Now available for the first time in English in America, these sixty-eight letters and ten essay-length reminiscences trace the development of Chekhov's personality and talent, creating a window into the life and times of one of the world's greatest short story writers and playwrights. These perspectives on his family life and marriage, his early works, the stage productions of his plays, his literary successes, and the philosophies behind his writing create a rich biography of Chekhov that will reward writers, scholars, and all lovers of literature.