The Undiscovered Chekhov gives us, in rich abundance, a new Chekhov. Peter Constantines historic collection presents new stories and with them a fresh interpretation of the Russian master. In contrast to the brooding representative of a dying century we have seen over and over, here is Chekhovs work from the s, when Chekhov was in his twenties and his writing was sharp, witty and innovative. Many of the stories in The Undiscovered Chekhov reveal Chekhov as a keen modernist. Emphasizing impressions and the juxtaposition of incongruent elements, instead of the straight narrative his readers were used to, these stories upturned many of the assumptions of storytelling of the period. Here is xSarah Bernhardt Comes to Town,x written as a series of telegrams, beginning with xHave been drinking to Sarahs health all week! Enchanting! She actually dies standing up!.
