A selection of the finest stories by this female Chekhov
Teffi's genius with t
he short form made her a literary star in pre-revolutionary Russia, beloved by T
sar Nicholas II and Vladimir Lenin alike. These stories, taken from the whole of
her career, show the full range of her gifts. Extremely funny-a wry, scathing o
bserver of society-she is also capable, as capable even as Chekhov, of miraculou
s subtlety and depth of character.
There are stories here from her own life (a
s a child, going to meet Tolstoy to plead for the life of War and Peace's Prince
Bolkonsky, or, much later, her strange, charged meetings with the already-legen
dary Rasputin). There are stories of emigre society, its members held together b
y mutual repulsion. There are stories of people misunderstanding each other or m
isrepresenting themselves. And throughout there is a sly, sardonic wit and a dee
p, compelling intelligence.
Pushkin Collection editions feature a spare, elega
nt series style and superior, durable components. The Collection is typeset in M
onotype Baskerville, litho-printed on Munken Premium White Paper and notch-bound
by the independently owned printer TJ International in Padstow. The covers, wit
h French flaps, are printed on Colorplan Pristine White Paper. Both paper and co
ver board are acid-free and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.
