In 1899, on the initiative of the writer Nikolai Teleshov, a literary circle called ‘Sreda’ was created in Moscow. Maksim Gorky, Aleksandr Kuprin, Vladimir Korolenko, Anton Chekhov and many others gathered in Teleshov’s house on Chistye Prudy. Ivan Bunin was an active participant in this writers' association. Leonid Andreev also became a permanent member of the circle.
In 1900, Andreev worked on the story “Silence”. He showed the manuscript to Gorky, who brought him for the first time to the “Sreda” meeting. The writer met Bunin there. Teleshov recalled:
“At ten o”clock, when reading usually began for us, Gorky suggested listening to a short story by the young author.
– I listened to it yesterday, – Gorky said, – and, I confess, there were tears in my eyes.
But Andreev began to say that today he has a sore throat and he cannot read… In a word, he was shy and embarrassed.
– Then let me read it, – Gorky volunteered. He took a thin notebook, sat closer to the lamp and began:
- The story is called “Silence”…
The reading ended. Gorky raised his eyes, smiled affectionately at Andreev and said:
– Damn it, I am overwhelmed again!
Aleksei Maksimovich was not the only one who was overwhelmed. It was clear to everyone that in the face of this newcomer, “Sreda” got a good, talented comrade’.
Andreev almost never missed a meeting of ‘Sreda’. ‘Throughout the first winter he came to us in his “red “ jacket, was both a diligent reader and an attentive listener, had a modest opinion of himself and had too modest earnings, ” – Teleshov wrote.
Andreev had incredible respect for Bunin. In 1902, he sent the writer a photograph of himself with a dedication on the back: “To dear Ivan Bunin, sincerely loving him, often one-dimensional and sometimes even rhyming Leonid.” And in 1912 he congratulated Ivan Alekseevich on his 25th creative anniversary: “I love and appreciate your talent… As your fellow countryman, citizen of Oryol, I rejoice for our Oryol province and on behalf of its forests and fields, your beloved ones, I kiss you hard”.
Bunin’s attitude to Andreev was complicated. For example, Bunin wrote to Georgy Adamovich: ‘It was with great pleasure that I read your “Notes” about Andreev – almost everything is absolutely correct! Almost because the “Seven Hanged” is bad – what this one “galosh, blackening in the snow” is finally worth! And a lot more. No wonder Tolstoi, to whom Andreev dedicated this story, after reading it, underlined the first five lines, and wrote in the margins: “Good”, and then: “It is nonsense from here till the end”. However, Ivan Alekseevich admired many things about Andreev: a sharp mind and amazing talent. “A rarely talented person, ” – Bunin wrote about him.
In 1900, Andreev worked on the story “Silence”. He showed the manuscript to Gorky, who brought him for the first time to the “Sreda” meeting. The writer met Bunin there. Teleshov recalled:
“At ten o”clock, when reading usually began for us, Gorky suggested listening to a short story by the young author.
– I listened to it yesterday, – Gorky said, – and, I confess, there were tears in my eyes.
But Andreev began to say that today he has a sore throat and he cannot read… In a word, he was shy and embarrassed.
– Then let me read it, – Gorky volunteered. He took a thin notebook, sat closer to the lamp and began:
- The story is called “Silence”…
The reading ended. Gorky raised his eyes, smiled affectionately at Andreev and said:
– Damn it, I am overwhelmed again!
Aleksei Maksimovich was not the only one who was overwhelmed. It was clear to everyone that in the face of this newcomer, “Sreda” got a good, talented comrade’.
Andreev almost never missed a meeting of ‘Sreda’. ‘Throughout the first winter he came to us in his “red “ jacket, was both a diligent reader and an attentive listener, had a modest opinion of himself and had too modest earnings, ” – Teleshov wrote.
Andreev had incredible respect for Bunin. In 1902, he sent the writer a photograph of himself with a dedication on the back: “To dear Ivan Bunin, sincerely loving him, often one-dimensional and sometimes even rhyming Leonid.” And in 1912 he congratulated Ivan Alekseevich on his 25th creative anniversary: “I love and appreciate your talent… As your fellow countryman, citizen of Oryol, I rejoice for our Oryol province and on behalf of its forests and fields, your beloved ones, I kiss you hard”.
Bunin’s attitude to Andreev was complicated. For example, Bunin wrote to Georgy Adamovich: ‘It was with great pleasure that I read your “Notes” about Andreev – almost everything is absolutely correct! Almost because the “Seven Hanged” is bad – what this one “galosh, blackening in the snow” is finally worth! And a lot more. No wonder Tolstoi, to whom Andreev dedicated this story, after reading it, underlined the first five lines, and wrote in the margins: “Good”, and then: “It is nonsense from here till the end”. However, Ivan Alekseevich admired many things about Andreev: a sharp mind and amazing talent. “A rarely talented person, ” – Bunin wrote about him.
