Letters of Anton Chekhov [with Biographical Introduction]

Collected here are the letters of famed master of the short story, Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). The son of a former serf in southern Russia, Chekhov attended Moscow University to study medicine, writing short stories for periodicals in order to support his family. What began as a necessity became a legitimate career in 1886 when he was asked to write in St. Petersburg for the Novoye Vremya (New Times), owned by millionaire magnate Alexey Suvorin. Chekhov began paying more attention to his writing, revising and developing his own principles and conceptions of truth, for a time coming under the influence of Leo Tolstoy. The letters in this volume illustrate the charming blend of narration and wit that comprise Chekhov's signature style. Ranging from love letters, discussions of literature with publishers and directors, and descriptions of the landscapes, people and preoccupations of his daily life, this collection lets readers see inside the mind of one of the world's greatest writers.