Brief introduction to recent Lithuanian Literature

1. Brief introduction to recent Lithuanian Literature Asta Helsper-Balciunaite

2. Sources • Lietuviu literaturos ir tautosakos institutas: 12 best books of the year, LLTI laureate • Articles on the website 7 Meno Dienos and magazine Metai • Articles in different newspapers and magazines • Lietuviskos knygos/ Books from Lithuania http://www.booksfromlithuania.lt/old/index.php?page_id=20 • Friends

3. Genres • Novel: historical, psychological, realistic/naturalistic hybrids of, (modernist: exhausted) • Short stories • Biographies • Essays • Poetry • Plays • Relation popular and high brow fiction: turn to popular in all genres (journalisticnovel)

4. Between Western European and Soviet Literature I • R. Tamosaitis, tendencies, Euronovel: Non-dramatic, conformist politically correct Euronovel Commercial Traditional (expected from other contries) Hybrids of intellectual and popular lit.

5. Between Western European and Soviet Literature II • Soviet: romantic modernist creator, rebel • Capitalist: a writer is a planned producer of artistic production, economic laws regulate romanticism; a book is a commodity • In Lith literature: agrarian heritage mythologized peasant • Lith lit today: biographical facts are more interesting than fiction, novels that play with facts and fiction; blurring boundaries between elite and pop fiction; strong poetry; and strong drama turning into pop theater

6. Themes I • Social issues: loneliness; parents-children (raising up; adoption) (Cerniauskaite, Serelyte) • Women trafficking (Ivanauskaite) • Rethinking soviet times (Serelyte) • Reconsidering history (Sabaliauskaite, Martinkus)

7. Themes II • Emigration (B. Jonuskaite, A.Sileika, social adaptation) • Women’s issues (pregnancy, motherhood, U.Barauskaite, Z.Cepaite) • Lith lit same tendencies are noticeable: facts, biographical facts are more interesting than fiction, novels that play with facts and fiction

8. Laura Sintija Černiauskaitė • Laura SintijaČerniauskaitė (b. 1976). Prose writer, playwright. She was born in Vilnius, studied at Vilnius university the Lithuanian language and literature. In 1998-2002 she worked as a freelance publicist and journalist in various magazines. • Prizes: In 1993 competition of young philologists 1st rank diploma for the best pupil prose; in 1994 winner of a competition of the First Book organized by the Writers Union; in 2001 a winner of play competition (Liberate the Golden Foal (Išlaisvinkauksinįkumeliuką); in 2004, Liučė Skates (LiučėČiuožia) wins a first prize among 300 participators in an international play fair Theatretrefen, Berlin; in 2009 KazimierasBarenas literary award and in 2011 JurgaIvanauskaite award. In 2011 she won European union Prize for literature for her novel Breathing into Marble (Kvepavimasimarmura, 2009) • Novel Threashold of Benediktas (Benedikto slenksčiai, 2008),A Room in a Jasmin (Kambarys jazmino krūme, apysaka, apsakymas; novel Honeymoon (Medaus mėnuo, 2011) • She is a member of Lithuanian Writers‘Union since 2004 Source: http://www.euprizeliterature.eu/author/2009/laura-sintija-cerniauskaite

9. RenataŠerelytė • RenataŠerelytė (b. 1970 in Šimoniai village, Kupiškis district) is a prose writer, poetess, playwright and literary critic. In 1994 she graduated from Vilnius University majoring in Lithuanian language and linguistics. After graduation she worked with different Lithuanian periodicals.Her first collection of short stories Skinning Fish was published in 1995. She has published several other collections of short stories, two novels, a book of poetry for children, several dramas, etc. Junda’s Fate was recognized the best children’s book of the year. The novel Constellations of the Glacial Period, published in 1999, received the Žemaitė Award in the year 2000. • Her novel Melynbarzdziovaikai (The Children of Bluebeard) was among the 12 best novels of Lithuania in 2008, she also received J.Ivanauskaite award for it in 2011.Work by Šerelytė has been translated into the English, French, Swedish, Russian, Georgian and Polish and other languages. She lives in Vilnius. Source and an interview: http://www.booksfromlithuania.lt/en/node/10448

10. Vytautas Martinkus • Vytautas Martinkus (born in 1943, Jerubiskisi, Jurbarkasregion), studied at Kaunas Technology university, works at Vilnius Pedagogicaluniversity. • He has writtennovels, short storiesand essays. • He is interested in history, nationalvaluesand (national) identityquestions. • He is a winner of many literary and art prizes an awards. • His work is translated into many languages Short-stories: Šuns mazgas: apysakos (2005) Dvylikalieptu (2011) Novel: Žemaičio garlėkys: istorinis romanas (2009)

11. Kristina Sabaliauskaite • In 2008 she debuted with a historical novel Silva Rerum (published by "Baltoslankos") about the life of a noble family in 1659-1667, the period after The Deluge. It became a bestseller of multiple editions and was pronounced "a literary event" in Lithuania, critically acclaimed and recognised by historians of culture, praised for the captivating storytelling and great attention to historical detail. • In 2008 it was shortlisted by the Institute of Lithuanian Literature among the twelve most creative books. • In 2008 received the JurgaIvanauskaite literary award. • In 2009 Silva Rerum became Book of the Year in Lithuania. • In 2010 it was officially listed among the 10 most memorable Lithuanian books of the past decade. • In 2011 Silva Rerum II, the sequel about the Great Plague of 1707-1710 and the Great Northern War was published by "Baltoslankos" and became a #1 bestseller nationally with many editions. • In 2011 Silva Rerum II also became Book of the Year in Lithuania. • In 2011 Sabaliauskaitė received the "Saint Christopher" award from Vilnius' municipality for the reflections of Vilnius in literature. • In 2011 Vilnius Tourism Information Centre has introduced a literary guided tour of Vilnius Old Town following the places described in Sabaliauskaitė`s Silva Rerum Source : (Wikipedia)

12. Sigitas Parulskis • SigitasParulskis (born February 10, 1965, in Obeliai, Rokiskis) is a modern Lithuanian poet, essayist, playwright and reviewer. Studied at Vilnius university Lithuanian language and literature, has worked in journals, magazines and newspapers; today, next to writing, he lectures at Vilnius university • This author is outstanding among other Lithuanian writers for his ironic, sharp, critical, sometimes provocative writing style. • He has published many short stories on the website www.balsas.lt. They were produced as a book named Sraigėsubeisbololazda and got the nomination of the Best adult book in 2007. • His works are translated into Russian, English, Latvian, Finnish, Polish, Czech, French, German, Greek, Swedish and other languages. • He has been awarded with all main Lithuanian literature prizes. In 2004 he became the laureate of National culture and art award.

13. Translations