In "Reading Chekhov" Janet Malcolm takes on three roles: literary critic, biographer and journalist. Her close readings of the stories and plays are interwoven with episodes from Chekhov's life and framed by an account of a recent journey she made to St Petersburg. Writing of Chekhov's life, Malcolm demonstrates how the shadow of death that hovered over most of his literary career - he became consumptive in his 20s and died in his 40s - is almost everywhere reflected in the work. She writes of his childhood, his relationship with his family, his marriage, his travels, his early success, his exile to Yalta - always with an eye to connecting them to the themes and characters of the stories and plays.
- ISBN13 9781862075863
- Publish Date 27 February 2003 (first published 6 November 2001)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 26 July 2016
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Granta Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 224
- Language English