Joy

Written by Anton Chekhov

Narrated by Max Bollinger

"Joy" is a short story by Anton Chekhov about a young man named Mitya Kuldarov who arrives home late at night, bursting with excitement. He eagerly tells his family that his name has been published in the newspaper, making him famous throughout all of Russia. Mitya is ecstatic about his sudden celebrity status, as before this moment, only his family knew of his existence as a registration clerk. He shows his family the newspaper article, which describes how he had fallen under a horse in an intoxicated state but was not seriously injured. Mitya can hardly contain his joy and runs out to share the news with his friends and acquaintances. The story highlights how even the smallest recognition can bring immense happiness and self-importance to a person's life. Read in English, unabridged.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Interactive Media
• Release date: Feb 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781787241558

Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian doctor, short-story writer, and playwright. Born in the port city of Taganrog, Chekhov was the third child of Pavel, a grocer and devout Christian, and Yevgeniya, a natural storyteller. His father, a violent and arrogant man, abused his wife and children and would serve as the inspiration for many of the writer’s most tyrannical and hypocritical characters. Chekhov studied at the Greek School in Taganrog, where he learned Ancient Greek. In 1876, his father’s debts forced the family to relocate to Moscow, where they lived in poverty while Anton remained in Taganrog to settle their finances and finish his studies. During this time, he worked odd jobs while reading extensively and composing his first written works. He joined his family in Moscow in 1879, pursuing a medical degree while writing short stories for entertainment and to support his parents and siblings. In 1876, after finishing his degree and contracting tuberculosis, he began writing for St. Petersburg’s Novoye Vremya, a popular paper which helped him to launch his literary career and gain financial independence. A friend and colleague of Leo Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, and Ivan Bunin, Chekhov is remembered today for his skillful observations of everyday Russian life, his deeply psychological character studies, and his mastery of language and the rhythms of conversation.