Elusive and subtle, spare and unadorned, the stories in this selection are among Chekhov's most poignant and lyrical. The book includes well-known pieces such as 'The Lady with the Little Dog,' as well as less familiar work like 'Gusev,' inspired by Chekhov's travels in the Far East, and 'Rothschild's Violin,' a haunting and darkly humorous tale about death and loss. The stories are arranged chronologically to show the evolution of Chekhov's art.