A Corner House in Moscow

A Corner House in Moscow is a novel by Anton Chekhov that portrays the experiences of a family in Sivtsey Vrazhek during the war, revolution, civil war, and early Bolshevik rule. It focuses on the experiences of individuals and animals, emphasizing nature's power over humankind's beliefs. The novel features memorable characters, such as Stolnikov, a young university graduate who loses his arms and legs in the war but is known as the trunk due to his resilience.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 310 pages
Publication date: 25 June 2023
Publisher: Ashgrove Publishing Ltd

This remarkable and largely overlooked novel of war, revolution, civil war, and early Bolshevik rule made its English debut in 1930 under the title Quiet Street. At the heart of the story is a family consisting of a grandfather (ornithologist), grandmother, and grandchild residing in a corner house in Sivtsey Vrazhek. Through their experiences and those of their circle, we gain a glimpse of the surrounding momentous events. It was not the author's intention to create an abstract historical sweep but rather to focus on the experiences of individuals (and even some from the animal kingdom). For Osorgin, nature holds greater sway in life than the solipsistic beliefs of humankind.

At the core of A Corner House in Moscow is the portrayal of the granddaughter's coming-of-age, Tanyusha, and her development as an individual amidst the surrounding chaos. Indeed, the novel is graced with a host of memorable characters, including Stolnikov, a young university graduate who volunteers in 1914, becomes an officer, and wins the St. George Cross but ultimately loses both his arms and legs to an artillery shell. In the hospital, he becomes known as the trunk. The doctors exclaimed: A miracle. Just look at him. There's nature for you. Written in very short chapters, the richness of the novel lies in the vignettes of individuals and incidents. Cumulatively, they affirm life over death and individuals over ideology.

Dimension: 200 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781853981968
Edition number: New ed