Frontmatter -- PREFACE -- KEY TO TRANSLITERATION OF THE CYRILLIC ALPHABET -- KEY TO THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE RUSSIAN TRANSLITERATION USED IN THIS BOOK -- CONTENTS -- INTRODUCTION -- I. THE ESSENCE OF ?EXOV'S CREATIVE APPROACH (1) -- II. THE NATURE OF DETAIL (1) -- III. A. P. ?EXOV (1) -- IV. AN INCOMPARABLE ARTIST (1) -- V. STRUCTURAL FEATURES IN ?EXOV'S POETICS (1) -- VI. THE STYLE OF ?EXOV'S TALES (1) -- VII. IMAGERY IN ?EXOV (1) -- VIII. ?EXOV'S LYRICO-DRAMATIC STORIES (1) -- IX. ON ?EXOV'S STYLE (1) -- X. THE ROLE OF ADVERSATIVE INTONATION IN ?EXOV'S PROSE (1) -- SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IN ENGLISH -- STUDY QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS -- AUTHOR-SUBJECT INDEX -- INDEX OF CEXOV'S SHORT STORIES