This Ukrainian Independence Day, we’re pleased to present a reading list of several of our Ukrainian Studies titles. From a harrowing novel from Pulitzer Prize-winning international war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov to the first English-language synthesis of the history of one of Ukraine’s most fascinating cities, these titles, among others, capture the ongoing struggle in Ukraine, examine Ukrainian history, and celebrate its rich and diverse culture. In honor of 32 years of independence, all Ukrainian Studies titles, including those here, are 32% off with the code UKRAINE until the end of the month.
The Dreamtime: A Novelby Mstyslav Chernov | Translated by Peter Leonard and Felix Helbing
“[A] book for our times—vivid enough to grab us and not let go.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A powerful psychological thriller about borderline situations in life, hopes and dreams. Written against the backdrop of the war, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the story acquires an additional passionate and humanistic significance.” — Andrey Kurkov, author of Grey Bees
Dnipro: An Entangled History of a European City by Andrii Portnov
Winner of the 2022 Ab Imperio Award for the Best Study in New Imperial History and History of Diversity in Northern Eurasia
“Portnov’s book is a most interesting and important contribution to the field of the Ukrainian studies, demonstrating the role of such multinational cities as Dnipro in the Ukrainian struggle against the Russian and Soviet empires.” — Sergei I. Zhuk, Russian Review
Cosmopolitan Spaces in Odesa: A Case Study of an Urban Context edited by Mirja Lecke & Efraim Sicher
“A rich, consistently fascinating volume that provides more than ample evidence of the fascination inspired by this city – forever intertwined, of course, with a complex welter of mythology. With use of a wide range of sources, the book is testimony to a scholarly arena that continues to attract impressive talent. ” — Steven J. Zipperstein, Stanford University
Odessa Recollected: The Port and the People by Patricia Herlihy
“It is no exaggeration to call Patricia Herlihy the pioneer of Odesa studies in the US and Western Europe. Her groundbreaking publications encouraged dozens of scholars to dig deeper into the city’s history. … This collection of essays is as diverse as it is insightful. … Reading Patricia Herlihy’s texts reminds us of her impressive scholarly legacy.” — Boris Belge, Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas
Words for War: New Poems from Ukraine edited by Oksana Maksymchuk & Max Rosochinsky | (learn more about the individual translators here)
“The translation into English by a stellar line-up of translators, several of whom were born in Ukraine, makes these poems available to a world-wide readership on linguistically neutral territory. The anthology is beautifully and professionally executed.” — Josephine von Zitzewitz, Slavic and East European Journal
“Quiet Spiders of the Hidden Soul”: Mykola (Nik) Bazhan’s Early Experimental Poetry edited by Oksana Rosenblum, Lev Fridman, and Anzhelika Khyzhnya
“One may only wish that other scholars and translators will follow the example of this brave book, in which the desire to spread awareness about the difficult poetry of a major Ukrainian writer is combined with an unusual degree of openness by a team of translators regarding their work and the many challenges that poetry translation entails.” — Alessandro Achilli, Slavic Review