Andrey Kurkov to publish Ukraine crisis diaries

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/14/andrei-kurkov-publish-ukraine-crisis-diaries

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Bestselling Ukrainian novelist Andrey Kurkov is preparing to publish the diaries he has kept since protests began in the country last November.

Out later this month in France and Germany, the diaries have just been acquired for UK publication by Harvill Secker, which will release an English edition in July. "He's always kept a diary, and has been asked to publish before and hasn't wanted to, but recent events have changed his mind," said editor Ellie Steel. "I don't think Harvill Secker has ever translated and published a book in such a short space of time. The situation changes daily in Ukraine, and we felt it was important to publish Andrey's diaries as soon as possible, as close to their time of writing as we can."

The diaries, said Steel, run from 21 November, the night of the first EuroMaidan rallies following the government's decision to stop European Union integration, up until the last week of April. The book will be a mix of on-the-ground commentary, Ukrainian political history, and Kurkov's personal account of living through a time of intense political unrest, said Harvill Secker.

The author, best known for the hit novel Death and the Penguin, told the Guardian that he had originally wanted to write "a book for foreign readers about Ukraine – which would help readers to get rid of traditional clichés existing about Ukraine thanks to journalists and some politicians". But while he readied his proposal for that title, Ukraine's prime minister announced that the country would not sign the association treaty with the EU, and the protests began.

"As I have written private diaries for over 35 years I carried on describing my and my family's life in the diary together with the situation in Kiev and in the country," said Kurkov. "And then I thought that this diary, together with some explanations of Ukrainian history and reality, would do better now than just a collection of essays. So on a daily basis I wrote what was happening in Ukraine, in Kiev, in our village house and Kiev flat starting from 21 November ... The events of course go on, the occupation of the Crimea and what followed is also in my daily notes. In fact every evening I was sending new texts to my translators in Berlin and Paris."

Steel said the diaries would give "unique insight" into a situation which has "shocked the world". "From his flat in the heart of Kiev, Andrey can smell the burning barricades and hear the sounds of grenades and gunshot. This is a brave book, and an important one," she said.