Leonid Andreyev

Leonid Andreyev (1871-1919), Russian writer, born in Orel, and educated in law at the universities of Moscow and St Petersburg. Finding his law practice unremunerative, Leonid Nikolayevich Andreyev became a reporter for a Moscow newspaper. In about 1900, when his early short stories were enthusiastically reviewed by the writer Maksim Gorki, Leonid Andreyev's literary career really began. From that time until his death he was one of the most prolific writers in Russia, producing many short stories, sketches, and dramas, all evocative of a mood of despair and deep pessimism. English translations of his fiction include The Red Laugh (1905), The Seven Who Were Hanged (1909), and The Little Angel and Other Stories (1916). His plays include The Life of Man (1906), Anathema (1909), The Sabine Women (1912), and He Who Gets Slapped (1915).