Excellent People

By Anton Chekhov

"Excellent People" by Anton Chekhov is a poignant and introspective story that revolves around the lives of Vladimir Semyonitch Liadovsky and his sister, Vera Semyonovna. Vladimir is a self-proclaimed literary man, passionate about his writing and aspiring for greater recognition. Meanwhile, Vera, a woman doctor, leads a life overshadowed by past tragedies and her devotion to her brother. Despite their contrasting personalities, they share a deep bond. "Excellent People" delves into themes of purpose, existential questioning, and the clash between idealism and pragmatism. Chekhov skilfully captures the complexities of human relationships and the internal struggles of individuals as they navigate their desires and beliefs. Through the contrasting perspectives of the two siblings, the story explores the profound impact of differing ideologies on their bond, leaving the reader with a thought-provoking reflection on the pursuit of personal passions and the search for meaning in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Interactive Media
• Release date: Jan 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781911144922

Anton Chekhov

Anton Chekhov was born in 1860 in Southern Russia and moved to Moscow to study medicine. Whilst at university he sold short stories and sketches to magazines to raise money to support his family. His success and acclaim grew as both a writer of fiction and of plays whilst he continued to practice medicine. Ill health forced him to move from his country estate near Moscow to Yalta where he wrote some of his most famous work, and it was there that he married actress Olga Knipper. He died from tuberculosis in 1904.

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Anton Chekhov

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Anton Chekhov

Excellent People

New Edition

Published by Sovereign Classic

This Edition

First published in 2016

Copyright © 2016 Sovereign

All Rights Reserved.

EXCELLENT PEOPLE

ONCE upon a time there lived in Moscow a man called Vladimir Semyonitch Liadovsky. He took his degree at the university in the faculty of law and had a post on the board of management of some railway; but if you had asked him what his work was, he would look candidly and openly at you with his large bright eyes through his gold pincenez, and would answer in a soft, velvety, lisping baritone:

My work is literature.

After completing his course at the university, Vladimir Semyonitch had had a paragraph of theatrical criticism accepted by a newspaper. From this paragraph he passed on to reviewing, and a year later he had advanced to writing a weekly article on literary matters for the same paper. But it does not follow from these facts that he was an amateur, that his literary work was of an ephemeral, haphazard character. Whenever I