Anton Chekhov

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, short story writer, and playwright. He was born in Taganrog, southern Russia, on 29 January 1860 [O.S. 17 January], and died of tuberculosis at the health spa of Badenweiler, Germany, on 15 July 1904 [O.S. 2 July]. His brief playwriting career produced four classics of the repertoire, while his best short stories are regarded as masterpieces by many writers and critics. Chekhov continued to practise as a doctor throughout his life: "Medicine is my lawful wife," he once said, "and literature is my mistress".

9 Quotes

When an actor has money, he doesn't send letters, but telegrams.
— Anton Chekhov

If you cry Forward you must be sure to make clear the direction in which to go. Don't you see that if you fail to do that and simply call out the word to a monk and a revolutionary, they will go in precisely opposite directions?
— Anton Chekhov

Doctors are just the same as lawyers; the only difference is that lawyers merely rob you, whereas doctors rob you and kill you too.
— Anton Chekhov

Any idiot can face a crisis, it's the day to day living that wears you out.
— Anton Chekhov

Medicine is my lawful wife and literature my mistress; when I get tired of one, I spend the night with the other.
— Anton Chekhov

When a lot of remedies are suggested for a disease, that means it can't be cured.
— Anton Chekhov

If you are afraid of loneliness, don't marry.
— Anton Chekhov

One must be a god to be able to tell successes from failures without making a mistake.
— Anton Chekhov

Man is what he believes.
— Anton Chekhov