In 1886, a twenty-six-year-old Anton Chekhov was publishing short stories, humor pieces, and articles at an astonishing rate, and was still a practicing physician. Yet as he honed his craft and continued to draw inspiration from the vivid characters in his own life, he found himself—to his surprise and occasional embarrassment—admired by a growing legion of fans, including Tolstoy himself.

He had not yet succumbed to the ravages of tuberculosis. He was a lively, frank, and funny correspondent and a dedicated mentor. And as Bob Blaisdell discovers, his vivid articles, stories, and plays from this period—when read in conjunction with his correspondence—become a psychological and emotional diary.

From the literary scholar and acclaimed author of Creating Anna Karenina comes the new book this year Chekhov Becomes Chekhov: The Emergence of a Literary Genius , Bob Blaisdell astutely examines the psychological portraits of Chekhov’s distinct, carefully observed characters and how they reflect their creator during a period when there was little barrier between his imagination and his pen.

Recommended readings:
Bob Blaisdell, Chekhov Becomes Chekhov: The Emergence of A Literary Genius
Anton Chekhov, Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

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