This collection of stories and tales are drawn from the years 1883-1898 and offers the reader a good sampling of Chekhov's prose style, as well as his insight into the nineteenth century Russian character. The characters that occupy places in these stories represent every segment of Russian society: from land owner to peasant, from the scholar to the merchant, from the honest to the perfidious. Chekhov was a doctor by education and training, and this scientific background allowed him to approach his subjects with an objective detachment with little inclination to make his characters "grow." Therefore, Chekhov portrays his characters as they actually were, and never makes a moral judgement as to any weaknesses that might be uncovered.

Chekhov wrote hundreds of these stories and tales in addition to his work as a dramatist, and this element of detachment runs through both genres. If, however, the author assumes a detachment from his characters, he never loses hope for a better day when poverty and ignorance will be eliminated. This theme is also repeated in his dramatic works.

The translation by Ann Dunnigan is a good one and enables the non-Russian reader to fully enjoy Chekhov's simple but beautiful style.

Chekhov may have been from a different culture and era, however, his legacy still leaves an impact on millions of readers and writers worldwide. No storyteller thus far, has been able to blend humor and tragedy in the fashion that made Chekhov so universally loved. Selected Stories is a sampling of some of his finest works. With compassion and delicacy, Chekhov writes of the lives of ordinary people who are struggling to overcome conflict, however trivial their problems may be. One story deals with a man who must teach his young son not to smoke even though he himself is a smoker. Another story describes how a middle-aged man is thought peculiar by family and friends because he has never married. These are just a few examples of how this century-old Russian literature is still relevant to today's frame of mind. Chekhov's talent cannot be overstated. His life was short but what he left behind was majestic and grand.

In the introduction to this book, some compare Chekhov's writing to lace: the beauty of his stories are as much about what's left out as what's left in. Indeed, to a certain extent, that is true. In this book you will find some of the most gently funny and heartbreakingly poignant stories ever written. His writing is almost that of a parish priest recounting the tales of his town, in that he passes no judgement on even the most vile of the characters he has created, but instead allows us to judge each character for ourselves. It's a wonderful glimpse, not only at late-Czarist Russia, but at humanity in general. I highly recommend this book.

this is a must have collection (the 3 volumes), for anyone intersted in writting short stories or the russia of 1900's, it contains his most important works of this type, the translation is made by one of the foremost experts on russian literature 'Constance Garnett', although is to notice that it does not include any references in the footnotes of changed russian words that do not exist in english.

Read one of these stories a day (and perhaps chow down on an apple) and... your happiness is assured!

Highest possible recommendation!

Marvelous is the only word to describe this first of three volumes of Anton Chekhov's short stories published by the Modern Library. While the following two compilations are each superlative in their own way (thank you again, Shelby Foote), this Early Short Stories 1883-88, is a thrilling peek at genuis not only flowering but seemingly mature; a self-assured young artist at play in his medium, inventing a new(then) approach to emotions as easily as passing off a serf's bromide or a bishop's benediction. This is lesson one in the art of the short story, boys & girls, and it doesn't get much better....ever.

This is a wonderful, heart-felt, quietly powerful, sincere and important collection of stories by my father, who survived the Holocaust. It is a must-read for anyone who doubts there is a great deal of humanity at the core of so many of us, in the face of global insanity.

I, however, was born years after the Holocaust ended. I did not write this book of short stories with my father, I only provided the foreward. "Anton" is by Bernard Gotfryd, NOT Howard Gotfryd.

Thank you. Howard Gotfryd

Anton the Dove Fancier is a collection of autobiographical short stories about a teenage Jewish boy in Poland during World War II. The stories are so well linked together that the book reads like a novel. In it we discover the Nazi occupation and the death camps through the eyes of an adolescent, which gives this book a different slant compared to much Holocaust literature.

The author, Bernard Gotfryd, shows himself to be a keen observer of people, as well as of the small, humble details of everyday life. He has the gift of being able to illuminate those details, so that they take on a transcendant beauty. We see a world--one which others might find dull and ordinary--through the consciousness of a mind which is itself radiant. Thus, the stories do not only address the horrors of the nazi occupation and the camps; those horrors are set against a backdrop of everyday life and people, the memories of which are interspersed throughout the book. This gives it a chiaroscuro quality which I find to be rare in literature, and through the play of light and shadow the author creates an ambiguous, complex world. This ambiguity is another way in which the book differs from much Holocaust literature. Many of the characters themselves are ambiguous, and after reading about them we find ourselves asking, "Was he good, or bad?" The answer is yes.....

This book indirectly leads the reader to ponder the issues of suffering and healing. Despite the optimistic teachings of the growth psychology movement, there are wounds which are too traumatic to fully heal. Growth psychology would have us believe that without integration, and psychological "functionality," we cannot realize our full potential. It posits a future goal that we can attain through work on ourselves. However, Gotfryd shows us, through the power of his words, that we are most fully human when we can really open our eyes and see the world in its complexity and irrationality, as well as its simplicity and beauty, right now.

Why is Anton The Dove Fancier out of print? It is an extraordinary collection of true stories that ought not be buried away. This book illustrates that human behavior is, simultaneously, both the most fascinating and disturbing form of contemplation. Anton The Dove Fancier is well worth any effort it takes to track down. Buried treasure indeed - it is profound, intensely moving, raw in its simplicity. Humanity and its many layers are exposed without judgement. Quite a trick, and something afforded only to the calm, quiet truth tellers. Such as Bernard Gotfryd. Find this priceless gem... and hold on to it. Tight.

"A piece of the Palestinian fate that would confuse even King Solomon," writes Shammas. This book is an enchanting but difficult read. The presence of the Irish writer in Iowa City reminded me of this book's similarity to James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Both novels are written in a sometimes confusing stream of consciousness style and are filled with symbolism. I would need to read Arabesques at least one more time before I could begin to comprehend much of the imagery. The author attempts to convey certain images of the Palestinian people, including the differences amongst this very non-monolithic group, and the complex inner thoughts of an enigmatic refugee. The main character's lack of a single identity can be seen as symptomatic and/or symbolic of the Palestinian people's historical experience.

Shammas's "Arabesques," a masterpiece of modernist writing, concerns the lives of members of a family that has three strikes against them: they are Israeli Christian Palestinians, each element of which is in conflict with the others. The author's writing technique, mirroring the difficulties of his theme, is modelled on the "arabesque," a stylized calligraphic icon much of whose meaning lies in its great aesthetic complexity. It is through the densely interwoven "arabesque" patterns of many generations of this rich and complex family that the author is able to encompass the rich and complex meanings of such an awful subject position in today's world. While its complexity is daunting, the author's style is wonderfully readable. Written in 1988, this book is unfortunately long out of print. FIND IT!

Arabesques is one of the finest novels I have ever read. It is highly poetic prose and a magical exploration of childhood. The kinship thicket is sometimes difficult to unravel, but it provides wonderful insights into Palestinian culture and its built-in conflicts.I highly reccomend it to fellow readers. I do certainly hope Shammas has written other novels since then, and, if so, I would like to see them translated.

I already have the book but I need to get the solution manual seperately. If you can help me find it please let me know!

Absolutely the best comprehensive book on calculus I had a chance to study. If you are looking for a good calculus book, you just found it! The solution manual is also available...

Anton's companion book remembers all those things about math that you forgot! In a disarmingly humorous way, the authors bring you up to speed on everything from solving "word problems", to the intricacies of partial fraction decomposition. You will definately get your mony's worth

Robert Anton Wilson, as usual, tests the reader's view of reality. I can't count the number of times I said, "Oi..." or "Please..." or "Give me a break!" while reading this book. But then, as is usual when I read RAW's books, I find myself thinking, "Jeeze, what if he has a point?" As a feminist, I was offended. As a Discordian philosopher, I was stimulated. It would appear that Mr. Wilson has somehow managed to trace every advance & atrocity committed in human history to the attitude toward the human breast current at that time. Lunacy? Perhaps not! His case is certainly clear and concise, if inane... I recommend this book highly, however, I must warn the reader to look twice, if not more times, at what he has written. There is a message here we might be well advised to look at...

After all, one should begin with a healthy appreciation of where the pleasure comes from--by design, it should be the breast. As a baby, one seeks it out as food source, as an adolescent, it signifies the change--in woman, the budding of breasts indicates ripening, in the male, noticing of breasts indicates a degree of sexual interest--breasts are, to play with Foucault's terminology, a signifier of signifiers. As a feminist, I should shudder at any thought leaning towards "Biology is destiny"--and yet, the breast argument wins me over, as I have two, and they have influenced my existence greatly. Insofar as they are responded to, and insofar as they, in fact, respond to the world around them, I must admit to their importance. Breasts are not, as some may have it, passive. Mine, in fact, are devilishly clever. At times, I let them enter a room before me, to act as a distraction. Wilson is on target in suggesting that breasts are important, and even more so in suggesting that the women who may be attached to them are important as well. In so far as we are mammals, we should offer thanks for the mammaries. Anything that provides food *and* entertainment for so many is certainly worth a book. And a look. Breasts should be a source of comfort--and yet, so many are uncomfortable with them--read this, and try to dig why. And maybe get a better picture of the maidens in Maidenforms while doing so.

Greetings.

Once again Robert Anton Wilson scores a direct hit on the idiocy prevalent in western society. As a thelemic female I am enchanted with his wit, humor and superb usage of cynical observation. If you are an easily offended feminist, more than likely you will be irate after reading this attempt to look at social customs prevalent in modern life. I found some of his *explanations* totally hilarious, so I must not be in the overly sensitive bracket.

Considering the morbid fascination with female anatomy and the ludicrous *morality* assigned to viewing what in fact all adult females posess, (up to and including the legal sanctions in many places against seeing female nipples) the breast fixation idea becomes even funnier. His discussions reguarding cinema "sex-goddesses" and the approval/disapproval demonstrated by the Public (towards the late Marilyn Monroe for example) were compelling, and sadly, all too true.

Bob Wilson is definitely one of the kewler writers around; literate, interesting and intellectually satisfying. Even if you do not agree with everything he states, you have to admit his style is impeccable. I collect his works and proudly display them right next to Crowley, Kraig, Reguardie,and the assorted OTO/Magickal/Philosophical books I own. Thank you Amazon.com for making it easy to order and obtain cherished works, Bob Wilson is hard to find these days in the local bookstores. I agree with the Denver Post review which referred to Wilson as "...the Lenny Bruce of Philosophers". Satire remains one of the most definitive methods of social commentary, and Wilson excells in this genre.

Notwithstanding the comments from other reviewers, the authors fall a bit short of expectations. Several chapters are too short (voluntary programs and gap analyses as examples), and references are less than complete. The authors could have devoted more time to this important and much read subject matter.

There are other more comprehensive books: The ISO 14000 Guide (Cascio) and Inside ISO 14000 (Sayer).

This a best book that i have ever gone through and can be useful to any common man with minimum knowledge. I hope this best book to guide your self into safe conditions if you are operating an industry.

As a professional risk manager, I found "International Environmental Risk Management," a recent book by John Voorhees and Robert Woellner, an incredibly insightful tool in helping me address environmental problems within multinational corporations.

The authors evaluate and address environmental risk in a symptomatic way, based on the management system developed by the International Standards Organization headquartered in Switzerland. John Voorhees and Robert Woellner are seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in resolving environmental problems and focus upon the ISO 14000 systems approach. With Voorhees' legal experience and Woellner's analytical and risk-assessment background, readers receive a compelling approach to prepare for, anticipate and resolve environmental issues.

Applying the ISO 14000 systems approach to a global business-strategy is clearly the wave of the future. Reading this book will prepare you for this future by managing your environmental risk today. The protection offered is well worth the price of this excellent book.

The Bear by Anton Chekhov was one the most interesting yet provokative stories I've ever read. This play shows the interesting relationships between men and women. I am 16 yrs. old and my acting class is doing this play for competition. This play is the first one that the entire class fully enjoyed.

The Bear by Anton Chekhov is one of the best plays that I have read in my entire life. It features funny prose which makes the reader think about the nature of mankind and how he will go to any lengths to have what he wants. Smirnov (the main character) at first wants the money that an old colleague of his owes him from his wife and then falls in love with the mourning widow. He is spured on by the insesant denial from the woman that he can not have the money and falls for her fiery nature. A great read and I urge all readers of his plays to read this little beauty

This play was a great description of how men react to women. It's a great laugher and I recommend it fully!

This is a great book for anyone with an interest in WW2 German technology.Europe would have been a much different place if the Nazi leadership had decided not to interfere with research and development of the German Luftwaffe. I would recommend this book as a starting point for research,or an introduction to collecting books on this subject.It is by no means exhaustive in it's coverage of German technology,but it is nonetheless a very interesting and surprising read.I gave this book three stars for the content alone, and if I have any critisism it was that it should have covered a greater range of subjects ie.Panther tanks fitted with night vision etc.,and more photos and drawings.This is a book that deserved a A4 size hardbound format but I gave a extra star for it's presentation.

A well written and researched book.Packed with facts and astonishing information on Germany's, ahead of their time aircraft, and the beurocracy that surrounded them. This book certainly proves that necessity is the mother of invention. What would have happened had the German efforts come to fruition? We can perhaps only ever have an incling on how close they were to success. Heartily recomended!

Wow. Reading this makes me ponder the lost opportunities the Nazi's had, and thankfully squandered.

Lots of great information and photographs in the book. I suggest this to anyone interested in WWII aviation, aviation history or German air power.

A very interesting aspect to this book is that our current (I write this on June 16, 2000) stealth capabilities were all tested german aircraft 60 years ago!

Like I said, happily, they lost.

With three first-rate actors at its disposal, Naxos Audiobooks could have created a lively and compelling examination of Buddhist philosophy. Unfortunately, not enough time is spent quoting from the original source material, thus drawing from its rich, innately dramatic quality. Instead, we have what is basically an essay by Naxos producer Duncan Steen (under the pseudonym Jinananda) on the basics of Buddhist thought. This essay is divided into three parts, focusing on the Buddha's life, on his teachings and, finally, on the teachings and religious practices of his followers. Occasionally, a brief passage from Buddhist lore is dramatically read by the fine cast, and the recording comes brilliantly to life. More of this would have made a five star album that would repay frequent listenings. As it is, Steen's commentary, though lucid and thoughtful, comes off like a reading of an encyclopedia article, without an encyclopedia's documentary authority. Steen should have trusted his sources and his cast more.

Being largely ignorant of the religion, I always found Buddhism to be little more than an odd philosophy masked as psuedo-religion. I bought the CD so that I could get a quick rundown of the the religion for my Easter Religion class (Religion 102). What I ended up doing after listening the the CD a few times was absorbing more literature on buddhism, and I have now converted. The CD was compelling--and it is so without sounding or being a overzealous propaganda recruiting tool. Loved it.

I never knew what's Buddhism is about. Well, may be common knowing: re-incarnation, white clothes and Buddha was a king. My friend gave it to me. I listened it in my car for 3 month, from work to home, every day. Especially the second CD - Dharma, to me is a teaching. This set simply changed my life. I recommend it for anyone who is in any stage of life. Stop, realize and stop the drama of your life. Today I've read many other books, scripts and famous Buddhist works, but this will be always favorite.