'The uncontestable father of the modern short story... his stories are some of the best that have ever been written' Guardian 'Chekhov's genius lies in the way he manages to convey with such apparent effortlessness a profound sense of the mystery of beauty' Philip Pullman Chekhov was without doubt one of the greatest observers of human nature in all its untidy complexity. His short stories, written throughout his life and newly translated for this essential collection, are exquisite masterpieces in miniature. Here are tales offering a glimpse of beauty, the memory of a mistaken kiss, daydreams of adultery, a lifetime of marital neglect, the frailty of life, the inevitability of death, and the hilarious pomposity of ordinary men and women. They range from the lighthearted comic tales of his early years to some of the most achingly profound stories ever composed.