As I have mentioned earlier, the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative is organizing a Bulgarian Literature Month in June, and I will be the editor of this event.
In the meantime, I have already commissioned quite a number of reviews and will also post one or two things myself. However, there are still a number of books that could be included, provided I find a reviewer (preferably a book blogger or someone else who is doing bookish things).
Here is a short list of books which – if you belong to the category mentioned above – are open still for reviewing during Bulgarian Literature Month:
Classics:
Ivan Vazov: Under the Yoke – the first Bulgarian novel, and until today read in school
Aleko Konstantinov: Bay Ganyo – not all Bulgarian love this book, because it is satirically exposing certain elements of the Bulgarian national character (just like not all Czechs love Schwejk!)
A modern classic:
Ivailo Petrov: Wolf Hunt –
Contemporary Bulgarian literature:
Virginia Zaharieva: 9 Rabbits
Albena Stambolova: Everything Happens As It Does
Angel Igov: A Short Tale of Shame
Zahary Karabashliev: 18% Gray
Hristo Karastoyanov: The Same Night Awaits Us All
Georgi Gospodinov: Natural Novel
Deyan Enev: Circus Bulgaria
Angel Wagenstein: Farewell, Shanghai
Bulgarian-born authors that write in another language:
Miroslav Penkov: East of the West
Miroslav Penkov: Stork Mountain
Kapka Kassabova: Street without a Name
Ilija Troyanow: Collector of the Worlds
Elias Canetti: The Tongue Set Free
Fiction by foreign authors but with a Bulgarian setting:
Will Buckingham: The Descent of the Lyre
Rana Dasgupta: Solo
Garth Greenwell: What Belongs to You
Elizabeth Kostova: The Shadow Land
Julian Barnes: The Porcupine
Non-fiction:
Dimana Trankova / Anthony Georgieff: A Guide to Jewish Bulgaria
Dimana Trankova / Anthony Georgieff: A Guide to Communist Bulgaria
Tzvetan Todorov: The Fragility of Goodness
Mary C. Neuburger: Balkan Smoke
Clive Leviev-Sawyer: Bulgaria: Politics and Protests in the 21st Century
The reviews need to be unpublished and preferably in English. Let me know if you are interested in reviewing a book on this list.
I have also a few giveaways. Those will be given preferably to those who commit themselves to write a review of the above mentioned titles. If you are interested in a giveaway (it should be reviewed too for Bulgarian Literature Month), please let me know until 29 April. If several people are interested in a giveaway, I will draw lots.
The giveaways:
Milen Ruskov: Thrown Into Nature – a novel by one of Bulgaria’s most acclaimed contemporary writers
Kerana Angelova: Elada Pinyo and Time – “The novel describes the myth of the person who travels through various wombs and embraces, undergoes multiple transformations due to the culture of times, yet never stops expressing the deep faith that above our earthly trials watches the law of love.”
Randall Baker: Bulgariana – diary of one of the founders of New Bulgarian University in Sofia; a fun read that gives a deep and sympathetic insight into the Bulgaria of the 21st Century
Nikolai Grozni: Claustrophobias – an autobiographical novel of an author that was a wunderkind pianist and a monk in an ashram in India, and a lot of other things
Ivailo Petrov: Before I was born – story collection of one of the most important post-WW II authors from Bulgaria (the book is antiquarian, but in very good condition)
Hristo Hristov: Kill the Wanderer – Hristov, an investigative journalist, describes the life and the assassination of Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian author and journalist, in London. Considering the recent news about Julia Kristeva, who was exposed as a collaborator of the Bulgarian State Security, it is important to not forget what this institution did to enemies of the system.
And now, let me know which book you want to review, and in which giveaway you are interested. (The winners will be informed individually and by a post here on 30 April.)
© Thomas Hübner and mytwostotinki.com, 2014-8. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Thomas Hübner and mytwostotinki.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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Thomas
I have Collector of Worlds and Solo in my TBR. Happy to review either one. Just let me know.
Lizzy,
cool, I am glad you are participating! Maybe you could review both until 30 May? Or at least one of them, if you need a bit more time for the second, 15 June would be fine (mail to th@mytwostotinki.com).
Maybe you are interested in one of the giveaways too?
Hm, I had chosen Gospodinov’s Physics of Sorrow for June reading. But I have access to the Stambolova and the Igov, so I could do one of those, except I am not at all confident that I can write a real, proper review for a professional blog. But if I did, I think I’d like the Petrov book, though they all sound interesting.
Hi Jean,
great that you would like to participate! Don’t be too modest, I know you can write interesting reviews. Choose one of the two books you mentioned (for The Physics of Sorrow I have already a candidate), and let me know which one. Reviews should be at my inbox (th@mytwostotinki.com) until 30 May for my planning the schedule. Any interest in one of the giveaways?
OK, I’ll take “Everything Happens As It Does.” I can produce a review by 30 May. And for the giveaway, I would like “Before I Was Born” please! All of them sound interesting though.
Thank you, Jean – it’s noted; the winners of the giveaways will be announced very soon.
Hi Thomas! How about Kaassabova’s Border? I would be interested in reviewing that.
Hi Dorian,
excellent news! Thanks for your willingness to participate! If possible, I would need your review until 30 May (mail to: th@mytwostotinki.com). Maybe you are also interested in one of the giveaways?
Yes, that’s no problem. As to the giveaways, I’m most interested in Before I was Born–as, it seems, is everyone else!
It’s noted Dorian – winners will be announced soon!
If it’s not too late, I picked up a copy of Gospodinov’s “Natural Novel” this weekend. If I haven’t missed the giveaway, I’m most interested in the Petrov book. Thanks!
Scott,
great that you participate! And no, it’s not too late for the giveaway. I am now drawing the lots and will post the results in a few minutes.
Thanks to all who will participate in Bulgarian Literature Month at the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative. Your reviews will be published at the GLLI website (www.glli-us.org) as discussed. I am in the process in finalizing the schedule and will come back to you individually.
I got quite a number of requests for one of the giveaways, some via comment on here, some directly as private message to me . Strangely they were focused on three books from the list, whereas the others found no new homes.
The winners (I drew lots) are: Lizzy (from Lizzy’s Literary World) for Kill the Wanderer, Dorian (from Eiger, Monch &Jungfrau) for Before I was born, and Nuri Al-Khalaf (who did a great job as editor for Syrian Literature Month at GLLI recently) for Bulgariana.
As you can see, there are still three very interesting books which look for a new home. I will be sending them preferably to those of you had an interest in another book. Will come back to you individually to see, which book you may be interested.
Winners will be informed also via email.