本卷收入契诃夫于1887年至1889年创作的中短篇小说22篇，其中包括《草原》、《灯光》、《命名日》等名篇。《草原》是作家第一部严肃的大型作品，歌颂祖国美好的大自然，描绘草原人民的生活，思考农民的命运，反映人民对幸福生活的矇眬向往。整部作品充满浓郁的抒情意味，显示了作家描绘自然景色的高超技巧。 (About 22 short and medium-length novels composed by Cheknov in 1887-1889 are collected in this volume, including The Steppe, The Lights and The Name-Day Party. The Steppe is the first large serious work by the author, eulogizing the beautiful nature of the motherland, portraying the life of prairie people and pondering the fate of farmers, reflecting the yearning toward happy life. The whole works are full of lyrics, showing the superb skills of the author for natural scenery.)