New e-book: The Decoration, Anton Chekhov
Published on
The story unfolds in an urban setting in late nineteenth-century Russia, during a festive New Year’s dinner. Official ranks and decorations carry weight in this society, where people are judged by outward signs of status. Lev Pustyakov hopes to win his host’s favor and the respect of those around him, but an unexpected encounter puts him in an awkward position. Through an ironic lens, the story exposes vanity, cowardice, and dependence on the opinions of others.