In the Ravine, and other short stories

The eleven short stories and one novella (IN THE RAVINE) in this collection are not as well known as the great plays on which Chekhov's reputation rests. Let's hope that this terrific audio version helps change that, as these stories are brilliant evocations of the class-dominated society that Russia has always been. Some are comic, some are sad--all are ultimately tragic. If you insist on Russian stories being read with a Russian accent, this audiobook is not for you, as all the accents are unambiguously British. But if you want an outstanding reading, in which the narrator's voice brilliantly conveys the speaker's class and the intricate relationships between characters during conversations, you can do no better than to listen to Kenneth Branagh. This great actor mesmerizes as he gasps, chuckles, stutters, and declaims. A must listen. R.E.K. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine