Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Blaisdell (Creating Anna Karenina), an English professor at the City University of New York, delivers a penetrating take on Anton Chekhov's development as a writer. Close readings of Chekhov's letters illuminate his works and artistic growth in 1886 and 1887, when he was in his mid-20s. One April letter from Chekhov to his uncle Mitrofan about their being apart on Easter provides the occasion to examine the story "Easter Eve," published that month, in which a ferryman recounts his late friend's hymns as "harmonious, brief, and complete," qualities that Blaisdell suggests reveal "Chekhov's own principles of writing." The letters chronicle Chekhov's ascent to literary fame, but Blaisdell notes that this success didn't translate into financial stability and contends that the awkwardness felt by the protagonist of "The Descendants" (written in September of 1886) when asking for a loan was a feeling Chekhov knew well. Elsewhere Blaisdell tackles the composition of the play Ivanov, Chekhov's half-hearted engagement to his sister's classmate, and his long struggle with tuberculosis, seamlessly blending biography and critical analysis to offer a bracing look at a formative period in the life of a literary legend. The result is a stirring portrait of an artist coming into his own. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Readers who love Chekhov will delight in this volume; others may fall in love with a charming Russian writer from the 19th century. Anton Chekhov (1860--1904) is known today as a master of the short story form and a genius of the dramatic detail. His plays are studied, read, and performed worldwide, and his short stories are a masterclass in writing. Focusing on just two years (1886 and 1887) in the life of Chekhov, Blaisdell (English, CUNY Kingsborough; Creating Anna Karenina) explores the daily life and astonishing output of this most amazing writer and doctor. Overflowing with quotations and details, yet still engaging, it is a work of love. Chekhov was a practicing doctor who kept up an astonishing level (and amount) of writing even as he was making house calls and treating patients. One cannot help but wonder if part of his genius came from his medical background, his need to listen to his patients, without judgment, hearing their complaints, examining their injuries, constantly looking for the truth. VERDICT Blaisdell's incredibly researched work is a treasure trove of insight and information for scholars and fans of Russian literature. For generations to come, it will be a staple for Chekhov studies. Highly recommended for academic libraries and Russian literature collections.--Herman Sutter
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two years in the life and work of the Russian master. According to Blaisdell, a professor of English at the City University of New York's Kingsborough College, the years 1886-1887 were momentous for Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). At 26, he maintained a full-time medical practice and was already revealing early symptoms of tuberculosis, yet he also published hundreds of stories and humor pieces for popular St. Petersburg newspapers. While he was also feeling pressure to support his expansive family, he was carefully honing what would become his signature Chekhov-ian style, and he transitioned from his previous pseudonym, Antosha Chekhonte. At this time, writes Blaisdell, "in full command of his literary powers, Chekhov had written more short stories in total than he would in the rest of his productive life." Among his more memorable works from this period are the short story "The Kiss" and the play Ivanov. Blaisdell relies on a similar approach that he employed with his 2020 title, Creating Anna Karenina. Throughout, he draws from Chekhov's personal correspondence and references several previous biographies in conjunction with close readings of his numerous stories. "I have tried to show how closely connected his own experiences are to his stories," writes Blaisdell, "which he adamantly (but disingenuously) denied; for another, I have tried to convey the 'artistic pleasure' so many of his stories continue to give us." While this approach may have worked effectively in the previous book, which focused on one iconic novel, the results here are more scattershot. In trying to connect Chekhov's correspondence to fragments and distillations of such a wide assortment of stories, the narrative often fails to cohere, yielding a somewhat tiresome reading experience. Though Blaisdell offers meaningful insights into Chekhov's life and writing, the book is unlikely to attract casual readers of Chekhov. An earnestly researched effort to reveal fresh perspectives of Chekhov's life and work that overshoots its mark. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
