A Life in Letters, Paperback

The life story of a Russian master as he told it to others

From the teenager in provincial Russia in 1875 to his premature death in Germany in 1904, Chekhov wrote over 4,500 letters to a range of correspondents, including family and friends, his publisher and fellow writers - not to mention actresses. These letters tell the story of Chekhov's life as a man and a writer and he emerges from them as a tough, generous, life-enhancing, and enigmatic character.

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About the Author:

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a Russian physician and writer of short stories and plays, including the masterpieces: 'Uncle Vanya', 'The Seagull', and 'The Cherry Orchard'.

Rosamund Bartlett is the author of Shostakovich in Context (OUP, 2000) and Wagner and Russia (CUP, 1995). She is currently working on a biography of Anton Chekhov that will be published by Simon & Schuster.

Anthony Phillips is the translator of the letters between Dmitry Shostakovich and Isaak Gilkman that were published as Story of a Friendship (Faber, 2001/ Cornell UP, 2001).