Wschodni Express: Literary Breakfast – The writer’s responsibility in transmitting historical truth pt 1
A discussion. Panelists: Kristina Sabaliauskaitė, Ola Hnatiuk, Natalka Śniadanko
Kristina Sabaliauskaitė (b. 1974) – Lithuanian writer and art historian. She debuted in 2008 with the historical novel Silva Rerum (publisher: Baltos Lankos) depicting the life in a family of nobles in the years 1659-1667, the Swedish Deluge. The book became a bestseller and an important literary event in Lithuania, receiving the acclaim of critics and historians, praised for a charming tale and a great attention to historical detail. In the same year, the author received the Jurga Ivanauskaite Award.
In 2009, the novel Silva rerum became the Book of the Year in Lithuania. In 2011, Silva rerum II was published (publisher “Baltos lankos”), a sequel about a blight during the war of 1707-1710. It also became the book of the year in Lithuania. In 2012, “Baltos lankos” published the selection of stories “Danielius Dalba & kitos istorijos”.
Silva rerum III, another bestseller and the next part of the novel, was published in 2014. It deals with the beginnings of the legend of Ger Tzedek, converted in Vilnius. In 2015, Silva rerum translated by Izabela Korybut-Daszkiewicz was published in Poland and received enthusiastic reviews. Critics called it “a real literary sensation from Lithuania”, “a monumental text; literature of the highest order a universal story about humanity”. In 2016, the Polish edition of Silva Rerum (published by “Znak”) was short-listed for the Angelus Central European Literature Award
In 2016, the last part of the tetralogy Silva Rerum IV, describing the enlightenment and the period of partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was published in Lithuania and became another bestseller. In 2017, the author received the medal “For Merits to Lithuania”.
Ola Hnatiuk (real name Aleksandra Hnatiuk) (b. 1961) - Ukrainian philologist, translator, doctor habilitatus of humanities, Associate Professor at the Institute of Slavic Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences and Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw. In the years 2006-2010 she was the counsellor for the Embassy of Poland in Kiev. She actively translates and promotes Ukrainian literature in Poland. Her habilitation thesis “Pożegnanie z imperium. Ukraińskie dyskusje o tożsamości” (published 2003), received the Przegląd Wschodni Award (2003) and J.Giedroyć Award (2004). She ha salso written the historical novel Odwaga i strach (Wojnowice 2016), the monograph
Ukrain’ska duchovna barokkowa pisnja” (Kiev 1994), edited the collection of legends and folk tales
„Wiedźmy, czarty i święci Huculszczyzny” (Warsaws 1997). Together with Łarysa Szost, she has published the anthology “Stepowa legenda: antologia ukraińskiej małej formy prozatorskiej lat 1830–1930” (Warsaw 2001). She has also published the anthology of contemporary literature “Rybo-wino-kur: antologia literatury ukraińskiej ostatnich dwudziestu lat” and (together with Katarzyna Kotyńska) the collection “Prolog nie epilog: poezja ukraińska w polskich przekładach (pierwsza połowa XX wieku)”. With Bogumiła Berdychowska she has published “Bunt Pokolenia. Rozmowy z intelektualistami ukraińskimi”. She has published volumes of poetry by Ihor Kałyńiec, Wasyl Holoborod’ko, as well as Natalia Jakowenko’s “Historia Ukrainy”, essays and novels by Jurij Andruchowycz. She has also authored a number of critical essays in “Znak”, “Kultura”, “Kresy”, “Literatura na świecie” and many magazines published in Ukraine. In 2012 she received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (M.P. of 21.11.2012, item 872).
Natalka Śniadanko (b. 1973 in Lviv) – a famous Ukrainian writer, translator of Polish and German literaturę, journalist.S he graduated from the University of Lviv and University of Freiburg. The author of the books: Kolekcja namiętności czyli Przygody młodej Ukrainki (2001, Polish edition 2005), Sezonowa wyprzedaż blondynek (2005), Syndrom sterylności (2006, Polish edition 2008, entitled Ahatanhel), Mleko z macierzanką (2007), Kraj zepsutych zabawek oraz inne podróże (2008), Owadzia huśtawka (2009, Polish edition 2014 under the title Lubczyk na poddaszu), Herbarium kochanków (2011), Frau Müller nie zamierza płacić więcej (2013), Schludne szlaczki arcyksięcia Wilhelma (2017). The winner of Joseph Conrad-Korzeniowski Award. Her books have been translated into German, Russian and Czech. She lives in Lviv.
29.06 | 11.30–13.00 | Próba Cafe, Grodzka 5a – patio | Polish only
