Ukraine Poets During War
Kateryna Kazimirova is an editor and media manager. She holds Master’s degrees in Philology (Ukrainian Language and Literature) and History of Art and a Postgraduate degree in Literary Theory. A native of Donetsk, a predominately Russian-speaking city in eastern Ukraine, Kateryna made an early choice to devote her studies to Ukrainian language, literature, and culture. Her Ph.D. program in Literary Theory was disrupted when Russian forces occupied the city in 2014. Kateryna was an active participant in the pro-Ukrainian protests in the spring of 2014, joining fellow students in acts of peaceful civil disobedience, which made it impossible for her to remain in her hometown. Kateryna was forced to become an internally displaced person, relocating to Kyiv, where she spent the last 8 years developing regional and national media. In December 2020, she launched an independent cultural project dedicated to publishing in-depth interviews with the most prominent creative Ukrainians to reveal to the world the leading voices of modern, free Ukraine - Craft Magazine. In November Kateryna published an anthology Voices of Freedom: Contemporary Writing From Ukraine (co-edited with Daryna Anaztasieva)
About the book
Voices of Freedom: Contemporary Writing From Ukraine is a collection of Ukrainian writing that aims to introduce the English-speaking world to some of the most iconic living writers whose work is shaping contemporary Ukraine. These are leading intellectuals and moral authorities for the Ukrainian people, whose voices and opinions have helped to synchronize the internal compasses of Ukrainian society in the struggle for the freedom of their country. Through poetry, short stories, and essays, this collection demonstrates that the desire for freedom and the struggle to achieve it is a theme that cuts across generations of Ukrainian writers, and is a central preoccupation of Ukrainian society.
This collection demonstrates the unique style and artistry of contemporary Ukrainian literature over the past 50 years. The curated poetry is an instant reaction to the events taking place today, which speaks directly to this current moment and the national psyche. The short stories sensitize readers to Ukraine's indivisible history and the present. These are accounts of the memory of generations, choices and transitions, self-irony, friendship, love, and the powerful significance of home. These stories and novellas represent a single continuous story showing the paths, lives, and values of the Ukrainian people who have amazed the world with their courage. The essays showcase the voices of contemporary Ukrainian intellectuals, providing analysis and reflection on what is happening in the present, showing historical connections and parallels, and shedding light on the origins and triggers of the war on the mental level.
The book project is the result of collaboration between the Ukrainian art and literary journal Craft Magazine and American publishing house 8th & Atlas Publishing.