work
Ларька (Larka)
Larka
also: Larka
A short story by Maria Vladimirovna Kiseleva, sent by her to Chekhov for comment and, at his suggestion, forwarded to Suvorin for a professional reading; Chekhov's praise of it ("very charming... some rough spots, but the brevity and manly manner of the telling more than make up for them") opens the letter that then turns into his defense of literary realism against her criticism of "The Mire."
Reading notes
- To M. V. Kiseleva, 7 November 1887. Moscow. §7 "The Stall"
Kiseleva's own story "Ларька" ("Larka"/"The Stall"), which Chekhov has been shepherding toward publication since at least; here he proposes it as her debut piece in "The Wellspring."
- To A. S. Kiselev, 10 November 1887. Moscow. §10 my big letter with "Larka"
"Larka," Maria Vladimirovna Kiseleva's own short story, which Chekhov had evidently read, praised, and was returning to her by post along with a lengthy letter -- consistent with his earlier role forwarding her manuscript to Suvorin for a professional reading.
- To M. V. Kiseleva, 6 January 1888. Moscow. §5 "Larka the Hercules"
Chekhov proposes an absurd expanded title and a parenthetical acknowledgment of his own "patronage" for Kiseleva's story "Larka," continuing the running joke of inflating his own literary influence on her behalf while needling her not to undervalue him.