None

As a schoolboy, Anton Chekhov stole into the local theater at night, dressed as his father, and marveled at the plays of Shakespeare and Moliere. Mesmerized by the characters on the stage, he went on to write his own tragicomedies: The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. Setting the playwright in context to his personal life, social, historical and political events, other writers of influence, and more, the reader will quickly gain a deep understanding of Chekhov and the plays he wrote. The book features: Chekhov in an Hour, the main essay of the book; Chekhov In a Minute, a snapshot chronology; a complete listing of Chekhov's work; a list of Chekhov's contemporaries in all fields; excerpts from Chekhov's significant works; an extensive bibliography grouped according to type of reader; and an index of the main essay. Playwrights in an Hour is a series devoted to the most produced and studied playwrights in the English language, from the Greek masters to contemporary writers, and written by leading authorities in the field.