This collection of Chekhov's finest early writing reveals a young writer mastering the art of the short story. 'The Steppe', which established his reputation, is the unforgettable tale of a boy's journey to a new school in Kiev, travelling through majestic landscapes towards an unknown destiny. 'Gusev' depicts an ocean voyage, where the sea takes on a terrifying, primeval power; 'The Kiss' portrays a shy soldier's failed romantic encounter; and in 'The Duel' two men's enmity ends in farce. Haunting and highly atmospheric, all the stories in this volume show a writer emerging from the shadow of his masters - Tolstoy, Turgenev and Gogol - and discovering his own voice. They also illustrate Chekhov's genius for evoking the natural world and exploring inner lives.

Structurally speaking, the short story is often overlooked as a literary form. This collection of essays demonstrates how, in fact, the short story boasts a long tradition of deploying some of the most tightly coiled, daring and complicated structures of any literary form.

"Vaudeville subjects gush out of me like oil from the wells of Baku." Thus Chekhov once expressed his relish for writing the short one-act farces which (together with two longer plays) form this collection, written during the period when Chekhov was producing more serious prose fiction.

Quinquennial supplements,1950/1954-1979/1983, compiled by Estelle A. Fidell, and others, published 1956-1984.

Includes entries for maps and atlases.