sergeyevna start a flirtatious affair and eventually find themselves deep in love with each other. However they are both married and know how doomed they are.
✿ 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍, 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 ... 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒊𝒕! 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚.
✿ 𝑰 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒆. 𝒊 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰'𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈.
✿ 𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒖𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓- 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉.
February 21, 2025
This certainly is my first Chekov and I didn't like it very much. Half of what is written is forgettable and the characters fail to capture my interest. It may also have been the writing style in this one that i may not be a fan of but then again, these are translated works which couldn't really capture Chekov's original intent and style which may have been lost in translation. However, I'll try again with his other works.
The second story is my favorite however but the others are simply uninteresting and boring. I simply do not care about what happens next.
The second story is my favorite however but the others are simply uninteresting and boring. I simply do not care about what happens next.
October 2, 2019
Russian literature is quite strange, it always seems very bleak, even when it is discussing topics such as adultery and love. Maybe it’s the landscape that forces that sort of writing, but it’s been in every example of Russian literature that I have read so far.
Again, these short stories are mainly focused on people being jilted in love or committing adultery. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in these Penguin Great Loves.
Again, these short stories are mainly focused on people being jilted in love or committing adultery. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in these Penguin Great Loves.
February 9, 2025
These short stories were nice, no notes.
Only one indisputable truth has been said about love up to now, that it’s a “tremendous mystery”, and everything else that’s been written or said about it has never provided an answer and is just a reformulation of problems that have always remained unsolved.
How ironic that this is in the first short story. Everything that follows is in fact a reformulation of problems that remain unsolved.
Only one indisputable truth has been said about love up to now, that it’s a “tremendous mystery”, and everything else that’s been written or said about it has never provided an answer and is just a reformulation of problems that have always remained unsolved.
How ironic that this is in the first short story. Everything that follows is in fact a reformulation of problems that remain unsolved.
November 17, 2022
Five finely drawn short stories on abortive love affairs. Definitely of a type - coquettish ingenue with whom young man becomes infatuated (it is 19th c after all, and there is a definite tendency to describe bosoms and dainty waists) but initial blaze of love rebuffed and then fades in face of middle class torpor, stifling conventionality, and comfort over idealism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2017
Love is a little hopeless and unhappy in these short stories and I can't quite pin down why I loved them so much. They are just very real, evoke a real sense of place and tell tales of a human state which rarely meets our hope or expectations for it.
April 21, 2019
" If you want to cure people you shouldn't treat the illness but its causes. "
" .. don't run away from happiness.. grasp it while you can.. "
" .. no one has ever truly described love.. "
" .. don't run away from happiness.. grasp it while you can.. "
" .. no one has ever truly described love.. "
October 25, 2019
all these undestined love, ends with a bitter past in the future.
but the thing is i can't remember a damn name here.
but the thing is i can't remember a damn name here.
July 22, 2021
I was a little disappointed, I'm still going to try and read his longer stories/novels
September 27, 2021
I was angry and sad constantly
January 3, 2022
Very good
August 3, 2022
"we could only see grey skies now and trees dripping with rain - in this weather there really was nowhere to go and nothing else to do except listen to stories"
October 8, 2022
Some compelling stories of love.
March 28, 2023
absolutely brilliant. first story is my fave.
sucker for some sad romance xxx
sucker for some sad romance xxx
December 19, 2023
A great collection of stories, I had previously read house on the mezzanine in one of his other collections but the rest were new and I thoroughly enjoyed them, especially Ionych
January 21, 2024
I didn't even know this was a series of short stories until the last one lol. Still sick tho fr fr type shizzle
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