Chekhov Short Story Thread

[Janine]

Since this thread, 'Chekhov' came up today in the listings in bold, does anyone know if we are going to revive it soon? I bought the audio CD's of about 8 of his stories and I would like to discuss them.

If anyone is interested, I would be interested in reading and discussing a Chekhov story next month or perhaps the following month.

[Quark]

Oh, alright, Janine

Remind me again which stories do you have?

[Janine]

Oh, alright, Janine

Remind me again which stories do you have?

Quark, you are killing me! ...*groan groan*.... I'm lazy and I don't feel like typing them out again. I just looked through posts and can't find them, but will find a way to list them. Maybe they are listed in a PM and some are still past PM's in my file, so I might find the list. If not I will check online and copy and paste the titles. I know the main one is 'In the Ravine'.

Now,Quark, get over to the Lawrence thread and post something super intelligent to stun me!

[Quark]

I know the main one is 'In the Ravine'.

Hmm, "In the Ravine" isn't my favorite story, but it is a popular one so maybe it would be good. I try to find the stories that will generate interest more than the ones I just happen to like. I'll read over "In the Ravine" tonight and see what I think.

I'll also send out some PMs to see if there really are enough people interested to reach that critical mass needed for discussion. If I can find four or five moderately interested people, then I'll give it shot.

Now,Quark, get over to the Lawrence thread and post something super intelligent to stun me!

Um, yes ma'am

[Janine]

Hmm, "In the Ravine" isn't my favorite story, but it is a popular one so maybe it would be good. I try to find the stories that will generate interest more than the ones I just happen to like. I'll read over "In the Ravine" tonight and see what I think.

Quark, since that is a longer story we could save that until the summer months when people might have more time. I would like to discuss it eventually.

I'll also send out some PMs to see if there really are enough people interested to reach that critical mass needed for discussion. If I can find four or five moderately interested people, then I'll give it shot.

Hey, I am here. How many people do you need? As I told Virgil before, 'If you build it, they will come'....(think of 'Field of Dreams')...it worked in the Lawrence thread. I track 'em down, too. Just send me on the mission and I will find more Chekhov people. If the wander I will drag them back. I am stick with it, when I am determined to do something. Have faith we will get this thread moving along again.

Um, yes ma'am

Well, it worked and you did stun me!

[islandclimber]

I love Chekhov! though somehow I've lost my book of his short works... Oh well, time to get a new one I guess... But, I'm interested in discussing any of his works... The Ravine isn't my favourite either though it is the most popular... I really like "Ward No. 6"... and the "The Black Monk" always struck me as being particularly interesting...

[Janine]

I love Chekhov! though somehow I've lost my book of his short works... Oh well, time to get a new one I guess... But, I'm interested in discussing any of his works... The Ravine isn't my favourite either though it is the most popular... I really like "Ward No. 6"... and the "The Black Monk" always struck me as being particularly interesting...

Hi islandclimber, it is good to have another person interested in Chekhov, so welcome abroad! I told Quark, if we started this thread up again people, would show up. You have proven my theory.
You better order another Chekhov book real soon. It seems the audiobook, I bought recently, doesn't have the stories everyone keeps mentioning...*sigh sigh*. I will list them here soon and maybe you have heard of some that are good ones. I don't have a book of Chekhov myself, and was hoping to use the audio CD's - there are about 10 stories at least to choose from. I will post the list later or tomorrow. I hope we can get a story going by March. What do you think? Would March be good for you?
Currently, we have a great short story thread, which has been getting better and better with every new story. This is the 'Lawrence Short Stories' - if you like DHL's stories, as well, do come over and join us. We have read/discussed such interesting ones so far, and our little thread has just topped out at 1000posts! (in under a year) You can see it is quite active! Funny, the story we did prior to the one we are discussing now was called "The Man Who Loved Island" - I notice your user name. You could have called the character in this particular short story an 'island hopper'.

[islandclimber]

Currently, we have a great short story thread, which has been getting better and better with every new story. This is the 'Lawrence Short Stories' - if you like DHL's stories, as well, do come over and join us. We have read/discussed such interesting ones so far, and our little thread has just topped out at 1000posts! (in under a year) You can see it is quite active! Funny, the story we did prior to the one we are discussing now was called "The Man Who Loved Island" - I notice your user name. You could have called the character in this particular short story an 'island hopper'.

I will come over... though, DHL with me is very hit and miss, some I really like, some I really don't care for... But I'm always interested in discussing things I've read... Interesting story name, I haven't actually read it, so I guess I'll have to now...

I've ordered a new copy of Chekhov, but for now all of them are online at different sites, even here on the online-lit site I think... I like alot of Chekhov so I am sure there will be something you have that everyone interested in this discussion can enjoy...

[Janine]

I will come over... though, DHL with me is very hit and miss, some I really like, some I really don't care for... But I'm always interested in discussing things I've read... Interesting story name, I haven't actually read it, so I guess I'll have to now...

I've ordered a new copy of Chekhov, but for now all of them are online at different sites, even here on the online-lit site I think... I like alot of Chekhov so I am sure there will be something you have that everyone interested in this discussion can enjoy...

Oh good; you can try the next story with us and see how you like it. We have not picked one yet, but I do have some ideas of some good ones or ones I heard were quite good. So far, all we have discussed everyone seems to have liked. Quark said the last two, he particularly liked, but I think that is because we had more participation and so a better exchange of ideas, which lead to a better understanding of the stories and just what Lawrence was conveying or trying to convey.
You should read the 'island' one; it is quite interesting. Of course, discussing it made it more so.

About the Chekhov audiobook I own, these are the stories.
The CD is called:

Anton Chekhov ~ In the Ravine and Other Short Stories ~ read by Kenneth Branagh.
Oh! The Public, The Choris Girl, The Trousseau, A Story Without a Title, Children, Misery, Fat and Thin, The Begger, Hush!, The Orator, An Actor's End.
So these CD's actually include 12 stories. Do you know any of them? I am going to go check the internet and Amazon for books of his stories now. Yes, I know that this site has some of the short stories with the texts.

[Quark]

I love Chekhov! though somehow I've lost my book of his short works... Oh well, time to get a new one I guess... But, I'm interested in discussing any of his works... The Ravine isn't my favourite either though it is the most popular... I really like "Ward No. 6"... and the "The Black Monk" always struck me as being particularly interesting...

Yeah, "Ward No. 6" is another good Chekhov story, but, like "In the Ravine", it's over 40 pages. Some people might find it a bit taxing. I was thinking about doing either "A Doctor's Visit" which is a moving story about the woes of industrialism in Russia or "On the Road" which is one of the funnier Chekhov short stories. Neither of these books are in Janine's audio book, though, and I don't know whether I can persuade her to read one on her computer screen (as I've done for the Lawrence thread). I hope you can join in with the discussion, islandclimber. We should start by the beginning of next month.

Oh, and I certainly suggest you take a look at the Lawrence thread, too.

About the Chekhov audiobook I own, these are the stories.
The CD is called:

Anton Chekhov ~ In the Ravine and Other Short Stories ~ read by Kenneth Branagh.
Oh! The Public, The Choris Girl, The Trousseau, A Story Without a Title, Children, Misery, Fat and Thin, The Begger, Hush!, The Orator, An Actor's End.
So these CD's actually include 12 stories. Do you know any of them? I am going to go check the internet and Amazon for books of his stories now. Yes, I know that this site has some of the short stories with the texts.

I've heard of these other stories, but some of them are rather obscure. I'll try to read them over the weekend. If I find one that I think would work for next month, I'll let you know.

[islandclimber]

Yeah, "Ward No. 6" is another good Chekhov story, but, like "In the Ravine", it's over 40 pages. Some people might find it a bit taxing. I was thinking about doing either "A Doctor's Visit" which is a moving story about the woes of industrialism in Russia or "On the Road" which is one of the funnier Chekhov short stories. Neither of these books are in Janine's audio book, though, and I don't know whether I can persuade her to read one on her computer screen (as I've done for the Lawrence thread). I hope you can join in with the discussion, islandclimber. We should start by the beginning of next month.

I've heard of these other stories, but some of them are rather obscure. I'll try to read them over the weekend. If I find one that I think would work for next month, I'll let you know.

I like both of the stories you mention... "On the Road" is quite funny for Chekhov...

of Janine's stories I actually quite like a couple of them... "Misery" is quite a moving short work about a sledge driver... a little sad, though i guess the name implies so... and "A Story Without a Title" is quite good as well, kind of almost a religious comedy, temptation and all... the end makes it almost comic.. and "Oh! the public" as well is really good... the story of an alcoholic...

the others are decent, just not quite in the same league in my opinion... the only ones i haven't read are "the trosseau" and "the chorus girl"...

I'm a little envious about the audio cd.. I really like Kenneth Branagh... all the shakespeare I've seen him in was fantastic..

[Quark]

I like both of the stories you mention... "On the Road" is quite funny for Chekhov...

of Janine's stories I actually quite like a couple of them... "Misery" is quite a moving short work about a sledge driver... a little sad, though i guess the name implies so... and "A Story Without a Title" is quite good as well, kind of almost a religious comedy, temptation and all... the end makes it almost comic.. and "Oh! the public" as well is really good... the story of an alcoholic...

the others are decent, just not quite in the same league in my opinion... the only ones i haven't read are "the trosseau" and "the chorus girl"...

It sounds like you've already read a few Chekhov stories. I haven't read "Oh! the Public" yet. I'll have to give it a shot over the weekend.

[Janine]

I like both of the stories you mention... "On the Road" is quite funny for Chekhov...

Quark, they sound like good ones... but, I really was hoping for the audiobook stories to come up soon. I really enjoy them and can listen while I do other work, and I am going to be kind of busy this coming month. ugh...I hate reading the stories online. I usually can only read about a page at a time that way. I may be able to find some in my library.

of Janine's stories I actually quite like a couple of them... "Misery" is quite a moving short work about a sledge driver... a little sad, though i guess the name implies so... and "A Story Without a Title" is quite good as well, kind of almost a religious comedy, temptation and all... the end makes it almost comic.. and "Oh! the public" as well is really good... the story of an alcoholic...

Here is what they say on Amazon about the audiobook collection of stories:

The eleven short stories and one novella (IN THE RAVINE) in this collection are not as well known as the great plays on which Chekhov's reputation rests. Let's hope that this terrific audio version helps change that, as these stories are brilliant evocations of the class-dominated society that Russia has always been. Some are comic, some are sad--all are ultimately tragic. If you insist on Russian stories being read with a Russian accent, this audiobook is not for you, as all the accents are unambiguously British. But if you want an outstanding reading, in which the narrator's voice brilliantly conveys the speaker's class and the intricate relationships between characters during conversations, you can do no better than to listen to Kenneth Branagh. This great actor mesmerizes as he gasps, chuckles, stutters, and declaims. A must listen. R.E.K. 2003 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Then a customer reviewer added these comments:

First, he said this should be in all libraries and schools. He apparently love the collection and he rated it 5 stars. The total rating for the audiobook was 5 star. He goes on to say:
“Classical music enhances a dramatic narrative performance by film, television, and stage actor Kenneth Branagh who does full justice to these timeless works of literature”.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/962.../ref=wl_it_dp?

the others are decent, just not quite in the same league in my opinion... the only ones i haven't read are "the trosseau" and "the chorus girl"...

I'm a little envious about the audio cd.. I really like Kenneth Branagh... all the shakespeare I've seen him in was fantastic..

islandclimber, I am a huge Kenneth Branagh fan and have listened to his Shakespeare audiobooks and happen to think they are the finest out there. I love his "Richard III" and his "Hamlet". I recently bought his narration of "Frankenstein" but have not yet heard that. He also plays the fool in "King Lear" audiobook - Naxos - I just bought that. Aside, from that I love his Shakespearan films very much, topping the list is "Henry V", then "Hamlet". I also very much like his role in Othello, but he did not direct that film and it is quite abridged. I have to give the guy credit for using the entire script of 4 hours length in his stunning "Hamlet"; that was brave and commendable.

islandclimber, speaking of brave - is that you in your profile page climbing a very dangerous looking cliff? Yikes, I nearly died when I saw it. I just had to ask; sorry I'm curious.

[Etienne]

"Sleepy" is probably my favorite of his short stories, if I had to name only one.

[islandclimber]

islandclimber, I am a huge Kenneth Branagh fan and have listened to his Shakespeare audiobooks and happen to think they are the finest out there. I love his "Richard III" and his "Hamlet". I recently bought his narration of "Frankenstein" but have not yet heard that. He also plays the fool in "King Lear" audiobook - Naxos - I just bought that. Aside, from that I love his Shakespearan films very much, topping the list is "Henry V", then "Hamlet". I also very much like his role in Othello, but he did not direct that film and it is quite abridged. I have to give the guy credit for using the entire script of 4 hours length in his stunning "Hamlet"; that was brave and commendable.

islandclimber, speaking of brave - is that you in your profile page climbing a very dangerous looking cliff? Yikes, I nearly died when I saw it. I just had to ask; sorry I'm curious.

I've heard his "Frankenstein"... it is, as usual, really good... he has quite the voice for narration, full of character, emotion, life... I really liked his films adaptations of "Hamlet" and "Henry V" as well, and then "Much Ado About Nothing" was pretty good..

try "a story without a title"... it is quite the Chekhov story...

yes, that's me climbing, besides reading and writing, I like to spend a little bit of time outside... you know, climb the average cliff... surf the little waves in the sea *smile*... I just love the outdoors...