Know Your Chekovs

Mr. Nag said Alice Munro's stories remind him of Chekhov - not the Star Trek one. Is there another Chekhov? I asked.

— Marilyn Bellamy (@NagOnTheLake) October 10, 2013

A few days ago, Alice Munro, the Canadian short story author, won the Nobel Prize for Literature. She is the first Canadian to receive that prestigious honor.

Marilyn Bellamy of Ontario, the internet’s Nag on the Lake, is filled with patriotic pride. But she’s also confused by her husband’s odd reference to something other than Star Trek.

Ensign (later Commander) Pavel Chekov was the Russian-born navigator on board the USS Enterprise on Star Trek. Anton Chekhov (note the different spelling in the Latin alphabet) was a Nineteenth Century Russian playwright and short story author. Both Mr. Chekhov and Ms. Munro are credited by critics landmark accomplishments in the craft of short story writing.

So to answer Marilyn’s question: none of consequence.