#177 Three Years

Find today’s 35,540 word novella here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/177.html Travis review: This is a long story. Through 17 chapters this downbeat low-key drama takes place over the course of three years, but it felt like ten or more. There are many good moments as the story tracks the marriage of wealthy merchant heir to a girl he’d seen …

#168 An Anonymous Story

Find today’s 30,510 word novella here http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/168.html Travis review: This story feels like a 19th century French bildungsroman with Chekhov’s touch. In 18 chapters we follow a would-be revolutionary hampered with consumption who takes on the job of a manservant for the son of a hated government official. He watches as his master who has means and intelligence, …

#139 Expensive Lessons

Find today’s 2389 word story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/.html Travis review: This is the story about a slob who likes the idea of being multilingual and believes himself to be superior to his tutor, but his ideals versus reality are very far apart. Typically when Chekhov has a character being cheated by wily peasants (Malingers) or used selfishly (Anyuta) I …

#105 Verotchka

Find today’s  5044 story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/105.html Travis review: Chekhov starts off this story with a man remembering a day in his past when he let love slip through his fingers. We don’t know how much time has passed from the present to the memory. Typically there is a clue, but nothing is really given except that …