The five year friendship and marriage of the writer Anton Chekhov and the actress Olga Knipper, who created many of the central female roles in his plays, is one of the most extraordinary love stories in the history of the theatre. Because of Knipper's work at the Moscow Art Theatre and Chekhov's illness which bound him to Yalta, their relationship flourished through a constant stream of letters between them. Temperamentally, the actress and writer were at odds and the letters reflect their life together, as tempestuous, teasing and spontaneous as the many relationships found in Chekhov's stories and plays. The volume is a testimony to the deep, passionate, improbable love of Chekhov and Knipper which survived almost insurmountable obstacles.

Letters between the playwright and the actress who eventually became his wife; chronicles love struggling against the handicap of distance and the ravages of terminal illness.

This book "renders the singular arc of a woman's life through letters Mary-Louise Parker composes to the men, real and hypothetical, who have informed the person she is today. Beginning with the grandfather she never knew, the letters range from a missive to the beloved priest from her childhood to remembrances of former lovers to an homage to a firefighter she encountered to a heartfelt communication with the uncle of the infant daughter she adopted"--

First published in 1973, this collection of Chekhov's correspondence is widely regarded as the best introduction to this great Russian writer. Weighted heavily toward the correspondence dealing with literary and intellectual matters, this extremely informative collection provides fascinating insight into Chekhov's development as a writer. Michael Henry Heim's excellent translation and Simon Karlinsky's masterly headnotes make this volume an essential text for anyone interested in Chekhov.

This is the HARDBACK version. LOUISE BROOKS and Jan Wahl had a special, roller-coaster relationship lasting twenty-odd years. He met the legendary star when he was a student; it turned out each of them hoped to be a writer. This intense friendship continued by letter and in person. The letters from Louise reveal much of her inner personality - her insights and anecdotes make fascinating, compelling reading.

Oh Dear Silvia by Dawn French, the celebrated English actress, bestselling author, and comedian, is the clever, touching, and compelling story of one mysterious woman trapped in a coma after a fall from a balcony. Now, lying unconscious in a hospital bed, Silvia is plagued by a stream of often funny and sometimes poignant visits from friends and family, each of whom knows a different piece of the puzzle that is Silvia Shute. And, as she lies there listening to all of her visitors, the dark and terrible secret she’s been hiding for years emerges. Dawn French's Oh Dear Silvia is an emotionally resonant and riveting tale of secrets, forgiveness, remorse, guilt, and love.