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Book Review By David Loftus
Anton Chekhov: A Life by Donald Rayfield

Anton Chekhov, the Russian playwright and story writer, lived a short but intense life in the concluding decades of the 19th century. Left by his debt-ridden parents to manage the old household in southern Russia duing his mid-teens, he managed to finish his medical school training, pursue careers as a doctor and writer, and support much of his family for much of his short life, as well as purchase land, finance a country school, and "enjoy" many love affairs with difficult and demanding women. He died of tuberculosis undoubtedly caught from patients at the age of 44.

Rayfield's 600-page biography reads very easily and fast. It accents the life of its subject: there's very little dissection of Chekhov's writings. But the life will help readers understand the bitter humor of his plays and stories.


Plot & Themes
job/profession:
Ethnic/Relig. of subject (inside)
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender Yes
Period of greatest activity? - 1600-1899

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Ethnicity - White
Nationality - Russian

Setting
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Russia
City? Yes
Farm/Ranch? Yes
Century: - 19th century

Writing Style
Book makes you feel? - concerned
Pictures/Illustrations? - A ton 16-20 B&W
How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 26-50% of book
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