Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a prolific Russian playwright and short-story writer and is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the world. He wrote several famous plays including 'Uncle Vanya', 'The Seagull', 'Three Sisters' and 'The Cherry Orchard'. They are still performed all over the world and are considered to be masterpieces. Chekhov wrote over one hundred short stories including 'The Lady with a Dog', 'Rothschild's Violin', 'About Love' and 'The Bishop'. Credited with being the single most important influence on the development of the modern short story, as well as the father of modern drama, his popularity continues to grow. The Russian's work has influenced many important writers, including James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams and continues to influence writers and audiences to this day.