Brevity is the Sister of Talent

“Brevity is the sister of talent” is a creative credo and at the same time one of the most famous sayings of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. “If a gun is hanging on the wall in the first act, it must go off in the third or fourth,” “A wise man loves to learn, while a fool loves to teach,” “Don't let it get out of hand,” “To the village grandfather” — all these statements have firmly entered everyday language and have been repeated for more than a hundred years. Many of Chekhov's quotes, which have become proverbial, belong to his characters (“They want to show their education”; “In Greece, there is everything,” “On the subject of what to eat”), but many pithy witticisms, wise sayings, and life observations are contained in the letters and notebooks of the writer.

This edition collects the most vivid statements of A.P. Chekhov, an outstanding master of words.