Every book a person reads, in one way or another, changes us. Some books give knowledge or new skills, some simply comfort and distract from everyday life, some books give inspiration and strength to live. But there are books, after reading which, you will never be the same again. We offer you a selection of Ukrainian authors whose books, in our opinion, turn the world upside down and motivate you to think about life.
Ivan Bahryanyi "Tiger Hunters"
Plot: the story of the Sirkov family, which takes in a fugitive from the death row, and the hero's chance for a free and happy life. The author showed his confrontation with the NKVD officer, terrible scenes of exile, interrogations and abuse of people, as well as a person's attempt to survive in the hostile environment of the taiga.
Why: you overestimate what you have and the time you live in, you understand that everyday problems cannot be compared to what those people went through. You don't have to run like a hunted animal with hunters on its heels.
Valerian Pidmohylny "City"
Plot: the life path of the main character from a simple village boy who came to conquer Kyiv to a famous writer who lost himself on the way to fame.
Why: The theme of conquerors is close to many people. Some manage to go through this path and not lose themselves, while others are broken, chewed up, and reshaped by the city. And you become like a modern Frankenstein, molded from the qualities the city needs and completely alien to yourself.
Vasyl Barka "The Yellow Prince"
Plot: a terrible picture of the Holodomor of 1932–1933 through the prism of the fate of one family, which is trying with all its might to survive.
Why: the realization that this is not fiction, but part of the history of the country and your family. Suddenly you begin to understand why a grandmother trembles so much over a piece of bread and why a local man hides it under his pillow. And why there are so many graves in the village cemetery dating back to those two terrible years.
Mykhailo Stelmakh "Four Fords"
Plot: based on the life of a Ukrainian village in the 1930s and during World War II. Four Fords is a life "blue as dawn - childhood, then, like a dream, - a heady ford of love, then - immense work and care, and finally - grandchildren and farewells."
Why: the lyricism of the narrative and descriptions. A philosophical view of life that encourages you to think about your own path – where and whether I am going the right way.
Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi "Apple Blossom"
Plot: an artist who paints the best picture of his life, and at the same time a father who loses his only child.
Why: the pain of a person who loses loved ones and the artist's desire to finish a creation is both fascinating and frightening, forcing you to ask yourself the question: "What would I have done?"
Maria Matios "Sweet Darusya"
Plot: a family saga that recreates the spirit of a bygone era. A story about a woman against the backdrop of time, about the attitude of those around her.
Why: you reevaluate your life, place emphasis and priorities in a new way.
Volodymyr Chepovyi, Anna Yasna "Crossroads"
Plot: The hero gets a chance to understand at what points in his life he took the wrong turn, and whether he will be able to change anything.
Why: you are tormented by the question - did you choose the right path at the crossroads, did you turn that way, and is there a chance to change anything?
Serhiy Zhadan "The Life of Mary"
Plot: poems by the author and translations by the Polish poet Czesław Miłosz.
Why: You get moral and aesthetic pleasure from the moments when someone opens their soul to you. You simply take a break from everyday life, gaining strength to move on.
Taras Prokopyshyn, Volodymyr Behlov and Inna Bereznitska “the UKRAINIANS: success stories”
Plot: life stories of famous journalists, public and religious figures who became role models and authorities.
Why: You learn about how these people created themselves, you learn and understand that a lot can be achieved if you get off the couch, put on your horseshoes, and take action.
Andriy Zelinsky "Sunflowers"
Plot: stories from the ATO zone, told by a military chaplain.
Why: because it's happening here and now. And no matter how much you run away from it, nothing will change. You will have to realize that there is fighting in your country, people are dying. And you will have to live with this realization.
We hope that these books will make a worthy impression on you, that reading them will bring you pleasure and make you think. And, perhaps, they will change something in your perception of yourself and the world.
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