Ukrainian classical poets. Contemporary Ukrainian writers

During the years of independence in Ukrainian literature a whole galaxy of writers with an original style, a special manner of writing and genre diversity. IN modern texts there was more openness, experimentation, national color and thematic breadth, which allows authors to achieve professional success not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. prepared a list of 25 Ukrainian writers, forming modern literature, which, no matter what skeptics say, continues to actively develop and influence public opinion.

Yuri Andrukhovich

Without this author it is difficult to imagine modern Ukrainian literature in general. Creative activity began with the fact that in 1985, together with Victor Neborak and Alexander Irvanets, he founded the literary association Bu-Ba-Bu. The writer's name is associated with the emergence of the "Stanislavsky phenomenon" and interest in modern Ukrainian literature in the West.

THINGS WORTH READING: From poetry collections - "Exotic birds and plants" And "Songs for a dead song" , from novels - "Recreations" , "Moskoviada" And "Twelve Hoops" . The essays from the collection will be no less interesting "The devil has a home in Syria" , and travelers will enjoy the largest book by Yuri Andrukhovich "Lexicon of intimate places" .

Sergey Zhadan

There is probably no more popular author in Ukraine today than Zhadan. Poet, novelist, essayist, translator, musician, public figure. His texts resonate in the hearts of millions of readers (and since 2008, listeners as well, with the release of the first joint album with the group "Dogs in Space" called "Army Sports Club").

The writer actively tours, participates in public life country and helps the army. Lives and works in Kharkov.

THINGS WORTH READING: All the author’s poetry collections are worth reading, and from prose - early novels "Big Mac" , "Depeche Mode" , "Voroshilovgrad" and late "Mesopotamia" (2014).

Les Podervyansky

Outrageous Ukrainian writer, artist, author satirical plays. Practices oriental martial arts. In the 90s, his texts were copied from tape to tape and secretly passed between teenagers. Complete collection The works "Africa, Dream" were published in 2015 by the publishing house "Our Format".

THINGS WORTH READING: "Hero of our hour" , "Pavlik Morozov. An epic tragedy" , "Hamlet, or the Phenomenon of Danish Katsapism" , "Vasilisa Yegorovna and the peasants" .

Taras Prokhasko

Undoubtedly, the most mysterious Ukrainian writer, whose voice fascinates and calms at the same time. In terms of his writing style and lifestyle, the author is often compared to the wandering philosopher Skovoroda.

THINGS WORTH READING: One of the author's most representative works is the novel "Difficulties" . Also worthy of attention: "Annie's Other Days" "FM Galicia" , "The same and the same" .

Yuri Izdrik

Editor-in-Chief of the legendary magazine "Chetver", published since 1990 and aimed at popularizing modern Ukrainian literature. Yuri Izdrik is a poet, prose writer, participant in the musical project "DrumTIatr". Lives and works in Kalush.

THINGS WORTH READING: novels "KRK Island" , "Wozzeck & Wozzekurgy" , "Underwhelming Leon" . An interesting creative experiment is a book project with journalist Evgenia Nesterovich Summa , in which the author shares recipes for happiness, love and understanding of the world.

Oleg Lishega

Poet, prose writer, translator of works by Mark Twain, Thomas Eliot, Ezra Pound, David Herbert Lawrence, Sylvia Plath, John Keats. On his work big influence, on the one hand, had the literature of China, and on the other, the works of Ivan Franko and Bogdan-Igor Antonich.

Lishega is the first Ukrainian poet to be awarded the PEN Club Prize for poetic translation. Unfortunately, the author passed away in 2014.

THINGS WORTH READING: the writer's most famous prose book "Friend Li Bo, brother Du Fu" , longlisted for the BBC Book of the Year Award.

Oksana Zabuzhko

Cult Ukrainian writer, essayist and translator. The author was first actively discussed in the second half of the 90s. with the release of her novel "Poly's Investigations into Ukrainian Sex", which caused a real sensation in Ukrainian literature. Since then, she has received many awards, including the Literary Prize of the Central and of Eastern Europe"Angelus" (Poland) for the book "Museum of Abandoned Secrets".

THINGS WORTH READING: "Polish investigation into Ukrainian sex" , "Museum of Abandoned Secrets" , "Let my people go: 15 texts about the Ukrainian revolution" , "Map of books and people" , "Chronicles of Fortinbras" .

Natalya Belotserkovets

The poetess is known to Ukrainian readers primarily as the author of the poem “We will not die in Paris...”, which became a hit performed by the group “Dead Song”. She rarely gives interviews and rarely speaks in public, but her texts can be considered classics of modern Ukrainian literature. Almost no anthology of modern Ukrainian poetry is complete without her poems. Natalia Belotserkovets’s poems are light and deep at the same time; they very subtly set the mood and inspire writing.

THINGS WORTH READING: collection "Hotel Central" .

Kost Moskalets

Poet, novelist, essayist, literary critic. Since 1991, he has lived in the Chernigov region in the Tea Rose Cell, which he built with his own hands, focusing exclusively on literary work. He maintains an author's blog where he posts poems, reviews and photos. Author of the cult Ukrainian song "Vona" ("Tomorrow I'll come to the room..."), performed by the group "Crying Jeremiah". For the book "Flashes" in 2015 he received National Award named after Taras Shevchenko.

THINGS WORTH READING: among poetry books - "Mislivtsi in the snow" And "Symbol of the Trojans" , prosaic - "The Cell of the Tea Trojan".

Tanya Malyarchuk

Writer and journalist, winner of the Joseph Conrad-Korzeniewski Literary Prize (2013). Now lives in Austria. The author's texts have been translated into Polish, Romanian, German, English, Russian and Belarusian.

THINGS WORTH READING: the writer's early novels - "Burn Down. Book of Fears" , "How I became a saint" , "Speak" , and "Biography of a fall miracle" , included in the “long list” of the 2012 BBC Book of the Year award.

Alexander Irvanets

Together with Yuri Andrukhovich and Victor Neborak, in 1985 he founded the literary association Bu-Ba-Bu. Known as Treasurer Boo-Ba-Boo. Those who follow the author’s work on Facebook know his witty short poems about current events of our time.

THINGS WORTH READING: alternative history novel "Rivne/Rivne" , "Five p'es" "Ochachimrya: Tale and Revelation" , "Satyricon–XXI" .

Andrey Lyubka

Idol of girls, holder of the title "the most eligible bachelor of Transcarpathia", writer, columnist and translator. Born in Riga, lives in Uzhgorod. The author speaks at many literary festivals, actively travels to various scholarships abroad, and writes columns for several publications. Each of his new books causes lively discussion on social networks and the media.

Worth reading: author's debut novel "Carbide" , as well as his collections of poems: "TERORISM" , "Forty bucks plus tip" and a collection of essays "Sleep with the women" .

Irena Karpa

“Writer. Singer. Traveler” is the title of one of Irena Karpa’s books, which, perhaps, best conveys all the aspects of the author. Recently appointed First Secretary for Cultural Affairs of the Ukrainian Embassy in France. Author of 9 books, numerous publications in the press and blogosphere. Mother of two daughters.

THINGS WORTH READING: early texts – "50 hvilin grass" , "Freud bi cry" , "Pearl Porn" .

Dmitry Lazutkin

This writer combines three hypostases - a poet, a journalist and an athlete. Winner of numerous literary awards, holder of a black belt (1st dan) in kempo karate, bronze medalist of the World Cup in kickboxing and kick-jitsu, author of 8 poetry collections. Collaborates with the Kozak System group. Many fans know the song “Taka Spokusliva” based on the words of the poet. Actively speaks to the army, often travels to the East.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Petrol" , "Good songs about nasty girls" , "Chervona book" .

Les Beley

Having made his debut with poetry collections, the author attracted even more attention with the release of the novel “Little Maidens”. Love and hate in Uzhgorod." Written in a non-fiction style, the work became one of the first documentary novels in modern Ukrainian literature. And for that reason alone, it is worth reading. Further filling of this niche and the release of a joint book project with Polish reporter Lukasz Saturchak " Asymmetrical symmetry: field research on Ukrainian-Polish wines” only strengthened the writer’s position.

Les Beley is also one of the organizers of the all-Ukrainian competition of artistic reporting "Self-Widest".

THINGS WORTH READING: "Lehy maidens" yanosti. Love and hate in Uzhgorod" , "Asymmetrical symmetry: field studies of Ukrainian-Polish wines."

Alexey Chupa

The writer was born in Donetsk region, worked as a machinist at a metallurgical plant. Two years ago, because of the war, he moved to Lviv. Since then he has been actively publishing new works and going on tours.

Two of his books – “Homeless People of Donbass” and “10 Words about Vitchizna” – were included in the long list of the “BBC Book of the Year 2014” award.

THINGS WORTH READING: from prose books - "Kazki my bomb-stupidity" and a fresh novel "Cherry and I" .

Elena Gerasimyuk

Young poetess, essayist, translator, winner of several literary awards. She is quite deservedly called the poetic discovery of 2013. Debut poetry collection the author's "Deafness" will appeal to readers different generations. The poems have been translated into nine languages.

THINGS WORTH READING: poetry collection "Deafness".

Sofia Andrukhovich

At the beginning of the two thousandth she made her debut with prose books “Summer of the Millennium”, “Old People”, “Women of Their People”. In 2007, her novel “Somga” was published, which caused mixed reaction, and some critics have called it “genital literature.”

After seven years of silence, the writer published perhaps her best novel, Felix Austria. This work is a kind of map of Stanislav (Ivano-Frankivsk - author) from the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, against the backdrop of which love and other relationships unfold. The novel received the 2014 BBC Book of the Year award.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Felix Austria" .

Maxim Kidruk

During his thirty years, the writer managed to visit more than 30 countries, including Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, China, Namibia, New Zealand, etc. All these travels formed the basis of his books - “Mexican Chronicles. History the same worlds", "The Road to the Navel of the Earth" (2 volumes), "Loves and Piranhas", "Navigations in Peru" and others.

The author's works will appeal to those who dream of traveling, but never dare to hit the road. Most of the texts are written in non-fiction style and contain detailed instructions about how to get to a particular country, what to try and what to avoid.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Mexican chronicles. The history of one world" , "Travel to the Navel of the Earth" , "Love and Piranha" , "Navigation in Peru" .

Irina Tsylyk

Irina Tsilyk is a native Kiev resident. Mine creative path started in poetry and cinema. She has published 8 books and made three short films. Author of the lyrics of the song "Turn Around Alive", which is performed by the groups "Telnyuk Sisters" and "Kozak System".

Irina Tsilyk’s poetry is incredibly feminine, lyrical and sincere. However, like the writer herself.

THINGS WORTH READING: collections of poems "Tsi" And "Depth of sharpness" , as well as a book for children "THE MYSTORY OF A FRIENDSHIP" .

Yuri Vinnichuk

One of the most prolific representatives of modern Ukrainian literature, he was awarded the “Golden Writers of Ukraine” award for the number of books sold. Author of several literary hoaxes, compiler of anthologies of fantasy and fairy tales, translator. He worked as the editor of the famous newspaper "Post-Postup", where he contributed materials under the pseudonym Yuzio Observator.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Devil of the Night" , "Malva Landa" , "Spring games in autumn gardens" , "Tango of Death" .

Lyubko Deresh

During recent years the writer rarely comes up with new literary texts. And at the beginning of the two thousandth he was one of the most popular authors. He published his first novel, entitled “Cult,” at the age of eighteen. The main characters of his works are teenagers who fall in love, use hallucinogenic substances and search for themselves.

Worth reading: early works "Worship of the Lizard" , "Arche" , "Namir!" , "Trochi by drink" .

Irene Rozdobudko

The writer confidently occupies the niche of “women's literature”. Almost every year she publishes new books aimed at a wide audience. For her fertility and popularity she was awarded the “Golden Writers of Ukraine” award. The author works in various genres. Her books include detective stories, psychological thrillers, dramas, travel essay etc. Therefore, every reader looking for light reading on the road in the subway, minibus or bus will be able to find something suitable for themselves.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Gudzik" , "Ziv" or the cards are going out , "Pasture for the Firebird."

Natalya Snyadanko

In 2004, Natalya Sniadanko’s story “A Collection of Predilections, or Benefits of a Young Ukrainian Woman” was published in Poland, which immediately became a bestseller. In his texts, the author often touches on the problems of Ukrainian guest workers and the role of women in society.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Seasonal sale of blondes" , "Herbarium of Kokhants" , "Frau Müller is not prepared to pay more" .

Yuri Pokalchuk

People like him are said to be a “one-man orchestra.” The writer knew 11 foreign languages, visited 37 countries. His Ukrainian translations included works by Ernest Hemingway, Jerome Salinger, Jorge Borges, Julio Cortazar, and Jorge Amado.

In the 90s together with the group "Dead Piven" he founded music project– “The Fires of the Great Place.”

For more than twenty years, the writer has been working on the problems of juvenile delinquents, and also made a documentary about a juvenile colony called “Special Attention Zone.”

His work “Those in the Lord” is considered the first Ukrainian erotic book. Other texts by the author were written in the same spirit: “The Defense Games”, “The Beautiful Hour”, “The Anatomy of Sin”. I am sure that they will appeal to a wide audience.

THINGS WORTH READING: "Defended Games" , "Beautiful Hour" , "Anatomy of Sin" .

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Ukraine, represented in the best works of our writers, is gradually finding its way to the minds and hearts of readers all over the world. In our selection, we take it for granted that the works of our classics are known and loved by Ukrainian scholars and students of departments of Ukrainian language and literature in other countries. We don't mention writers either. Ukrainian origin who lived and worked abroad without positioning themselves as representatives Ukrainian culture: the same Joseph Conrad, who was born in Berdichev, but is known throughout the world as a British writer. Writers of the Ukrainian diaspora more than deserve a separate article. Here we tried to gather representatives of modern Ukrainian literature: authors who live and work in Ukraine, whose works are translated and published in other countries of the world.

Polish investigation into Ukrainian sex

Oksana Zabuzhko, Comora

Even if you are one of those who don’t like Zabuzhko, you cannot but agree that she is a master of modernism, a deep connoisseur Ukrainian history and a keen student of human relations. Some novels come to us exactly when we should read them: this one is about the danger of complete immersion in another person, about total love, which requires a woman to renounce herself, her talent, mission and space, her soul and destiny. The novel was published in English, Bulgarian, Dutch, Italian, German, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Swedish, Czech. Other works by Oksana Zabuzhko: “Sister, Sister”, “The Tale of the Kalinov Sopilka”, “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” are also published in translation abroad.

Perversion

Yuri Andrukhovich, “Lileya”

A completely crazy plot, and it’s clear why foreign readers liked it. Imagine a scientific symposium in Venice, the theme of which is: “Post-carnival world: what’s in store?” The Ukrainian writer Stanislav Perfetsky gets to the symposium through Munich, driven by a strange married couple: Ada Citrina and the mute Doctor Janus Maria Riesenbock. In Venice, Perfetsky, rushing for a prostitute, ends up at a sectarian worship service: representatives of migrants different nationalities worship a new deity to whom they sacrifice at the end of the ceremony big fish. And then the plot twists in such a way that Perfetsky finds its ending only on the remote island of San Michele, having finally discovered the only priest who can listen to his confession and talk to him about Ukraine. The novel was published in many languages, as was another cult work of the author, “Moscoviada”.

Mesopotamia

Sergey Zhadan, “Family Dozville Club”

"Mesopotamia" is nine stories in prose and thirty poetic clarifications. All the texts in this book are about the same environment, the characters move from one story to another, and then into poetry. Philosophical digressions, fantastic images, exquisite metaphors and specific humor - everything that is so attractive in Zhadan’s works is here. These are the stories of Babylon, retold for those interested in questions of love and death. Stories about the life of a city lying between two rivers, biographies of characters who fight for their right to be heard and understood, chronicles of street clashes and daily passions. The novel is very popular abroad.

Cult

Lyubko Deresh, “Kalvarya”

“Cult” is the first novel by Lubomir (Lyubka) Deresh. Back in 2001, the young author was 16 years old. Some people define the genre of this work as fantasy, but, be that as it may, Deresh’s novel “says hello” to such masters of gothic and fantasy as Poe, Zelazny or Lovecraft. The novel has been translated and published in Serbia, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Italy and France.

Picnic on Ice/Death of a Stranger

Andrey Kurkov, “Folio”

Kurkov is perhaps one of the most published Ukrainian writers abroad; his translations of “Picnic on Ice” were published by the best publishing houses. The book was published in English under the title Death and the Penguin. and the Penguin), and many languages have retained this option. Today the novel has been translated into five languages, including English, German, and Italian. Why did the plot interest foreign readers? Because this is a very interesting intellectual detective story. Journalist Viktor Zolotarev receives an unusual assignment from a major newspaper: to write obituaries of prominent influential people, although all of them are still alive. Gradually he realizes that he has become a participant big game shadow structures, from which getting out alive turns out to be an almost impossible task. Kurkov's works have been translated into 37 languages.

Tango of Death

Yuriy Vinnichuk, “Folio”

The novel was named the 2012 BBC Book of the Year. The novel takes place in two storylines. In the first we meet four friends: a Ukrainian, a Pole, a German and a Jew who live in pre-war Lviv. Their parents were soldiers of the UPR army and died in 1921 near the Bazaar. Young people experience all the vicissitudes of their age, but never betray their friendship. Second story line has other characters, and its action takes place not only in Lviv, but also in Turkey. Both lines intersect at unexpected ending. Vinnichuk's works were published in England, Argentina, Belarus, Canada, Germany, Poland, Serbia, USA, France, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

Difficulties

Taras Prokhasko, “Lileya”

Difficulties - who are they? Hutsuls call people who differ from others in knowledge and skills, which can benefit or harm other people. The novel is dedicated to the “alternative” history of the Carpathians, its action takes place in the period from 1913 to 1951. The Carpathians were both a very archaic environment and, paradoxically as it may sound, a very open zone of intercultural communication. This second myth, about the open Carpathians, is its alternative history. Prokhasko's works have been translated into English, German, Polish, and Russian.

Licorice Darusya

Maria Matios, “Pyramid”

Most famous novel Maria Matios, rightly called “a tragedy adequate to the history of the twentieth century,” and Darusya herself - “almost biblically" The action takes place in Bukovina, in a mountain village where Darusya and her parents live, and where the NKVD officers come after the occupation Soviet troops Western Ukraine. Now Darusya, whom her fellow villagers consider crazy and for some reason call her “sweet,” lives alone. It's the 70s outside. Darusya remembers her young and loving parents, who were “grinded” by the millstones of the regime, and sometimes reminds people living around her of the sins they committed. But a moment comes and Darusya’s life changes. The novel went through 6 reprints. “Licorice Darusya” was released in Polish, Russian, Croatian, German, Lithuanian, French, Italian.

Oko prіrvi/Chotiri romani

Valery Shevchuk, “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA”

Valery Shevchuk is a living classic. The publishing house of Ivan Malkovich has released a book with four of the author’s most famous novels, including “Tear the Eye.” The genre of this novel is a historical-mystical dystopia. Its action takes place in the distant 16th century, but the author hints, of course, at the totalitarian regime of the USSR. Shevchuk’s works have long been published in English, Polish and German.

Ostannє bazhanya

Evgenia Kononenko, “Anneta Antonenko’s show”

How do writers who lied their whole lives die? They served the regime, wrote books that no one read, although the writer’s family lived in abundance for the fees. No one will leave this life until they tell the truth. Even if a notebook with an autobiography falls into the hands of his son, having lain in a pile of unnecessary drafts for a decade and a half. Evgenia Kononenko is a wonderful author and translator of fiction. Her works have been translated into English, German, French, Croatian, Russian, Finnish, Polish, Belarusian and Japanese.

Besides the fact that Tychyna was good poet, he was also an excellent musician. These two talents were closely intertwined in his work, because in his poems he tried to create music from words. He is considered to be the only true follower of the aesthetics of symbolism in Ukraine, but literary critic Sergei Efremov noticed that Tychyna does not fit into any literary movement, because he is one of those poets who create them themselves.

However, when Ukraine officially joins the USSR, Tychina becomes a true Soviet writer, a “singer of the new day,” and descends into composing praises of the new government and lines like “Tractor in the field dir-dir-dir. We are for peace. We are for peace." He left many works for the Communist Party, but for posterity - perhaps only the first three collections: “”, “”, “In the Cosmic Orchestra”. But even if after the first of them he had not written a single line, Tychina would still have been ranked among the best Ukrainian poets.

Poet, scientist, translator, leader of Ukrainian neoclassics Nikolai Zerov in his work has always been guided by the centuries-old spiritual values and traditions of world classics - from antiquity to the 19th century. However, his poems are not an inheritance of classical texts, but a modernization of the culture of the past.

Zerov sought to recreate harmony between the individual and the surrounding world, feelings and mind, man and nature. And even in sound, his poems are distinguished by an orderly, polished form, because he used only clear classic poetic meters.

Zerov was an authority not only for his fellow neoclassicalists, but also for many other writers, including prose writers. He was the first, and after him all the others, to proclaim that it was worth destroying the primitive “Liknepov” reading material for the masses, which had filled bookshelves Soviet Ukraine, and direct our literature along the European path of development.

Heir to the ancient Polish noble family Maxim Rylsky became one of the most famous Ukrainian poets. In the fateful year 1937, he changed the apolitical course of neoclassicalism to chanting the valor of Soviet workers and peasants, thanks to which he was the only one from the “group” to survive. However, having become a propagandist, he did not stop being a poet. Unlike the same Tychyna, he continued to write subtle lyrical works dedicated to ordinary, everyday life.

However, the real creative revival of the poet occurred in the 50s, when Khrushchev's thaw. Poetry collections of this last period the lives of the poet - “”, “”, “”, “” - adequately complete his biography. They synthesize all the best from previous books. Rylsky was remembered mainly as the poet he became in his declining days - a supporter of wise simplicity and a melancholic dreamer in love with autumn.

Folk poetic images, which in all their diversity abounded in Ukrainian poetry of the Romantic era, received a new development in the 20th century in the work of Vladimir Svidzinsky. This poet turns to pre-Christian Slavic beliefs, archaic legends and myths. In the structure of his poems one can find elements magical rituals and spells, and their vocabulary is replete with archaisms and dialectisms. In the sacred world created by Svidzinsky, a person can directly communicate with the sun, earth, flower, tree, etc. As a result, his lyrical hero completely dissolves in such a dialogue with Mother Nature.

Svidzinsky’s poems are complex and incomprehensible; they should not be recited, but analyzed, looking for ancient archetypes and hidden meanings in each line.

Antonich was born in the Lemkiv region, where the local dialect is so different from Ukrainian literary language that the latter is almost not understood there. And although the poet quickly learned the language, he still did not master all its capabilities. After unsuccessful formal experiments with rhythm and alliteration in the first collection “”, he realized that he was primarily a creator of images, and not the melody of verse.

Antonich turns to pagan motifs, which are organically intertwined with Christian symbolism. However, the worldview of this “ a young child with sunshine at the kishen", as he called himself, is closer to the pantheism of Walt Whitman. He looks like a child who is just beginning to discover the world, so landscapes have not yet become familiar to him, and words have not lost their novelty and beauty.

Olzhych considered poetry to be his true calling, but was forced to work as an archaeologist to earn money for his family. His profession in a sense determined his work. Creating the poetic cycles “Flint”, “Stone”, “Bronze”, “Iron”, he introduces into Ukrainian poetry new images of Scythia, Sarmatia, Kievan Rus and not only. It sings of the distant past hidden in the rubble material culture- in jewelry, household utensils, weapons, rock paintings and patterns on ceramic products.

Olzhich was a member of the Organization Ukrainian nationalists(OUN), which also determined the vector of his creativity. He became the author of heartfelt lines appealing to the patriotic feelings of readers and calling on them to fight for the independence of Ukraine.

Elena Teliga is a civic activist, a member of the OUN, a famous poetess, who wrote only 47 poems, but even this small creative heritage has ensured her an honorable place among our best poets. In her poems, she created the image of a Ukrainian revolutionary woman. Already in her first works, she declared:

I want a stress-free look
Look at the deep darkness -
Bliskavok's fanatical eyes,
And not a month of quiet calm

Her poems are poetry of high ideological tension, in which there is a direct or veiled call to fight for Ukraine, an invitation to plunge into the shawl of mortal risk.

She believed that poetry is not just a fiction, but a weapon of influence on the souls of people, therefore each line places a huge responsibility on the one who wrote it. “If we, poets,” said Teliga, “write about courage, firmness, nobility, and with these works we ignite and ignite the danger of others, how can we not do this ourselves?” She never wavered from the principles she proclaimed, so when the time came to risk her life, she did so without hesitation. In 1941, Teliga left Poland and came to Ukraine illegally, where a year later she was lost. In her Gestapo cell, she drew a trident and wrote: “Elena Teliga sat here and is going from here to be shot.”

Pluzhnik became the most consistent representative of existentialism in Ukrainian poetry. Discarding all the realities of the surrounding reality, he focuses on the inner life, experiences and thoughts of his lyrical hero. Pluzhnik is primarily interested not in the metanarratives of his time, but in global ones philosophical questions, such as the dichotomy of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, lies and truth. He had the unique ability to express a lot in a few words: in his small, laconic poems, he reveals complex philosophical thoughts.

This poet visited almost all Ukrainian literary groups and organizations, and left them all with a scandal. He was also a member of the Communist Party, from which he was expelled several times, and once party officials even sent him to Saburov Dacha, a well-known mental hospital, for treatment. His work did not fit into any ideological parameters of Soviet Ukraine. Unlike his politicized and patriotically savvy colleagues, Sosyura always remained only the author of beautiful love lyrics. Over his long career, he published several dozen collections. If in his first books he sought to shock the reader with unusual imagist images like “ pocі grit holes like grains on the patel“, then in the latter he created simple and heartfelt poems, for example, “When you try, the daring is faster” and “Love Ukraine.”

The Futurists, these artistic revolutionaries who proclaimed the death of the old and the emergence of a completely new art, were a kind of illusionists, showmen of their time. They traveled around the cities of Eastern Europe, read their poems and found new followers. There were many Ukrainian amateur futurists, but there were only a few who wrote in Ukrainian. And the most talented poet among them was Mikhail Semenko. Despite the fact that he so vehemently denied the continuity of aesthetic principles different eras, his service to the Ukrainian poetic tradition is undeniable: he modernized our lyrics with urban themes and bold experiments with the form of verse, and also entered the annals forever Russian literature as the creator of unusual neologisms and bright, shocking images.

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Modern Ukrainian literature is created by writers of a new generation, such as: Yuri Andrukhovich, Alexander Irvanets, Yuri Izdrik, Oksana Zabuzhko, Nikolai Ryabchuk, Yuri Pokalchuk, Konstantin Moskalets, Natalka Belotserkovets, Vasily Shklyar, Evgenia Kononenko, Andrey Kurkov, Ivan Malkovich, Bohdan Zholdak, Sergey Zhadan, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky, Alexandra Barbolina and others.

Yuri Andrukhovich – one of the most famous Ukrainian cultural figures. His works are very popular not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Andrukhovych’s books and journalistic works are translated and published in many European countries.

1993: Laureate of the Blagovist literary prize

1996: Ray Lapika Award

2001: Herder Prize

2005: Received a special prize as part of the Peace Prize. Erich Maria Remarque

2006: Prize for European Understanding (Leipzig, Germany)

Western criticism identifies Andrukhovych as one of the most prominent representatives postmodernism, comparing in importance in the world literary hierarchy with Umberto Eco. His works have been translated into 8 European languages, including the novel “Perversion” published in Germany, Italy, and Poland. The book of essays was published in Austria.

Alexander Irvanets - poet, prose writer, translator. Born on January 24, 1961 in Lvov. Lived in Rivne. In 1988 he graduated from the Moscow Literary Institute. Author of 12 books, 5 of which are poetry collections. Collaborated with many periodicals. Now he has an author’s column in the magazine “Ukraine”. One of the founders of the popular Bu-Ba-Boo society, which also included Yuri Andrukhovich and Victor Neborak. A. Irvanets teaches at the Ostroh Academy. Lives in Irpen.

Yuri Izdryk

In 1989 he founded the magazine “Chetver”, which he has edited since 1992 together with Yuri Andrukhovich.

He became actively involved in artistic life in the late 1980s. He took part in many exhibitions and events, worked on the design of books and magazines, and recorded music. At the same time, the first publications appeared - a series of stories “ The Last War"and the poetic cycle "Ten Poems about the Motherland." Some of it was later published in the Warsaw magazine Belching. Acquaintance with the writer Yuri Andrukhovich, as well as the unification of young Ivano-Frankivsk authors around the magazine “Chetver” turned out to be an important factor in the formation of Izdryk as a writer. The result was the emergence from the “countercultural underground” and the first “legitimate” publication of the story “The Island of Krk” in the magazine “Suchasnist”. The story was positively assessed by critics and eventually appeared in a Polish translation in Literatura na Swiecie.

He also appears as an artist (a number of collective and personal exhibitions) and a composer (two piano concertos, musical composition“Medieval Menagerie” based on poems by Yuri Andrukhovich)

Prose: Krk Island, Wozzeck, Double Leon, AMTM, Flash.

Translations: Czeslaw Miłosz “Kindred Europe”, together with Lydia Stefanowska.

Oksana Zabuzhko – one of the few Ukrainian writers who live on royalties from the books they write. Although, a significant share of income still comes from books published abroad. Zabuzhko's works were able to win European countries, and also found their adherents in the USA, and moreover, in a number of exotic countries.

In 1985, Zabuzhko’s first collection of poems, “Travneviy іnіy,” was published.

Oksana Zabuzhko is a member of the Association of Ukrainian Writers.

In August 2006, the Korrespondent magazine included Zabuzhko among the participants in the TOP-100 “Most Influential People in Ukraine” rating; before that, in June, the writer’s book “Let my people go” topped the “Best Ukrainian Book” list, becoming the choice of the readers of Korrespondent no. 1.

Yuri Pokalchuk - writer, translator, candidate philological sciences, member of the National Union of Writers since 1976. From 1994 to 1998 - Chairman of the foreign branch of the NSPU. In 1997-2000 - President of the Association of Ukrainian Writers.

In the USSR he was the first translator of the Argentine cultural writer Jorge Luis Borges. In addition to him, he translated Hemingway, Selinger, Borges, Cortazar, Amada, Mario Vargas Llosa, Kipling, Rimbaud and many others, and wrote more than 15 fiction books.

Author of the books “Who are you?”, “First and foremost”, “Colorful melodies”, “Cava from Matagalpi”, “The Great and the Small”, “The Pattern and the Arrow”, “Chimera”, “Those on the Underside” , “Doors to...”, “Lake Wind”, “Another Week of the Month”, “Another Sky”, “Odysseus, Father Icarus”, “It Seems to Stink”, “Beautiful Hour”.
Among Pokalchuk’s most famous books are “Taxi Blues”, “The Ring Road”, “Forbidden Games”, “The Intoxicating Smell of the Jungle”, “The Kama Sutra”.

Konstantin Moskalets - poet, prose writer, literary critic, musician.

One of the founders of Bakhmachskaya literary group DAK. He served in the army, worked at a radio factory in Chernigov, was a member of the Lvov theater-studio “Don’t Jury!”, performing as a singer-songwriter own songs. Laureate of the first all-Ukrainian festival “Chervona Ruta” (1989) in the “author’s song” category. Author of the words and music of the famous song “She” in Ukraine (“Tomorrow I’ll come to your room...”). Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine (1992) and the Association of Ukrainian Writers (1997). Since 1991, he has lived in the village of Mateevka in the Tea Rose Cell, which he built with his own hands, doing exclusively literary work.

Konstantin Moskalets is the author of the poetic books “Dumas” and “Songe du vieil pelerin” (“Song of the Old Pilgrim”), “Night Shepherds of Being” and “The Symbol of the Rose”, books of prose “ Early autumn", philosophical and literary essays "Man on an Ice Floe" and "The Game Lasts", as well as books diary entries“The Cell of the Tea Rose.”

The prose of Konstantin Moskalets has been translated into English, German and Japanese; Numerous poems and essays have been translated into Serbian and Polish.

Prize winner named after. A. Beletsky (2000), named after. V. Stus (2004), named after. V. Svidzinsky (2004), named after. M. Kotsyubinsky (2005), named after. G. Skovoroda (2006).

Natalka Belotserkovets – her first book of poetry "Ballad of the Undefeated" was published in 1976 while she was still a student. Poetry collections underground fire(1984) and November(1989) became real signs of Ukrainian poetic life of the 1980s. Her careful, refined lyrics became a serious competitor to the powerful male verses of the 1980s generation. For the entire young generation of post-Chernobyl Ukraine, her poem “We Will Not Die in Paris” was a kind of prayer. Her name is often associated with this poem, although she wrote many other wonderful poems. Belotserkovets's latest book Allergy(1999) is considered the peak of her poetry.

Vasily Shklyar

One of the most famous, widely read and “mystical” modern writers, “the father of the Ukrainian bestseller.” Graduated from the philological faculties of Kyiv and Yerevan universities. While still a student, he wrote his first story “Snow” in Armenia, and in 1976 the book was already published, and he was accepted into the Writers’ Union. Armenia, of course, remained forever in his soul, it left a mark on his worldview, consciousness, feelings, because he lived in this country in his youth, at the time of his formation as a person. All his books, stories, and novels contain Armenian motifs. After graduating from university, he returned to Kyiv, worked in the press, was engaged in journalism, wrote prose and translated from Armenian language. The first translations are the stories of the classic Axel Bakunts, poems by Amo Saghyan, Vahan Davtyan, and “Hunting Stories” by Vakhtang Ananyan. From 1988 to 1998, he was engaged in political journalism and visited “hot spots.” This experience (in particular, the details of the rescue of General Dudayev’s family after his death) was then reflected by him in the novel “Elemental”. As a result of a fishing accident, he ended up in intensive care, and after “returning from the other world,” he wrote his most famous novel, “The Key,” within a month. For it, Vasily Shklyar received several literary awards (Grand Prix of the action-packed novel competition “Golden Babai”, prizes from the capital’s magazines “Modernity” and “Oligarch”, prize from the international science fiction convention “Spiral of Centuries”, etc.). Of these, his favorite is “the author whose books were most stolen from stores.” “The Key” has already gone through eight reprints, translated into several languages, published twice in Armenian, and it also contains Armenian realities. Shklyar headed the Dnepr publishing house, within the framework of which he publishes his translations-adaptations of foreign and domestic classics (“Decameron” by Boccaccio, “Taras Bulba” by M. Gogol, “Poviya” by P. Mirny) - in an abbreviated form and in modern language, without archaisms, dialectisms, etc.

About two dozen of his prose books were published, which were translated into Russian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Polish, Swedish and other languages.

Evgenia Kononenko

Writer, translator, author of more than 10 published books. Works as a researcher at the Ukrainian Center for Cultural Research. Winner of the award named after. N. Zerova for translating an anthology of French sonnets (1993). Winner of the Granoslov literary prize for a collection of poetry. Author of short stories, children's books, stories, novels and many translations. Some of Kononenko's short stories have been translated into English, German, French, Finnish, Croatian, Belarusian and Russian.

A book edition of Kononenko’s collection of short stories is being prepared in Russia.

By analogy with Balzac, who wrote “The Human Comedy” all his life, Evgenia Kononenko can be called the demiurge of the “Kyiv comedy”. But unlike the French classic, genre forms there is much less, and the means are more compact.

Andrey Kurkov (23 April 1961, Leningrad region) - Ukrainian writer, teacher, filmmaker. I started writing in high school. Graduated from the school of translators Japanese language. Worked as an editor at the Dnepr publishing house. Since 1988 member of the English Pen Club. Now he is the author of 13 novels and 5 books for children. Since the 1990s, all of Kurkov’s works in Russian in Ukraine have been published by the Folio publishing house (Kharkov). Since 2005, Kurkov’s works in Russia have been published by the Amphora publishing house (St. Petersburg). His novel “Picnic on Ice” sold 150 thousand copies in Ukraine - more than any other book modern writer Ukraine. Kurkov's books have been translated into 21 languages.

Kurkov is the only writer in the post-Soviet space whose books are in the top ten European bestsellers. In March 2008, Andrei Kurkov’s novel “The Night Milkman” was included in the “long list” of the Russian literary award “National Bestseller”. He worked as a screenwriter at the A. Dovzhenko film studio. Member of the Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine (since 1993) and the National Union of Writers (since 1994). Since 1998 - member of the European Film Academy and permanent member of the jury of the European Film Academy "Felix" award.

More than 20 feature films and documentaries have been produced based on his scripts.

Books: Don't bring me to Kengaraks, 11 extraordinary things, Bickford's world, Death of a Stranger, Picnic on Ice, Good Angel of Death, Dear Friend, Comrade of the Dead, Geography of a Single Shot, last love president, Favorite song of a cosmopolitan, The Adventures of the Nonsense Boars (children's book), School of Cat Aeronautics (children's book), The Night Milkman.

Scenarios: Exit, The Pit, Sunday Escape, A Night of Love, Champs Elysees, The Blob, Death of a Stranger, Dead Man's Buddy.

Ivan Malkovich - poet and book publisher, - author of the collections White Stone, Key, Virshi, Iz yangol on the shoulder. His poems became a symbol of the generation of the 80s (a review of the first collection of poems was written by Lina Kostenko). Malkovich is the director of the children's publishing house A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA. Publishes children's books. Known for his unshakable convictions not only regarding the quality of the book, but also the language - all books are published exclusively in Ukrainian.

One of the first in Ukraine to begin to conquer the foreign market - the rights to the books A-BA-BA were sold to leading publishing houses in ten countries, including such a giant of the book market as Alfred A. Knopf (New York, USA). And Russian translations Snow Queen and Tales of Foggy Albion, the rights to which were bought by the publishing house Azbuka (St. Petersburg), entered the top ten best-selling books in Russia.

A-BA-BA, one of the most nominated publishing houses in Ukraine. His books won the Grand Prix 22 times and took first place at the All-Ukrainian Publishers Forum in Lviv and in the Book of Fate ranking. In addition, they consistently lead in sales rankings in Ukraine.

Zholda ́ to Bogda ́ n Alekseevich (1948) - Ukrainian writer, screenwriter, playwright.

Graduated from the Faculty of Philology of Kyiv State University. T. G. Shevchenko (1972). Was the presenter of several television programs on UT-1 and channel “1 + 1” and a weekly radio broadcast on the first channel of the National Radio “Brekhi - literary meetings with Bogdan Zholdak." Works at the Ros film studio at the Ros Company JSC, teaches screenwriting skills at the Kyiv Film Faculty state institute theatrical arts them. I. Karpenko-Kary. Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine and the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine and the Kinopis association.

Books: “Spokusi”, “Yalovichina”, “Like a Dog Under a Tank”, “God Blows”, “Anticlimax”.

Sergey Zhadan - poet, prose writer, essayist, translator. Vice-President of the Association of Ukrainian Writers (since 2000). Translates poetry from German (including Paul Celan), English (including Charles Bukowski), Belarusian (including Andrei Khadanovich), Russian (including Kirill Medvedev, Danilo Davydov) languages. Own texts were translated into German, English, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russian and Armenian.

In March 2008, Zhadan’s novel “Anarchy in the UKR” in Russian translation was included in the “long list” of the Russian literary award “National Bestseller”. The nominee was a writer from St. Petersburg, Dmitry Gorchev. Also, this book was included in the short list in 2008 and received a certificate of honor in the “Book of the Year” competition at the Moscow International Book Fair.

Poetry collections: Quotation Book, General Yuda, Pepsi, Vibrations of poetry, Baladi about the war and the Great Patriotic War, History of culture from the beginning of the century, Quote Book, Maradona, Ethiopia.

Prose: Big Mak (collection of stories), Depeche Mode, Anarchy in the UKR, Anthem of Democratic Youth.

Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky - poet, publicist, local historian, public giver. In 2003, Pavel Igorevich published his first poetry collection, “Sanctuary of Fire.” This book was later reprinted several times. In 2004, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky organized and headed the Regional branch of the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers in Kherson, as well as the regional branch of the Union of Writers of the South and East of Ukraine; became editor of the poetic almanac" Milky Way". In the same year, the poet published a collection of poems, “You and Me.”

2005 – laureate of the First All-Ukrainian literary festival"Pushkin Ring" in the nomination "For the aristocracy of creativity."

2006 - laureate of the Nikolai Gumilyov International Literary Prize (awarded by the central organization of the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers). This award was awarded to the poet for his debut collection “Sanctuary of Fire”.

In 2008, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky became chairman of the jury of the All-Ukrainian independent literary award "Art-Cimmerick".

The poet is a member of the Interregional Union of Writers of Ukraine, the Union of Russian Journalists and Writers of Ukraine, and the Congress of Russian-Speaking Writers of Ukraine. His poems and articles are published in newspapers and magazines: “Moscow Bulletin”, “Bulava”, “Reflection”, “Kherson Bulletin”, “Hryvnia”, “Tavriysky Krai”, “ Russian Enlightenment" and etc.

Alexandra Barbolina

He is a member of the Interregional Union of Writers of Ukraine, the Union of Writers of the South and East of Ukraine, the Congress of Russian-Speaking Writers of Ukraine and the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers, deputy chairman of the jury of the All-Ukrainian Independent Literary Award "Art-Cimmerick".

The poetess's work is characterized by lyricism and technicality. Her collection of poems, Love Like God's Grace, published in 2000, contains the theme of intimate relationships between a man and a woman. The author touches on the deep psychology of these relationships in his poems. The artistic world of Alexandra Barbolina is full of nobility. The intimacy of the poetess’s poems suggests that for her lyrical heroine, love is like precious nectar enclosed in a cup. This cup must be carried carefully, without spilling a drop, otherwise there will not be enough nectar to quench the thirst for love.

Alexandra Barbolina’s later poems are a complex search for inner harmony, the author’s desire to comprehend his true purpose.

Alexandra Barbolina prefers poetic miniatures. Her creative credo is to write about complex things briefly and, if possible, simply.

Being a writer is a special and important job. It is very important to correctly convey your thoughts to readers. It is especially difficult to be a writer, since there is a stereotype that a writer must be a man. Women, in turn, express thoughts more vividly and expressively.

Ukrainian writers are a special flavor of Ukrainian literature. They write as they feel, while popularizing the Ukrainian language, thereby making a huge contribution to its development.

We have selected for you 11 of the most popular modern Ukrainian writers who have brought a lot of high-quality works to Ukrainian literature.

1. Irena Karpa

Experimenter, journalist and just bright personality. She is not afraid to write candid works, because in them she shows her true self.

The most popular works: “50 pieces of grass”, “Froid bi weeping”, “Good and evil”.

2. Lada Luzina

Although Lada Luzina is a Ukrainian writer, she still remains Russian-speaking. Lada Luzina also combines theater criticism and journalism with her writing activities.

The most popular works: “Collection of stories and novellas: I am a witch!”

3. Lina Kostenko

This outstanding Ukrainian writer is very for a long time was banned - her texts were not published. But her willpower was always higher, so she was able to achieve recognition and convey her thoughts to people.