The Beauties

Book excerpt: A beautiful collection of 13 classic Russian short stories by “the greatest short story writer who has ever lived” (Raymond Chandler) Without doubt one of the greatest observers of human nature in all its messy complexity, Chekhov’s short stories are exquisite masterpieces in miniature. His work ranged from the light-hearted comic tales of his early years to some of the most achingly profound stories ever composed, and this variety of tone and temper is collected in this essential new collection. Chekhov wrote stories throughout his writing career, and this selection has been chosen from amongst his life’s work, including many of his greatest works, alongside unfamiliar discoveries, all newly translated. From the masterpiece of minimalism “The Beauties”, to the beloved classic “The Lady with the Little Dog”, and from “Rothschild's Fiddle” to bitterly funny “A Living Chronicle”, the stories collected here are the essential collection of Chekhov’s greatest tales. CONTENTS: The Beauties (1888) The Man in a Box (1898) A Day in the Country (1886) A Blunder (1886) About Love (1898) Grief (1886) The Bet (1889) A Misfortune (1886) Sergeant Prishibeyev (1885) The Lady with the Little Dog (1899) The Huntsman (1885) The Privy Councillor (1886) The Kiss (1887)