The Gentleman from San Francisco and Other Stories (1922) is a
collection of short stories by Russian author and Nobel laureate Ivan
Bunin. Published in Russian in 1915, The Gentleman from San Francisco
and Other Stories was first translated to English in 1922 by D.H.
Lawrence, Leonard Woolf, and Samuil Koteliansky, and was published by
Virginia and Leonard Woolf's storied Hogarth Press. The title story,
translated by Lawrence and Koteliansky, is among Bunin's most famous
works and was considered upon publication to be the finest work of
Russian literature since the deaths of Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy.
"The Gentleman from San Francisco" is the story of an American
millionaire who travels to Italy while on a lengthy vacation with his
wife and daughter. Disappointed with the weather in Naples, as well as
with the rundown state of the city, the family journeys to the island of
Capri where, in the lobby of their luxury hotel, the man dies. The
remainder of the story captures the reaction of the hotel's wealthy
clientele, as well as the indifference and hostility with which the
staff treat the gentleman's body. Noted for its cold, critical tone, as
well as its subtle critique of wealth and American exceptionalism, "The
Gentleman from San Francisco" is a masterpiece of Russian literature and
an essential work of short fiction. Included in this collection are the
stories "Gentle Breathing," "Kasimir Stanislavovitch," and "Son," all of
which capture the breadth and intricacy of Bunin's literary style. The
Gentleman from San Francisco and Other Stories is a compact and
compelling collection of stories from one of Russia's greatest writers,
translated by two of the most important figures in early twentieth
century English literature.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Ivan Bunin's The Gentleman from San Francisco and Other
Stories is a classic of Russian literature reimagined for modern
readers.
