Considered one of the greatest short story writers of all time, Anton Chekhov heavily influenced the evolution of the modern short story. Most notably, he used a technique that would later be called "stream of consciousness", in which he eschewed the traditional story structure and simply wrote as though he was thinking aloud. Written in that same vein, "The Lottery Ticket" is a story about money, luck, and relationships.

Proceeds from sale of this title go to Reach Out and Read, an innovative literacy advocacy organization.