A look at an interesting book club and how it is they do what they do.
Your club’s name: The Chekhov Club.
Location: 95% of the time, in the Humanities building at UCLA. The other 5% is at a cafe or park.
How long you’ve been around: Since July 15, 2012; our first meeting took place on the anniversary of Chekhov’s death.
How many members: 10 (give or take).
Book you’re currently reading: Uncle Vanya.
Works you last read: Chekhov’s “The Death of a Government Clerk,” “A Dead Body,” and “The Murder.”
What’s up next: “Volodya,” “The Two Volodyas,” “Zinotchka,” and “Verotchka.”
Since your inception, the book that has generated the strongest (good, bad, or otherwise) reaction: Chekhov’s work, though short in length, never leaves us short of discussion. By reexamining his short stories and plays, we reexamine ourselves as individuals and as human beings that are part of something bigger.
The secret to your club’s success: Anton Pavlovych himself. His warmth, his humor, and his ability to capture the full scope of the human condition — its pathos and its dignity — in the space of a few pages.
[Answers provided by club members Diana Sevastyanova and Professor Boris Dralyuk at UCLA.]
Should your club’s name be in lights? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected] and tell us about it!
