Love and Other Stories

What It's About

This is the thirteenth and final volume of Constance Garnett's landmark translation of Chekhov's short fiction, gathering twenty-three stories first published in Russian and collected here in 1922. The pieces range widely in tone and length — from the delicate unravelling of a mismatched marriage in "Love," to the sharp comic bite of "Fat and Thin" and "The Death of a Government Clerk," to slighter sketches Chekhov wrote quickly for magazine publication. As the final volume in the series, it's something of a miscellany: alongside several of his most accomplished stories sit a number of minor pieces, giving readers a fuller sense of the breadth — and unevenness — of his output.

Key Concepts

Running through the collection are Chekhov's recurring preoccupations: the quiet disappointments of love and marriage, the absurdities of social pretension and rank, and the gap between how people present themselves and what they actually feel. His trademark understatement is everywhere — comedy and sadness sit side by side, often in the same story, with little authorial comment or resolution.

About the Author

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian physician, playwright, and short story writer, born in the port town of Taganrog to a family of modest means. He trained and briefly practised as a doctor while building a literary career, eventually becoming one of the most influential short story writers and dramatists of his era. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 44.

About This Edition

This is a 1922 translation by Constance Garnett.