Reading Chekhov's Stories in Russian

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This collection features nine of Chekhov’s most impactful short stories, presented in the original Russian alongside a facing English translation. It is tailored for Russian language students, allowing them to engage with authentic literature without frequent dictionary use. The edition includes a new translation specifically designed for learners, along with comprehensive vocabulary notes that cover essential forms, including aspectual pairs and verb conjugations. The original Russian text is preserved in its unedited form, marked for stress to aid pronunciation. The stories explore diverse themes: “The Death of a Clerk” humorously examines bureaucratic absurdity; “The Student” reflects on youthful idealism; “A Little Joke” shows how an innocent jest spirals out of control; “Sleepy” portrays a servant girl's descent into madness; “Rothschild’s Fiddle” addresses intolerance and reconciliation through music; “Anna Round the Neck” tells of a young woman's struggle against an oppressive marriage; “Gusyev” contrasts the perspectives of a peasant soldier and an intellectual; “The Lady with the Little Dog” navigates the complexities of love; and “Ward No. 6” presents a profound exploration of madness and medical ethics. Mark Pettus, a lecturer in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Princeton, brings his extensive experience in Russian studies to this work.