A.P. CHEKHOV AS A READER

The purpose of this article is to describe the reading practices of A.P. Chekhov during the formation and development of his writing talent. The research focuses mainly on Chekov’s epistolary heritage from 1876 until 1888. In his correspondence with family, friends, aspiring writers, publishers and well- known figures of Russian culture of the 1870s and 1880s preferences and interests of the writer can be identified in reference to articles, newspapers, magazines and books he liked to read. A wide range of Russian and foreign books and articles that Chekhov read contributed to not only the achievement of literary excellence, but also to the formation of Chekhov as a person. The evolution of Chekhov as a reader from 1876 to 1888 is particularly important for understanding the origins of the poetic style of his prosaic and dramatic works.