The literary announcement of April is extremely bright. Switzerland, Greece, Poland, America and, of course, Ukraine presented authors whose works differ in themes raised and genre performance. But all the books combine deep humanism and sincerity, thanks to which they gained readership, and the authors – recognition and literary awards. Even enthusiastic readers with a sophisticated literary taste will not be disappointed, choosing at least one of the presented books
Joel Dicker «The Truth About the Case of Harry Quebert»
How is it – to wake up famous? This is probably Joel Dicker told reporters, since right after the release of «The Truth About the Case of Harry Kveberta» he just became. Grand Prix of the French Academy for Best Novel, Goncupree Prize for lyceum students, translation of the novel in more than 30 languages of the world – really striking indicators of the popularity of the author. Literary talent is rarely transmitted genetically, but the love of literature is usually instilled by parents. Mother Dicker was engaged in book business, her father was a teacher of the French language, so they certainly managed to instill a son’s love for literature. Joel Dicker was even the youngest editor-in-chief of Switzerland: at the age of ten he began publishing the magazine La Gazette des animaux, which lasted for seven years. What is the book about Harry Kveberta so interested in readers and publishers? First, a detective story, the basis of which was the story of the murder 33-year-old. Secondly, the controversial and true image of the protagonist Marcus Goldmann, somewhat similar to the author. Thirdly, the deep philosophical theme of the work. Dynamism, intrigue, ambiguity of images, a special author’s style are components of the popularity recipe. As far as the author used them in his work – to solve the readers who would like to know the truth about Harry Quebert.
Saul Bellow «Dar Humboldta»
The man who married five times has definitely something to tell the world. Actually, our remark is simply a joke that would probably have been appreciated by the author who did not neglect either satire or black humor to express his views on the problem of the importance of the spiritual authority of the artist in a society where success, fame and money are the main yardstick for defining places among people. The author recreates the human world view, the intention to be consistent in its embodiment against the background of suffering or betrayal, love or call of blood. The writer himself described the book simply as «a funny story about death». The product is interesting for various readers: classical lovers and postmodern supporters, and fans of black humor will find their «highlight». But this does not make a work important: where the intellectual «immersed in privacy» and philosophical reflections are bordered by self-irony, one should think about defining the concept of «success». Sol Bollow returns to us when, along with his heroes, we are thinking about moral choices. We will add only that the key to the novel «Gift Humboldt» was the name of a close author of a man, American writer Delmore Schwartz, author of the book “In a dream begin obligations”.
Kateryna Kalytko «Land of Lost, or Little Scary Tales»
The author presents nine stories, which are arranged in the whole story. And before the reader is not fairy tales, but quite real stories for adults about life in the Donbass, about the war. Pocket theft, icon of the Mother of God, childbirth – literary sketches, vivid pictures, unpardonable stories that seem to bring the reader community closer to the thoughts about the detective. But the sensations that cause these pictures are rather weird: it’s not detective stories, just a real life, depicted subtle and penetrating. Particularly exacerbated feeling when you see the eyes of the heroes foreigners coming to your land. Who are you when you are near them, how do you feel? These questions appear both in the heroes and in the readers who live the stories together. «Land of the Lost, or Little Scary Tales» – a book about the bitter taste of terrible events, about the very real picture of the consequences of the war on the Donbass, which must be read to understand the feelings of those whom the author turned into “fairy-tale” heroes.
Andrzej Stasiuk «East»
The Ukrainian reader is familiar with the works of Andrzej Stasiuk: in the «Publishing House of the Old Lev» a few years ago the author presented a collection of «Galician stories». «East» not only transfers us to a geographically different territory – into the atmosphere of the vast expanses of the highest mountains of the world. The greatness of the former empire, the three-dimensional time space and philosophical vision create a canvas on which, by philosophical reflections, children’s memories, almost documentary images of life, the author depicts his own vision of the East. Although the novel is created as a result of the journey, the work does not seem like ordinary posts about what they saw. «East» – a novel with a nonlinear plot about the journey of Russia, China and Mongolia, decorated with reflections of the artist concerning identities formed under the influence of cultural and historical plating of the Far East. Frank in his impressions, the author tries to comprehend the influence of not even historical figures, but an entire philosophy on the lives of generations in European countries. Reflections on individual and collective, history and modernity, communism and leaders – all seen in the East, the author concludes in the form of a statement similar to a verdict: «The non-existence of this strange empire, which conquered the emptiness, left behind itself a non-existence». The work deeply affects political processes, although there are no political slogans or biographies of politicians. Only East and the author, but also an interested reader …
Jeffrey Eugenides «Average Gender»
This penetrating story about the memory of the genes of the three generations of the Greek-American family Stefanidis. An American writer of Greek origin Jeffrey Eugenides raises a difficult topic of finding self-identification by a person who can not be attributed to either male or female. After a superficial, careless medical examination at birth, a little Killiope, who had at the same time signs of both sexes, was raised as a girl. But in adolescence there comes an insight: the heroine knows his own difference due to the unusual transformations of his body. «The average sex» – a work on the adoption of yourself, the definition of his place in society, the status of self-sufficient personality, and not detached from normal life «deviation from the norm». There will be some «physiological excursion» that will help to understand the features of hermaphrodites, but more valuable tales about the inner world of a person who is forced to always hide, having certain physiological differences, and learn to accept oneself. The family saga encompasses a large temporal and geographic segment of the life of three generations for almost all of the twentieth century, but there are no extensive storylines with descriptions of family ties, only the main line that prompts readers to reflect on the history of their own family.
These and other books can be purchased at the Lviv Chocolate Workshop at 7, Peremohy Square
Translated by Aliona Matushevich
