The Short Stories of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Volume I

Short story selections by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov in Volume I:

THE KISS follows the routine of a soldier whose unforeseen encounter with a mysterious woman makes an indelible impression on him. He slowly comes to the realization that fantasy and reality are completely different things.

THE TWO VOLODYAS is the story of a bored woman’s immature infatuation with another man. Her lack of intellectual curiosity renders her powerless to cope with the social forces of her community, and her boredom is symptomatic of a moral vacuum which leaves her desolate.

THE LADY WITH THE DOG reveals the consequences of an adulterous liaison among the fashionable set. This masterpiece follows the development of an immoral relationship between a well educated couple who meet at a fashionable resort. The affair finally lands them in the inevitable tangled predicament of deception and guilt. And once there, no solution appears.

FEAR takes you into the life of a weak man whose wife holds him in complete contempt. With an almost morbid voyeurism, he delivers his wife into the hands of a friend he seems to know will betray him.

THE DARLING is the amusing tale of a woman who takes on the personalities and interests of the men in her life. One after another, they die, leaving her in possession of material wealth, but no real purpose in life. When a child comes into her household, she finds renewed vigor.

CHAMELEON is the hilarious story of a pompous provincial official whose inquiries about the ownership of a dog lead to a vacillating series of opinions.

OYSTERS reveals the inner turmoil of a child forced to contemplate an unfamiliar world from the inhuman vantage point of a starving beggar.

AN ESSAY ON THE LIFE OF CHEKHOV by Dimitri Mirsky takes us on a tour of Chekhov’s life and career. This critically acclaimed work of scholarship is clearly and concisely written to bring into perspective the life of one of Russia’s greatest literary figures. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:ANTON PAVLOVICH CHEKHOV, (1860 – 1904), was born in Russia at Taganrog on the Sea of Azov. His name has become synonymous with a certain literary style much admired and widely copied since his death. His writing is at once fluid and precise. Typically, a Chekhov story or play is a “mood,” a state of mind, usually with regard to relations between one person and another. Under the influence of the constant, infinitesimal and unforeseen pinpricks of life, there occurs a gradual transformation of that state of mind. Most of his stories end on a minor note, instead of the dramatic flourish – a touch which furnishes his works with their reknowned realism. Today, Chekhov is regarded as Russia’s greatest writer, and his narrative works continue to attract an ever wider circle of readers worldwide.

VOICEOVER TALENT: CHARLTON GRIFFIN is one of the great readers of our time. His classical theatre training combined with his wonderful, incisive interpretations of great literature make him a unique talent. Mr.Griffin’s vocal performance is vibrant, soothing, compelling, and hypnotic.