Latest news with #PenguinBooks
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wondering where to start with Dostoevsky? Try his Ukrainian contemporaries instead
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a growing debate has emerged over the cultural and political legacy of Russian literature — particularly the global reverence for classic Russian authors, which critics argue has long served to promote the imperial narratives embedded in their work. As Ukrainian author Oksana Zabuzhko wrote in the Times Literary Supplement in 2022, their works of literature are 'the camouflage net' for Russian tanks in Ukraine. Among the most famous classic Russian authors is 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881). More than a century after his death, Dostoevsky remains a dominant figure in the world literary canon, his name recognized even by those who have never read his work. This April, Penguin Books reissued an English-language edition of his short story 'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man,' while his novella 'White Nights' continues to enjoy popularity among online literary communities. Defenders of Dostoevsky maintain that his writing transcends politics, focusing on existential and psychological themes. They argue that interpreting his work through a nationalist or imperialist lens oversimplifies the complexity of his ideas. But many scholars and commentators point to Dostoevsky's spiritual vision of Russia's destiny — a vision that portrays the country as a moral, unifying force against a 'decaying' West that was, at the time, heading toward the Gilded Age. They draw parallels between this worldview and that of contemporary Russian ideologues like Alexander Dugin, who frame Russian aggression in near-religious terms. As the war continues, it remains to be seen whether Russia's literary past can be disentangled from its politics. Rather than calling for a boycott of Russian authors, the Kyiv Independent wants to raise a more illuminating question: Why do so few English-language readers know the Ukrainian authors who were the contemporaries of Dostoevsky? The lack of global recognition for Ukraine's classic writers is not coincidental. It reflects a legacy of imperial domination, during which the Russian Empire frequently suppressed the Ukrainian language and culture, the same empire that Dostoevsky often praised in his writings. Some of the most influential voices in the history of Ukrainian literature were active during the same period as Dostoevsky. Others who came just before him, like Mykola Gogol, are known worldwide but have long been misclassified as 'Russian.' Literary figures such as Lesia Ukrainka and Ivan Franko, who came to the literary scene just after Dostoevsky's time, are now reemerging in English translation — their essential works poised to resonate with a global audience, just as they once did across the European intellectual landscape. Although there is no evidence that Dostoevsky knew his Ukrainian contemporaries, they did interact with some other famous Russian authors. Below is a brief overview of three Ukrainian authors of the 19th century and the themes that shaped their work. The purpose of this list is not to outright dismiss Russian literature, but rather to remind people of the selective nature of the global literary canon, and to draw attention to the Ukrainian voices that have long been overlooked or marginalized. Born a serf, Ukrainian national icon Taras Shevchenko gained his freedom thanks to his artistic talent. But liberation did not end his struggle — instead, it sharpened his focus on the plight of his people under Russian imperial rule. A pioneer of ethnographic art and literature, Shevchenko used both pen and brush to document the everyday lives of Ukrainians, casting a critical eye on their subjugation and the erasure of their culture. Published in 1840, 'Kobzar' is widely regarded as Taras Shevchenko's defining work. The collection takes its name from traditional Ukrainian musicians who sang of Cossack heroism while playing the kobza, a stringed instrument. The poems reflect on the cultural and political struggles of Ukraine under Russian rule. In 'To Kvitka-Osnovianenko,' Shevchenko pays tribute to the writer Hryhorii Kvitka-Osnovianenko, an early advocate of Ukrainian as a literary language, and mourns the destruction of the Zaporizhzhian Sich, the Cossacks' last stronghold, in the 18th century. Another poem, 'Kateryna,' tells the story of a young Ukrainian woman seduced and abandoned by a Russian imperial soldier, highlighting the personal toll of imperial domination. Shevchenko was deeply influenced by ideas of national identity, language, and self-determination — views that drew the ire of the tsarist authorities. He was arrested in 1847 and exiled to military service in a remote part of Kazakhstan. According to historical accounts, Tsar Nicholas I reportedly ordered that Shevchenko be restricted from writing or painting. However, Shevchenko still managed to create art and later returned briefly to Ukraine before his death. Read also: Looking to read Ukraine-related books? We picked the best of 2024 Kulish's politics were somewhat complex, perhaps even contradictory to some. In his early years, he was affiliated with the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius, a short-lived secret political society that existed between 1845 and 1847. The group championed the federalization of the Russian Empire, a Ukrainian language and culture revival, and the abolition of serfdom, among other initiatives. Over time, however, Kulish's stance diverged from mainstream Ukrainian thought, particularly as he advocated for the preservation of a distinct Ukrainian culture while simultaneously supporting a political union with Russia. This position ultimately led to his marginalization in many Ukrainian intellectual circles, both in Russian-controlled Ukraine and the parts of Ukraine under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Despite this, Kulish continues to be respected and read by many Ukrainians today for his literary achievements. His novel 'The Black Council' (1857) is considered the first historical novel in Ukrainian literature. Set against the backdrop of the Ruin — the tumultuous period following the death of Cossack Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi in 1657 — it delves into the power struggles that ensued. The novel draws inspiration from the Black Council of 1663, a pivotal gathering in Nizhyn in modern-day Chernihiv Oblast, where nobles and commoners alike converged to elect a new hetman for left-bank Ukraine. The novel not only captures the fierce internal conflicts among Cossack leaders but also explores the deep social rifts that defined one of Ukraine's most fractured and tragic eras. Excerpts of the novel have been translated online. However, a full publication of the book in English translation has yet to materialize. Among Ukraine's most talented female writers was Marko Vovchok, whose 'Folk Stories' was published in 1857, shortly after the ascension of Tsar Alexander II, initially seen as a reform-minded ruler compared to his father, Nicholas I. However, while the serfs were liberated under his rule in 1861, it could be argued that the liberal period of his rule, at least for Ukrainians, was short-lived: a decree in 1863 banned Ukrainian-language publications, followed by the stricter Ems Ukaz of 1876. Vovchok's collection gained even greater significance in this repressive climate. Focused on the suffering of Ukrainian peasants — especially women — under serfdom, the stories were informed by her early work assisting her husband's ethnographic research. She gathered material directly from villagers, preserving oral traditions. Russian writer Ivan Turgenev translated the stories into Russian, sparking additional debate in literary circles over the realities of serfdom. Shevchenko is said to have recommended her work to Turgenev, declaring her 'the most powerful in our language.' In the short story 'The Cossack Girl' from the collection, Olesia, a free woman, falls in love with a serf and chooses to marry him, ultimately sacrificing her freedom. Her family warns her that marrying a serf will disgrace their village and its Cossack heritage, even suggesting that she might as well 'drown herself.' Olesia insists that love is more important than social status. The marriage, however, proves disastrous, with Olesia, her husband, and their children enduring significant hardship. Under empire, happy endings are a rarity — if they exist at all. Hi, this is Kate Tsurkan, thank you for reading this article. Here at the Kyiv Independent, we don't put stories behind a paywall, because we believe the world needs to know the truth of Russia's war. To fund our reporting, we rely on our community of over 18,000 members from around the world, most of whom give just $5 a month. We're aiming to reach 20,000 soon — join our community and help us reach this goal. Read also: 10 authors shaping contemporary Ukrainian literature We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
News24
26-05-2025
- News24
Enjoy a fusion of flavours in these dishes with a classically South African twist
TV personality Warren Mendes takes us on a trip through South Africa as he whips up delicious dishes inspired by chefs from across the country. Peri-peri seafood curry Opt for local seafood but if not, frozen works just as well. Spinach tart with yoghurt and cheddar crust Spinach, it has a deep, earthy flavour and is plentiful around the country. Lamb samoosa pie Turn this South African snack into the main event as a pie? Cheesy mielie bread with tomato and chilli butter This loaf makes for a great snack or side to a meal. The perfect balance between sweet, sour and salty. Melt in your mouth nutty goodness. This is an edited extract from food trail South Africa by Warren Mendes. Published by Penguin books. Pictures: Toby Murphy.
Budapest Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Budapest Times
Black author committed to damning the black experience
Readers of this Books section should be well acquainted with Chester Bomar Himes, the black American writer (1909-1984) best known for his hard-boiled but wry Harlem Detectives series, all eight of which, and a couple of his others, we have featured as they were republished in the past four years. Now here are eight of his short stories, perhaps some of them written from prison, in a slim volume that is one of a whopping 90 new books selected from the Penguin Random House archive. The 90 are to celebrate the 90th anniversary of what is now the largest book publisher in the United Kingdom. It was in 1935 that Allen Lane (1902-1970) together with his brothers Richard and John founded Penguin Books to bring high-quality paperback fiction and non-fiction to the mass market. The simple idea was that quality literature shouldn't cost more than a packet of cigarettes. Publishers and booksellers were sceptical at first but within a year Penguin had caused a revolution in the industry, with three million sold. The Himes book is typical of the 90, it being a short 142-page selection and thus selling at a reduced UK price of £5.99 compared with a normal paperback for £9.99-16.99. The eight stories come from 'The Collected Stories of Chester Himes' that was originally published in 1990 and contained a fulsome 60 tales spanning some four decades of his writing. Like the other 89 archive titles, 'All God's Chillun Got Pride' has a simple but striking cover, which draws on Penguin's design heritage. The new series uses only one colour, and that colour is red foil, otherwise known as the colour of passion, the idea being that this is intended as a love letter from the publisher for the birthday. The red foil lettering is stamped onto naked white covers, showing the story, author and the year when the author was first published as a Penguin. In Himes' case, he has been 'A Penguin since 1974'. Otherwise, no further details are given about the contents, which is a pity. It would have been nice to know when Himes wrote his eight stories and where they were first published, because he, of course, started writing at the Ohio State Penitentiary after committing armed robbery and being arrested while attempting to pawn the stolen jewellery in Chicago. It was 1929 and he was 19 years old. The court gave him the maximum 25 years in prison but he was released on parole in 1936. Biographers say that while incarcerated he bought a Remington typewriter and began tapping out stories. These were sent to magazines and the like, and his work was published in the Pittsburgh Courier, Bronzeman, Atlanta Daily World, Abbott's Monthly and Esquire. A victim of racism himself, Himes used his writing career to concern himself with black protagonists doomed by white racism and self-hate. This set of eight tales opens with 'Headwaiter', which we think was first published in Opportunity, Journal of Negro Life in 1937. The story explores the necessarily repressed feelings of a black headwaiter, Dick Small, who has held the postion at the Park Manor Hotel for 20 years and must defer to an exclusively white clientele while overseeing an equally exclusively black waiting staff. These waiters have a Negroid langour that bespeaks liberal tips. Small is reminded of the negro of Mark Twain legend who said he didn't want to make a dime 'cause he had a dime. One diner observes that 'all a nigger needs is something to eat and someplace to sleep'. The diner knows because he's got a plantation of them. A busboy, shouted at by a lady diner, 'jumped a full yard backward, his nostrils flaring like a winded horse's and his eyes white-rimmed in his black face'. 'Lunching at the Rtizmore' is a satirical story about a student bet that will supposedly disprove the existence of racism in Los Angeles. Consternation ensues as the city's down-and-outs tag along to see whether a negro will be allowed to eat in restaurants, ultimately at the Ritzmore, the swankiest of West Coast hotels. How is the bet resolved? It doesn't matter really. It's all rather tongue-in-cheek from Himes. What racism? The titular short story, 'All God's Chillun Got Pride', is a brilliantly powerful and relentless summation of the daily fear and humiliation that a 'black beast', a nigger, goes through in white America. The man, Keith Richards, known as 'Dick', keeps up a bold front but he's afraid that one day he will crack, and that will be his doom. 'So each day, of a necessity, in order to live and breathe, he did as many of these things of which he was scared to do as he could do short of self-destruction. He did them to prove he wasn't scared so the next day he would be able to get up and live and breathe and go down to the library and work as a research assistant with a group of white people.' 'Pork Chop Paradise' has writing almost as strong, in which an illiterate black man, a convicted rapist, comes to be called God by black and white men and women, duped into fake faith by his messianic messaging and because, for a while, he is able to assuage their hunger. Pavements turned into pork chops? Here is a denunciation of phoney religious cults. Finally, 'God' is brought to grief by falling to his own suppressed human desires, especially sex, losing his head with a blinding lust for Cleo, 'a high-yellah gal… from down Harlem way, and she sent him to the dogs. Sent him to the dogs'. The opening pages of 'Friends' are a bit difficult to follow – the alligators – until we reach a murder that is difficult to read, because the bloody and horrific account is so chillingly recounted. It is harrowing. The rapist accidentally cuts off his penis to free it from the corpse with a butcher knife. Phew. In 'His Last Day', cop killer 'Spats' Wilson is on Death Row and hours away from the big chair. He's determined not to give way to fear, to go to his destiny with a smile on his face, though mainly for the benefit of his fellow inmates and the newspaper coverage. Deep down he is desperate for a reprieve, which never comes, and he is scared. He rejects the preacher who wants him to make peace with God. He just about manages to carry off his final minutes with bravado, but take at look at his eyes and see his true feelings. (Written in prison and Himes' first published short story, in Abbott's Monthly in 1933.) In 'The Snake', the search for a rattlesnake that has invaded a woman's home leads to the discovery of her missing husband in a grave under the floorboards. (Esquire published this on October 1, 1959.) Black America needed, and probably still does – Black Lives Matter – the perspective of a person such as Himes. As he mentions here, didn't (Founding Father, United States President and slave owner) Thomas Jefferson write that 'All men are created equal'? Not in Himes' telling of the black experience. 'They don't hang Negoes in the north; they have other and more subtle ways of killing them,' he writes. But when you shear away the falseness of tradition and ideology, who can tell the black from the white? Let's hope that 'All God's Chillun Got Pride', which is in effect a sampler, generates enough interest to allow 'The Collected Stories of Chester Himes' to see the light again.
RNZ News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Sir Bob Jones' death 'huge loss for New Zealand', Prime Minister says
Sir Bob Jones has died aged 85. Photo: Penguin Books New Zealand Sir Bob Jones is being remembered for his intellect, humour and as a complex character in tributes following his death. The businessman and politician died in his home at the age of 85, the general manager of Robert Jones Holdings confirmed on Friday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Sir Bob was "a living legend of New Zealand". "To think, a guy who started off in a state house became one of our most successful business leaders, had an interlude and had a massive impact on a 1984 election with the New Zealand Party. "He had just an acerbic wit and just a very, very quick and clever and highly intelligent man, so he's a huge loss for New Zealand and I really just wish him and his family nothing but the very, very best from all of us in New Zealand. "He was just someone I admired hugely, because I came through a period in time where he was really at the forefront of New Zealand business in the late '80s and as a young kid learning economics and accounting, he was one of our sort of great business leaders, going off and doing quite bold things." He said he had read some of Sir Bob's books, and recommended people read Wowser Whacking and Letters . ️ Sir Bob Jones has died. A provocateur for liberty, a generous supporter of the Taxpayers' Union, and the man behind some of Wellington's finest quirks — from the 'Save the krill, kill the whales' billboard to the 'Toilet in 100m' signs pointing dutifully toward Parliament. He… On social media the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union posted "Rest in mischief, Sir Bob" saying New Zealand was duller without him. Sir Bob "championed free speech, smaller government, and good humour in public life", as well as being "a generous supporter of the Taxpayers' Union", it said. ACT Party leader David Seymour posted "RIP Sir Bob. The world is a duller place without you". Blogger, pollster and political commentator David Farrar told RNZ's Afternoons he began reading Sir Bob's books when he was at school and thought they were hilarious. "His book on travel in India, his books of letters where he would have a 18 month letter exchange with the secretary of transport over various parking or speeding tickets etc. He didn't dislike anyone in life except possibly traffic officers." Sir Bob was known as an author, a businessman and as one of former prime minister Sir Robert Muldoon's greatest supporters. Farrar said he met Sir Bob in person in 2005 when fighting the Electoral Finance Bill in an attempt to get him to reform the New Zealand Party on a one issue policy to get rid of the proposed law. Sir Bob's stamina was incredible, Farrar said, and he would still be happily telling stories late into the night when those around him were flagging. Farrar said after that he got to know Sir Bob quite well and set up a blog for him about eight years ago which allowed him to publish his thoughts himself as he said Sir Bob often got annoyed that the media were trying to censor his columns. Sir Bob gave money to causes and helped fund about 150 refugee girls to go to university, Farrar said. Some of the letters that were in books that he wrote in the 1980s were about people who were asking him for money, he said. Usually he would say no to with humour. "But sometimes you know, he had had these nuns write to him and he would tease the nuns for weeks and months mercilessly about their belief in God etc. But he'd then also say 'well yup send me the bill, I'll cover it'." Sir Bob was a complex character who really liked to push people, Farrar said. But Farrar said he did not believe it was done with cruelty. "He had this huge irreverence for everything and he actually liked to offend people." His support for Sir Robert Muldoon did not last. "He was great mates with Muldoon and then he turned on him on policy reasons and he helped get Muldoon out of office, [Sir Bob's] New Zealand Party didn't get in to Parliament but won 12 percent of the vote, and Muldoon and Bob Jones pretty much hated each other after that." By the time Sir Robert left Parliament no one wanted to organise anything for him as he was seen as a relic of the past, Farrar said. But Farrar said despite the acrimony between the two men it was Sir Bob who "organised a surprise party for Muldoon with a who's who of New Zealand there" because Sir Bob did not think it was right that someone who had given their life to politics should fail to be recognised. Despite never being in Parliament Sir Bob Jones had an impact on the political landscape, Farrar said. He said the New Zealand Party was "unashamedly free market liberal democracy", but Sir Bob was also a pacifist and saw defence spending as a waste of time. The one thing that could sum up Sir Bob Jones was his sense of humour, Farrar said. One of the first books Sir Bob published was in 1973, a book called The First 12 Months, A Study of the Achievements of the Third Labour Government. "It was 100 blank pages, beautifully bound though," Farrar said. Broadcaster Anna Thomas posted one of her memories regarding Sir Bob Jones on Facebook. Photo: Supplied / Screenshot Broadcaster Anna Thomas posted one of her memories regarding Sir Bob Jones on Facebook. Broadcaster Anna Thomas also remembers Sir Bob's sense of humour. In a social media post Thomas said she was probably the only journalist to punch Sir Bob in the face - making reference to the infamous incident where Sir Bob punched journalist Rod Vaughan . Thomas said she was asked to film Sir Bob giving Vaughan a message for his 50th birthday saying the pair had not spoken since the infamous event. Sir Bob came up "with the bright idea that I should punch him, as payback on Rod's behalf", she said. So armed with fake blood, she knocked at his door and did just that. "He was a natural actor, got fake blood down his face and shirt, and apparently the message went down a treat at Rod's birthday party. They became friends after that," Thomas said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Please stop': Nagi Maehashi makes surprising statement amid ongoing Brooke Bellamy drama
Australian cook Nagi Maehashi has taken to social media to make a surprising statement amid her public dispute with baker Brooke Bellamy and publisher Penguin. Earlier this week, Maehashi sparked controversy online after she accused Bellamy of copying two recipes – one for caramel slice, one for baklava – in her best-selling book. Sally McKenney, a famed US baker who blogs under @sallysbakeblog and boasts 1 million followers on Instagram, then claimed that a cake recipe from a book she had published in 2019 was remarkably similar to a recipe used by Bellamy in Bakes with Brooki – a cookbook that has since racked up an estimated $4.6 million in sales. Bellamy, who has denied the claims from both Maehashi and McKenney, hasn't been seen in public since the accusations were made, and has faced backlash on social media. In an impassioned message to followers on Thursday evening, Maehashi addressed social media trolls and urged them to stop 'personal attacks' on Bellamy. 'Please stop the trolling,' she said on Instagram. 'Now I've made serious allegations. But that does not justify the personal attacks that I've seen online against Brooke Bellamy. I do not support it. I'm asking you to stop.' She said that she wants her followers to be nothing but 'respectful' toward Bellamy, regardless of their ongoing disagreement. 'I know that this is just a small percentage and I now the majority of people are normal people. Share your opinions, have heated opinions, support Brookey, support me, do whatever you want. But keep it respectively. No trolling, no hateful comments. This is a business dispute. These are allegations I have made against Penguin, made by my company. We've got to be respectful about this.' Maehashi's public statement comes just a day after Bellamy addressed the 'attacks' she had faced on social media in recent days. 'The past 24 hours have been extremely overwhelming,' said the star in a statement on Wednesday. 'I have had media outside my home and business, and have been attacked online. It has been deeply distressing for my colleagues and my young family.' Bellamy and her publishing house, Penguin Books, have vehemently denied Maehashi's claims. In her original statement earlier this week, Bellamy said that going forward the two recipes Maehashi called out would be pulled from its future reprints. 'On March 2020, RecipeTin Eats published a recipe for caramel slice. It uses the same ingredients as my recipe, which I have been making and selling since four years prior,' Bellamy wrote in a statement on Instagram. 'I immediately offered to remove both recipes from future reprints to prevent further aggravation, which was communicated to Nagi swiftly through discussions. 'I have great respect for Nagi and what she has done for cooks content creators and cookbooks in Australia.'
