?Life is a vexatious trap; when a thinking man reaches maturity and attains to full consciousness he cannot help feeling that he is in a trap from which there is no escape.? one of the greatest Russian short story writers and an exemplary playwright, Anton Chekhov penned down some of the finest short stories and plays in literature. His works continue to be translated into various languages across the world. This edition brings together his early short stories along with the outstanding short fiction written in his later years. It includes ?the death of a government Clerk,? ?The Huntsman,? ?Oh! The public,? ?anyuta,? ?misery,? ?The lottery ticket,? ?a dreary story,? ?peasant wives,? ?The lady with the dog,? and his last completed story, ?betrothed.? An editorial note precedes each work.