Anton Tchekhov and Other Essays

by Lev Shestov

Extract :
It is not to be denied that Russian thought is chiefly manifested in the great Russian novelists. Tolstoi, Dostoevsky, and Tchekhov made explicit in their works conceptions of the world which yield nothing in definiteness to the philosophic schemes of the great dogmatists of old, and perhaps may be regarded as even superior to them in that by their nature they emphasise a relation of which the professional philosopher is too often careless — the intimate connection
between philosophy and life.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Lev Isaakovich Shestov (Russian: Лев Исаа́кович Шесто́в), born Yehuda Leyb Schwarzmann (Russian: Иегуда Лейб Шварцман), variously known as Leon Shestov, Léon Chestov, Leo Shestov.

A Ukrainian/Russian existentialist philosopher. Born in Kiev (Russian Empire). He emigrated to France in 1921, fleeing from the aftermath of the October Revolution. He lived in Paris until his death.

Reviews

[Rebecca Gransden]

The essay on Chekhov is very valuable, the others of varying, mostly negligible, interest. Rambler.

[Wojciech]

Wydaje mi się, że chodzi o polską, dość krótką książkę Początki i końce, gdzie esej o Czechowie, Dostojewskim i później Bierdiajewie są razem. Jest tam jeden z bardziej wnikliwych esejów o Czechowie (na tle Bunina i esejów zebranych przez Śliwowskiego) jakie znam, choć wątek uczuć miłosnych Czechowa i u Czechowa specjalnie, imho, zepchnięty jest na dalszy plan. Doskonałe uwagi o darze proroczym Dostojewskiego ("skoro ktoś może być prorokiem, czy Chrystusem, to i on może być").