This collection contains stories by A.P. Chekhov from 1882–1887. In them, the writer addresses the theme of 'bureaucratism,' a traditional theme in Russian literature. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call this collection 'Death to Bureaucrats': unlike his predecessors (Gogol, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Sukhovo-Kobylin), Chekhov exposes not the powers that be, but the 'little man,' who is overzealous in his servility.