In this month’s Reading Group we will discuss Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. Considered one of Chekhov’s finest plays, it is a darkly comedic study on aimlessness, disappointment and existential ennui set on a country estate in late nineteenth-century Russia. The meeting will be facilitated by our bookshop co-curator Sasha Padziarei and engagement curator Alisa Oleva.
Sonya and her Uncle Vanya have dedicated their lives to managing the isolated rural estate of the ageing professor Serebryakov, Sonya’s father and Vanya’s brother-in-law. But when the professor comes to stay at the estate with his new young wife, the rhythm of routine is disrupted and tensions soon boil over.
Each character is consumed by the sense that they have wasted their lives. Vanya feels deceived by Serebryakov, who lives off the labours of others without giving back; Sonya is devoted to helping people but unable to find love; Astrov the doctor has many ideas about how to improve the world but is unable to change anything; Serebryakov’s wife Yelena is beautiful but bored with her life.
Despite the dark subject material, Chekhov insisted his play was a comedy, and he explores existential issues – unrequited love, meaningless work and missed opportunities – with delicate humour.
We have several editions of Uncle Vanya available in our bookshop: two versions of the individual play by Terry Johnson and Christopher Hampton (Faber); part of an anthology of five Chekhov plays (Oxford World’s Classics) and a new translation of his plays (Alma); as well as Chekhov’s autobiography, A Life in Letters (Penguin Classics) and ground-breaking biography by Donald Rayfield, Anton Chekhov: A Life (Garnett Press).
2021 saw the opening of Pushkin House’s very own physical bookshop in addition to our online store. While it is still being honed and developed, we are keen to highlight literature that inspires, encourages, moves and validates our readers. We also want to amplify the voices, writers and readers that historically didn’t get and, perhaps, still don’t get the visibility, power and appreciation they deserve. Most of all, we want to create a physical (and an online) place for connection where people can come and share their views.