Happiness

Written by Anton Chekhov

Narrated by Dave Courvoisier

On a quiet, still night when the stars speckle the sky, two shepherds, one old and one young, watch over their flock of sheep. While the two shepherds are laying down keeping watch, a wealthy overseer pays them a visit. The overseer, who has come from Kovylyevsky fields, reminds the old shepherd of the evil and mysterious man who died there. While talking about the evil man, who seems magical, the overseer and young shepherd learn that there are treasures buried in the lands surrounding them. The old shepherd reveals that this evil man had the power to see these treasures, which magic kept hidden, but that he refused to dig them up or show anyone else where they were. Quickly, all three men begin thinking of the treasure and the happiness, or lack thereof, that it could bring.
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian writer best known for his plays and short stories. Although he attended school to be a doctor, a few years after earning his degree, he began writing short comedic pieces for journals. After mastering these short sketches, he eventually moved on to more serious works with heavier topics. Many of these serious works, however, still utilized subtle humor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ascent Audio
• Release date: Sep 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781469091846

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.