THE BLACK MONK AND OTHER STORIES (First edition in English)

Anton Tchekhoff (Chekhov), R. E. C. Long (Translated by)

Published by Duckworth & Co., 3, Henrietta Street, London, W.C., 1903

A true first printing of the first edition of this collection, published by Duckworth & Co. in 1903. Translated from the Russian by R. E. C. Long. ***Very good in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine, and red titles with a blind embossed design to the front board. The gilt is still nice and bright. The fragile cloth-covered boards show some wear and marks commensurate with age and handling over 120 years. Head and tail of spine creased, with some fraying of the cloth and small closed tears. Corners rubbed. Spine tight with no reading lean. Page block edges clean. Internally also very good, with just some light foxing to the first and last few pages, and a few light marks here and there in the main body of the book itself. No ownership marks. Small nick to fore edge of ffep. No dustwrapper. ***302 pages plus a four-page publisher's catalogue at the back of the book. 197mm x 135mm. ***With a five page Preface by the translator, followed by twelve short stories: The Black Monk, On the Way, A Family Council, At Home, In Exile, Rothschild's Fiddle, A Father, Two Tragedies, Sleepyhead, At the Manor, An Event, Ward No. 6. ***'Anton Tchekhoff, the writer of the stories and sketches here translated, although hardly known in this country, and but little better known on the western continent of Europe, has during the last fifteen years been regarded as the most talented of the younger generation of Russian writers. Even the remarkable popularity attained during the last few years by Maxim Gorky has not eclipsed his fame, though it has probably done much to prevent the recognition of his talents abroad. Though Tchekhoff's stories have gone into numberless editions in Russia, they are almost unknown abroad, being, in fact, represented only by a few scattered translations and small volumes published in France and Germany, and by a few critical articles in the reviews of those countries. In England, Tchekhoff is only a name to most of those interested in Eastern literature, and not even a name to the general public. (Quote taken from the translator's preface). ***'"The Black Monk" is a short story by Anton Chekhov, written in 1893 while Chekhov was living in the village of Melikhovo. It was first published in 1894 in The Artist, one of the leading Russian magazines on theater and music in the last quarter of the 19th century. The story tells of the last two tragic years in the life of a fictitious scholar, Andrey Vasilyevich Kovrin. The story, divided into nine chapters and described by Chekhov as a "medical novella, historia morbi", portraying a "young man suffering from delusions of grandeur", was first published by The Artist (No 1, January 1894 issue). The same year it was included into the Novellas and Stories collection. Chekhov included it into the Volume VIII of his Collected Works, published in 1899?1901 by Adolf Marks. On 7 July 1898, R.E.C. Long approached Chekhov for the permission to translate several of his stories into English. The collection "The Black Monk and Other Tales" which came out in Britain in 1903, became the first to introduce British readership to Chekhov's writings. (Wiki) ***'Robert Edward Crozier Long (1872-1938) was a noted Anglo-Irish journalist and author. In 1898 he went to Russia to interview Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910). As a result, Robert Long became well-acquainted with the charismatic Russian novelist and philosopher. [Wiki] ***A rare first printing of the first English edition of this selection of short stories, published just after the turn of the last century. Copies of Tchekhoff's short stories published before the First World War are extremely hard to find now in good condition. The book is printed on nice thick quality paper. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 8037x

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE BLACK MONK AND OTHER STORIES (First ...
Publisher: Duckworth & Co., 3, Henrietta Street, London, W.C.
Publication Date: 1903
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Edition: First Edition