Two Chekhov short stories which the young and ambitious and idealistic ought to read: Ward Six and The Black Monk. And two if you're in love: Lady with Lapdog and About Love. People think Chekhov is an ironist, which he is, but being suspicious of beliefs does not preclude you from having them, and in fact, in his unguarded moments, he has a very clear and urgent agenda: in his less powerful works (like About Love) the message is more straightforward.