#192 Ionitch

You can find today’s 7117 word story here http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/192.html Travis review: This story starts out comical with an introduction to the Turkins, the smartest family in a small, unnamed town. The father plays puns on words, the wife writes and reads aloud unrealistic novels “of what never happens in real life,” and the daughter pounds the keyboards …

#125 From the Diary of a Violent-Tempered Man

Find today’s 3897 word story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/125.html A lot of today’s story reminds me of Notes From the Underground. I wonder if Chekhov is intentionally spoofing the classic. The character Nicolas has the same intensity and serious academic bend as Dostoyevsky’s unnamed character. At least that is what Nicolas tells us in his first person narrative that he …

#123 A Play

Find today’s 2048 word story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/123.html Chekhov returns to his earlier comical and satirical roots after a recent string of dark and melancholy works. In this particular piece, Chekhov toys with formats, bringing playwriting structure into a traditional short story. I also wonder if elements of the story are a mixture of autobiography and wish …

#021 The Marshal’s Widow

Today’s story is a mere 1510 words:  http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/021.html Travis Review: This story felt like an Irish wake once the men started sneaking off to the cloak room to get a nip of booze in a teetotaler’s house. The result reminded me of The Pogues’ Body of An American, especially how song’s opening somber notes pick …