Visions: Stories and Photographs

These seven stories by a contemporary of Gorky draw on a variety of influences, from Maupassant to Poe to Tolstoy. Although Andreyev was certainly an accomplished writer, what lends greatness to these stories are the eventsthe tumultuous years before the October Revolutionthat form their backdrop. Andreyev's principal theme, the struggle of good vs. evil, is perfectly suited to the incidents he describes. ""The Seven Who Were Hanged'' dispassionately examines the emotions of seven men and women about to die (five are revolutionaries). It is beautifully writteninexorable. ``The Red Laugh,'' related by a crippled war veteran and later by his brother, deals with the chaos and confusion of the Russo-Japanese War. In ``Darkness,'' an anarchist hunted by the police visits a brothel and loses his soul to a prostitute. Much more than period pieces, these superbly crafted stories have been skillfully translated by Andreyev's granddaughter, noted journalist and nonfiction author Carlisle. Photos not seen by PW. First serial to the New York Times Book Review. (November 23)