This week we're reading three of Anton Chekhov's most beloved short stories: The Man in the Case, Gooseberries, and About Love (The Little Trilogy, 1898).

We get a minor assist from George Saunders and his fantastic book A Swim in the Pond in the Rain but have no shortage of stuff to discuss.

Talking big 5 personality traits, the degree to which people oppress themselves, why Rich fell out of love with the early retirement movement, whether it's OK to be happy in a world full of suffering, and if having to settle in romantic relationships is antithetical to true love. Also: Cam takes a controversial and brave stance against home-wreckers.

CHAPTERS

• (00:00:00) intro
• (00:01:54) ’The Man in the Case’ synopsis
• 00:07:12) Are some personality types just better than others?
• (00:12:52) Belyakov fumbles the bag with Varenka
• (00:24:07) Is everybody trapped in a case of their own making
• (00:34:58) Mavra and the tranquil village
• (00:40:15) Gooseberries synopsis
• (00:42:30) The pitfalls of the ’early retirement’ movement
• (00:52:55) theorising on happiness
• (01:01:57) Ivan the big fat hypocrite
• (01:07:23) ’About Love’ synopsis
• (01:11:44) Did Alyohin make the right decision?
• (01:22:10) Can love by analysed rationally
• (01:33:49) our favourite story of the trilogy
• (01:37:59) accessibility of chekhov

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS:

We wanna start reading listener feedback out on the pod, so send us a note at douevenlit@gmail.com to correct our bad takes or share your own or just say hi.

NEXT ON THE READING LIST:

My Struggle, volume 1 - Karl Ove Knausgaard