About Anton Chekhov: One of Russia's greatest writers, Chekhov began his career writing jokes and anecdotes for popular magazines to support himself while he studied to become a doctor. Between 1888 and his death he single-handedly revolutionized both the drama and the short story. Near the end of his life he married an actress, Olga Knipper. He died from tuberculosis in 1904, age 44.About this project: Constance Garnett translated and published 13 volumes of Chekhov stories in the years 1916-1922. Unfortunately, the order of the stories is almost random, and in the last volume Mrs. Garnett stated: "I regret that it is impossible to obtain the necessary information for a chronological list of all Tchehov's works." This site presents all 201 stories in the order of their publication in Russia.
About the notes: I have added notes to explain both the cultural practices of 19th century Russia and the occasional Britishisms that Mrs. Garnett used in her translations. Passages marked in blue have an explantory note at the end of the story. I am particularly indebted to Edgar H. Lehrman's A Handbook to 86 of Chekhov's Stories and Ronald Hingley's notes in the Oxford Chekhov (Volumes 4-9). A complete list of Constance Garnett's translations of Russian literature is here.
For those new to Chekhov: Reading the stories in order is a wonderful experience; however, I recommend beginning with a few humorous stories, such as "Oh! the Public!" (39), "The Orator" (92), and "A Transgression" (124). Next try one of Chekhov's most moving stories, "Misery" (45). Among the longer stories, I suggest beginning with "Ward No. 6" (166), "The Duel" (160), and "The Steppe" (148), which contains the most famous thunderstorm in literature. Finally, be sure to read the famous trilogy made of "The Man in a Case" (189), "Gooseberries" (190), and "About Love" (191).
001 - A Living Chattel |
002 - Joy |
003 - At the Barber's |
004 - An Enigmatic Nature |
005 - A Classical Student |
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007 - The Trousseau |
008 - A Daughter of Albion |
009 - An Inquiry |
010 - Fat and Thin |
011 - A Tragic Actor |
012 - The Bird Market |
013 - A Slander |
014 - The Swedish Match |
015 - Choristers |
016 - The Album |
017 - Minds in Ferment |
018 - A Chameleon |
019 - In the Graveyard |
020 - Oysters |
021 - The Marshal's Widow |
022 - Small Fry |
023 - In an Hotel |
024 - Boots |
025 - Nerves |
026 - A Country Cottage |
027 - Malingerers |
028 - The Fish |
029 - Gone Astray |
030 - The Huntsman |
031 - A Malefactor |
032 - The Head of the Family |
033 - A Dead Body |
034 - The Cook's Wedding |
035 - In a Strange Land |
036 - Overdoing It |
037 - Old Age |
038 - Sorrow |
039 - Oh! the Public! |
040 - Mari d'Elle |
041 - The Looking-Glass |
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097 - Champagne |
098 - Frost |
099 - The Beggar |
100 - Enemies |
101 - Darkness |
102 - Polinka |
103 - Drunk |
104 - An Inadvertence |
105 - Verotchka |
106 - Shrove Tuesday |
107 - A Defenceless Creature |
108 - A Bad Business |
109 - Home |
110 - The Lottery Ticket |
111 - Too Early! |
112 - Typhus |
113 - In Passion Week |
114 - A Mystery |
115 - The Cossack |
116 - The Letter |
117 - An Adventure |
118 - The Examining Magistrate |
119 - Aborigines |
120 - Volodya |
121 - Happiness |
122 - Bad Weather |
123 - A Play |
124 - A Transgression |
126 - Uprooted |
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127 - A Father |
128 - A Happy Ending |
129 - In the Coach-House |
130 - Zinotchka |
131 - The Doctor |
132 - The Pipe |
133 - An Avenger |
134 - The Post |
135 - The Runaway |
136 - A Problem |
137 - The Old House |
138 - The Cattle Dealers |
139 - Expensive Lessons |
140 - The Lion and the Sun |
141 - In Trouble |
142 - The Kiss |
143 - Boys |
144 - Kashtanka |
145 - A Lady's Story |
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146 - A Story Without a Title |
147 - Sleepy |
148 - The Steppe |
149 - Lights |
150 - The Beauties |
151 - The Party |
152 - A Nervous Breakdown |
154 - The Bet |
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155 - The Princess |
156 - A Dreary Story |
157 - The Horse-Stealers |
158 - Gusev |
159 - Peasant Wives |
160 - The Duel |
161 - The Wife |
162 - The Grasshopper |
163 - After the Theatre |
164 - In Exile |
165 - Neighbours |
166 - Ward No. 6 |
167 - Terror |
168 - An Anonymous Story |
169 - The Two Volodyas |
170 - The Black Monk |
171 - A Woman's Kingdom |
172 - Rothschild's Fiddle |
173 - The Student |
175 - At a Country House |
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177 - Three Years |
178 - The Helpmate |
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179 - Whitebrow |
180 - 'Anna on the Neck' |
181 - The Murder |
182 - Ariadne |
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183 - An Artist's Story |
184 - My Life |
185 - Peasants |
186 - The Petchenyeg |
187 - At Home |
188 - The Schoolmistress |
189 - The Man in a Case |
190 - Gooseberries |
191 - About Love |
192 - Ionitch |
193 - A Doctor's Visit |
194 - The Darling |
195 - The New Villa |
196 - On Official Duty |
197 - The Lady with a Dog |
198 - At Christmas Time |
199 - In the Ravine |
200 - The Bishop |
201 - Betrothed |
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Contact me with comments or corrections at jrusk@excite.com.