Opovidannia = Story

Zahrava, 1946. Illustrated wrappers. 14.5 x 10.5 cm. 102 pages: illustrations. Text in Ukrainian. Edited by V. Slavko. Cover design by Vadim Volodymyrovych Dobrolizh (1913-1973) - a Ukrainian-Canadian artist known for his work as a painter and decorator. A slightly worn copy.<br /> <br /> This collection features stories from three prominent Ukrainian post-Soviet writers. Written during the 1930s, the early years of Bolshevik rule in Ukraine, these stories reflect the distinctive styles and themes of each author.<br /> <br /> After the end of the so-called war communism, the beginning of the NEP (new economic policy) in Ukraine witnessed a rapid development in Ukrainian culture, particularly in literature. During this period, numerous talented novelists and poets emerged on the literary scene, showcasing the immense talent of the Ukrainian people through their prolific works. Among the notable writers of this era were Mykola Khvylovy, Hryhorii Kosynka, Mykhailo Ivchenko,Valerian Pidmohylny, Oleksa Slisarenko, Yurii Smolych, Maik Yohansen, Volodymyr Gzhytsky, Yurii Yanovsky, and many others. Their literary creations were marked by restlessness and a quest for new forms and expressions. However, writers during this time often faced strict ideological constraints, compelled to glorify the existing regime and extol the "achievements of the revolution."<br /> <br /> Mykola Khvylovy (1893-1933), known by various pseudonyms like "Yuliya Umanets" and "Stefan Karol," was a Ukrainian novelist, poet, and political activist. He played a significant role in shaping post-revolutionary Ukrainian prose and was a key figure in the Ukrainian Renaissance (1920-1930). Khvylovy's advocacy for breaking away from Moscow's influence in Ukraine is encapsulated in the slogan "Get away from Moscow!" His literary contributions and political activism left a profound mark on Ukrainian literature and culture.<br /> <br /> Hryhorii Kosynka (pseudonym Hryhorii Strilets, 1899-1934), was a prolific Ukrainian writer associated with several writers' groups in Kyiv. His literary career began in 1919, and he authored around 20 collections of stories, with notable works such as "Against the Golden Gods" (1922) and "In the Wheat Fields" (1926). Kosynka's stories vividly portrayed the complex social and political dynamics among the Ukrainian peasantry during the revolutionary period of 1917-1921. Tragically, he was arrested during the Stalinist era, falsely charged, and executed by a military tribunal, but he was posthumously rehabilitated after Stalin's death. <br /> <br /> Oleksa Slisarenko (pseudonym Oleksa Snisar, 1891-1937), was a Ukrainian poet and prose writer. His literary journey took him through various movements, but he's best known for his association with Ukrainian symbolists and Panfuturists. Slisarenko began as a poet, influenced by figures like Pavlo Tychyna and Konstantin Balmont, and later transitioned to prose writing. He authored over 20 collections of crime-adventure stories, often set against the backdrop of revolutionary events in 1917. His protagonists were antiheroes grappling with the chaos of the era. Tragically, Slisarenko fell victim to Stalin's regime, arrested in 1934 and executed in 1937.