Description: English translations of Chekhov's classic plays by a Russian-language scholar who is also a veteran Chekhovian actor. Because of Paul Schmidt's expertise in both the theater and Russia, these translations preserve the social context of Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THREE SISTERS, THE SEAGULL, UNCLE VANYA, and other works, while restoring the vitality and humor that are often lost in academic translations.
Brief description:
Anton Chekhov was born in Taganrog, in southern Russia, and in his youth paid for his own education and supported his entire family by writing short, satirical sketches of Russian life. Though he eventually became a physician and once considered medicine his principal career, he continued to gain popularity and praise as a writer for various Russian newspapers, eventually authoring more literary work and ultimately his most well-known plays, including Ivanov, The Seagull, and Uncle Vanya. He died of tuberculosis in 1904, and is regarded as one of the best short story writers in history, influencing such authors as Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov, and Raymond Carver.
Review Quotes: "Both an actor and a Russian scholar, Schmidt sets out to give us a Chekhov who makes sense...The result is a surprisingly lively Chekhov, colloguial and clear, which will come as a revelation to those who know the playwright through the widely read but rather stiff British translations....Schmidt's Chekhov should be the first choice for any American reader."-- "Atlantic Monthly"