A secret terrorist group infiltrates the household of a government official's son, with a view to spying on the father and, ultimately, assassinating him. But the young man entrusted with the task - an ailing, world-weary 'nobody' - seized with the purposelessness of life and a sense of his own impending death, gradually becomes disillusioned with his mission, and decides to embark on a new path which will lead him to tragedy.

Combining psychological detail with a strong sense of place and time, The Story of a Nobody bears all the hallmarks of Chekhov's genius, and perfectly captures the political and social tensions of its day.

If you enjoyed reading The Story of a Nobody, you can try Three Years by Anton Chekhov in Alma Classics 101 Pages series.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The 101 Pages series has been created with the aim of redefining and enriching the classics canon by promoting unjustly neglected works of enduring significance. These texts have been treated with a fresh editorial approach, and are presented in an elegantly designed format.