The collection of texts, which tell about the war in chronological order starting from 2014, is called “Ukraine, my love. Voices of a Free Nation” will be published by the Austrian publishing house Passagen Verlag reports Chitomo newspaper
The editor of the anthology is literary critic and translator Hanna Hnedkova.
“In my opinion, the collection was supposed to work to undermine the European narrative about the “war that began on February 24, 2022”, to show the war as a drag. After all, the war against the Russian invaders, although not full-scale, has been going on in Ukraine for 8 years. Accordingly, the collection is divided into 8 sections – 8 years of war – and the essays in it are arranged in chronological order: from the first, written at the end of 2013, Yuriy Andruhovich’s essay on Euromaidan, to the painful and at that time the freshest essay of Sofiya Andruhovich for April 2022 – about Bucha. I just now realized that the collection is being “studded” by the Andruhovychs… but I think this is a good sign. And it’s also about, ” said the compiler of the anthology.
In total, the collection includes 22 essays – 2-3 for each year from 2014 and 4 texts from 2022. The authors of the texts are Ukrainian intellectuals and writers, including Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhii Zhadan, Olena Styazhkina, Yaroslav Hrytsak, Vakhtang Kipiani and others.
In particular, the collection includes the following texts:
- “Masters of Culture, Kremlin Khutzpa and Special Wars” by Mykola Ryabchuk about Crimea;
- Yuriy Andruhovych’s “Ring, slippery with blood” about the Revolution of Dignity;
- Oksana Zabuzhko’s “Afterword to the Kiev visit of Aleksievich” about the difference between “post-Soviet” Ukraine and Belarus;
- “The Impossible Catastrophe of Russia” by Andriy Bondar about the similarity of challenges and the difference in the empathy of the German and Russian peoples.
The editor emphasizes that right now is the time to talk about Ukrainians as an independent nation, because because of the war, many Europeans finally understood that Ukraine was not formed in an empty place.
You can pre-order the edition at the link. Its cost is €20 (₴735).