Courtney M. Chapin 2006-09-03

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

This particular collection/translation is far and away the closest any english-speaking reader can come to experiencing Chekov in his native tongue. In his introduction, translator David Magarshack writes "reading [these stories] one gets the impression of holding life itself, like a fluttering bird, in one's cupped hands." Magarshack's sensitivity as a translator is unparalled, and this small, immaculately chosen collection of Chekov's work will leave readers marvelling at his ability to bring a character to life in two paragraghs, bring a sunset to life in two sentences, and capture the timeless experiences of life, love and loss in only a few pages. This particular Penguin Classic is now out of print, but definitely worth searching out. This one sets the standard-- no
Chekov collection is complete without it.

2001-03-19

7 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

The Lady with the Little Dog is about a chance love affair that takes possession of two people and changes them against their will, and which closes with them far apart and rarely able to meet.One intimate meeting, changed their entire outlook towards life.In The Lady with the Lap Dog, Gurov and Anna are both married.Both have gone on a stolen holiday to Yalta, a resort notorious for its casual love affairs. One interesting thing is that Chehkov never described the seduction unlike the later novelists. The memories from their affair haunts them and they want to be together forever. Every time they meet, they have to over come the fact that they both are married.The real subject of the story is this serious conflict in the minds of the lovers. Every two or three months after this they will meet and wrestle with their dilemma. Chekhov doesnt want to end the novel in a typical manner. He wants the rest to be interpreted by the reader's imagination. Thats the best part of the novel in point of view. Many of us have gone through this situation ourselves. We may have betrayed our loved ones once in a while.A night with a stranger might haunt us throughout the rest of our life. Every one has certain priorities in their life. The novel explains few critical decisions a person takes while tacking one of the most sensitive issues of their lives.