- Writing advice straight from one of the greatest writers of all time: Russian writer Maxim Gorky said that no one has ever understood the tragedy of life's trivialities as clearly as Anton Chekhov. Chekhov's singular ability to speak volumes with a single, impeccably chosen word, mesh comedy and pathos, and, as he entertains us, to capture life's basic sadness, is the reason so many want to write like him. Now How to Write Like Chekhov, by drawing extensively from Chekhov's own letters to his publisher, his brother, and his friends, pulls back the curtain on Chekhov's technique and ideas to show just how it can be done. - The search for truth in art: Conciseness is the sister of talent, Chekhov famously said. This and hundreds of other punctual, precise, illuminating observations and suggestions are organized into thematic chapters that cover such subjects as plot and characters (and their names), descriptions and dialogues, what to focus on, and what to avoid. - A unique, utterly original and practical way to access Chekhov's life, ideas, and work: The overwhelming power of Chekhov's plays and short stories engenders pure devotion among his legions of fans, who buy tens of thousands of copies of his books every year--and for whom How to Write Lime Chekhov offers a singular way to mainline Chekhov's intelligence and artistic know-how.

Something happens when men and women put a plank between themselves and the water and set out on a voyage, whether for a day or a lifetime. Now Sail Away brings together the very finest writing about travel on water by a stellar crew of writers. Among those to be included are Joseph Conrad, Jacques Cousteau, Roald Dahl, Lawrence Durrell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, E.M. Forster, Ernest Hemingway, Thor Heyerdahl, Jonathan Raban, Paul Theroux, Mark Twain, Jules Verne, David Foster Wallace, and Evelyn Waugh. Packaged as the perfect companion to Beach, with atmospheric photos by Beach photographer Mittie Hellmich, Sail Away will be an important addition to the tradition of best-selling books about ships and the sea.

J. D. Salinger's "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," John Cheever's "Goodbye, My Brother," Doris Lessing's "Through the Tunnel": These and dozens of other beloved stories share the beach as their setting. In fact, it is remarkable how many of the finest writers have set stories and novels in whole or in part at the beach -- and how often they use this locale to explore the great themes of love, loss, death, family, and redemption. Beach brings together, for the first time, the very best of this literary tradition, including stories, novel excerpts, and narrative nonfiction.