'the Steppe and other Stories'', a collection is among the first of Chekhov's works to be published in a serious literary journal. The majority of tales in this collection focus on the issues faced by privileged class. The narration shows that the author never left his roots, being the son of an unsuccessful provincial grocer greatly influenced his writings. Interesting!

In the final years of his life, Chekhov had reached the height of his powers as a dramatist, and also produced some of the stories that rank among his masterpieces. The poignant 'The Lady with the Little Dog' and 'About Love' examine the nature of love outside of marriage - its romantic idealism and the fear of disillusionment. And in stories such as 'Peasants', 'The House with the Mezzanine' and 'My Life' Chekhov paints a vivid picture of the conditions of the poor and of their powerlessness in the face of exploitation and hardship. With the works collected here, Chekhov moved away from the realism of his earlier tales - developing a broader range of characters and subject matter, while forging the spare minimalist style that would inspire such modern short-story writers as Hemingway and Faulkner.

Twelve stories deal with a young woman who decides to break with her smug fiance, a suicide inquest, a woman who murders her husband, a greedy merchant, a declining family of landowners, and a tactless host.

(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed) Aanton Chekhov, widely hailed as the supreme master of the short story, also wrote five works long enough to be called short novels–here brought together in one volume for the first time, in a masterly new translation by the award-winning translators Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. The Steppe–the most lyrical of the five–is an account of a nine-year-old boy’s frightening journey by wagon train across the steppe of southern Russia. The Duel sets two decadent figures–a fanatical rationalist and a man of literary sensibility–on a collision course that ends in a series of surprising reversals. In The Story of an Unknown Man, a political radical spying on an important official by serving as valet to his son gradually discovers that his own terminal illness has changed his long-held priorities in startling ways. Three Years recounts a complex series of ironies in the personal life of a rich but passive Moscow merchant. In My Life, a man renounces wealth and social position for a life of manual labor. The resulting conflict between the moral simplicity of his ideals and the complex realities of human nature culminates in a brief apocalyptic vision that is unique in Chekhov’s work.

The first of Chekhov's works to be published in a serious literary journal, `The Steppe', with its masterly account of a spectacular thunderstorm, signifies his maturation as a writer of short stories. While the majority of his tales focus on the privileged classes, this selection shows that Chekhov never forgot his origins as the son of a failed provincial grocer, and characters as varied as the brutal soldier in `Gusev', the downtrodden old constable in `On Official Business', and the bemused peasants in `New Villa' testify to the power and flexibility of his art.

Embark on a journey through the evocative landscapes of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's "The Steppe: The Story of a Journey." This captivating short story follows a young boy’s passage across the vast and arid steppe of Russia, offering a vivid portrayal of both the natural environment and the human experiences encountered along the way. Chekhov, celebrated for his masterful storytelling and keen observations, explores themes of innocence, adventure, and the stark beauty of the Russian countryside. Through the boy’s journey, Chekhov reveals the intricate details of the steppe and the profound moments of introspection that arise from travel and solitude."The Steppe: The Story of a Journey" is a richly descriptive narrative that captures the essence of the Russian landscape and the transformative power of travel. Ideal for readers who appreciate evocative settings and the reflective storytelling of one of Russia’s literary giants.