Overview

Anton Chekhov's stories and plays endure as outstanding modern literary works, and his life was no less dramatic, rising from poor beginnings to become a writer, physician and philanthropist. In this new biography Michael C. Finke analyses Chekhov's major stories, plays, and non-fiction in the context of his life, fleshing out the key features of Chekhov's poetics of prose and drama, and revealing key continuities across genres as well as between the lesser-known early writings and the later works. An excellent resource for readers new to Chekhov, this book also presents much material new to scholarship, and is an accessible, comprehensive overview of one of the greatest writers of short fiction in history.

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9781789144307

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A crown achievement of his life-time engagement with Chekhov, Finke's concise biography tells a compelling and comprehensive story of the Russian writer's life and work. Written with surgical precision and creative sensitivity, this highly readable book pulsates with a multitude of insights into Chekhov as a person and an artist. Freedom from Violence and Lies will be a treasure for anyone interested in Russian literature and this great beloved writer. -- Radislav Lapushin, Associate Professor of Russian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This valuable guide to the last great Russian writer of the nineteenth century achieves an exceptional balance between the life and the work. A wealth of biographical detail is harmoniously intertwined with rich analysis of Chekhov's literary work, abounding with original and perspicacious interpretations. Chekhov's life is studied in its two parallel streams-those of a writer's career and of a medical professional. The latter further reveals competing lines of travail: as a practicing doctor, as a philanthropist, and as a student of the history and sociology of health care. The reader will enjoy a charming image of the writer, but also frequent, delicate reflections on the unique problems a scholar of Chekhov encounters, fascinating excavations into the deeper reaches of Chekhov's work, and subtle commentaries on his poetics. An intellectual endeavor of considerable complexity, Finke's book will have a distinguished place amidst the vast literature on Chekhov. -- Savely Senderovich, Professor Emeritus of Russian Literature and Medieval Studies, Cornell University

Author Information

Michael C. Finke is Professor Emeritus of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is author or editor of many books on Chekhov including Seeing Chekhov: Life and Art (2005).

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