The Chekhov Collection of Short Stories

By: Anton Chekhov

Narrated by: Richard Armitage

Whilst Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) is perhaps best for his plays such as Uncle Vanya and The Seagull, he was also a prolific author of short stories.

In this exclusive collection, Audible presents six of his most-celebrated short stories, chosen and performed by Richard Armitage.

Richard, whose interest in the work of Chekhov was sparked by his appearance as Astrov in a stage production of Uncle Vanya, also introduces the collection with a brief overview of each of the stories and his thoughts on why Chekhov’s short stories are not to be missed.

The collection contains the following stories:

'Ward 6'

In a mental asylum, a patient comes into conflict with a director of the institution.

'The Kiss'

During a party, a man becomes infatuated by a woman who accidentally kisses him in the dark.

'Betrothed'

A young woman strives to asset her independence by choosing education over an arranged marriage.

'The Black Monk'

An ageing scholar experiences strange hallucinations.

Is he a genius, or is he insane?

'Neighbours'

A beautiful young woman subverts society expectations by going to live with her neighbour, an older, married man.

'The Student'

A depressed young student has his spirits lifted by recounting an religious story to two strangers.

Public Domain (P)2020 Audible, Ltd

Chekhov, get your gun.

I saw this was available in the Audible Plus catalog and that Richard Armitage was narrating, so I thought, "why not." All I know about Chekhov is "Chekhov's Gun" and I thought one of these stories would feature thee gun.

None of theses stories had a gun but they were still great. All the short stories were quite sad and explored themes of loneliness, mental health, immortality and religion.

There was one moment that made me laugh. In 'The Kiss' a man asks, "Excuse me, I understand about the bosom, but how could you see the lips if it was dark?"

I liked many other quotes too and I enjoyed this listen.

5 out of 5 Chekhov's Guns.

Inspired

Chekov’s inner worlds are endlessly entrancing and insightful. I hope we are friends when I reach heaven.

Outstanding reading of truly remarkable stories

Highly recommend. Read by master. Written by genius, a bit dark and dreary in subject matter, but pierce to the core of basic questions about what this time in the life of ours signifies.

Wonderful

What a wonderful collection of stories, especially “Neighbours.” Excellent narration. I’ll look for more by Richard Armitage.

Always perfect! The Russian Guy De Mopassant.

So ordinary life yet so deep. It reaffirms that truth comes from within and there is little need to travel to find it.

Hörenswert

Sprecher ausgezeichnet, sehr einfühlsam, schafft es, jeder Rolle seine bzw. ihre eigene Stimme zu geben. Letzte Geschichte relativ kurz und bereitet der Lesung ein etwas abruptes Ende.

Best narrated audibook I've heard

I've listened to a few hundred audibooks, and am picky about what I choose.

Chekhov. Check. World master storyteller.

Armitage clearly studied the stories and thought about how to do each. He flawlessly created appropriate characterizations quite distinct from one another, and the lines between dialogue were delivered with perfect dramatic care. And no overacting. You fall completely into the story, forgetting that it is a story being read to you.

The door will stay open

Maybe I should say re-opened. Or maybe it’s the narrator? Either way, I’ve found a new appreciation for Chekhov, and wanted to find out more about the the man behind them and the stories. So listened to the Donald Rayfield biography “A Life” that’s 28 hours long, but a real page turner. He’s in the stories. He’s there on every page.

my favorite writer of all times

I wished I had known Anton Chekhov his love Of Christ and people shines through and all his books and stories

First experience with Chekhov

Russian literature has often seemed to me dense and unfathomable. (So many words! Please edit, comrade!) I almost didn’t make it past the dark and disturbing Ward 6, but managed to soldier on. I was rewarded by stories that were thought-provoking and truly enjoyable. Armitage’s vocal performance was, as usual, superb.