Set in the Stalinist era, when Lithuania�s farmers lost everything � their villages, their land, and even their way of life � to the process of collectivisation, this book documents the life of the village idiot/anarchistic trickster Kukutis. Incapable of understanding or following the laws and rules of the totalitarian regime, and knowing nothing of strictures or borders, he says and does what he likes, thus becoming a potent symbol of freedom until the downfall of communism in Lithuania. Together these poems form a ...
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Set in the Stalinist era, when Lithuania�s farmers lost everything � their villages, their land, and even their way of life � to the process of collectivisation, this book documents the life of the village idiot/anarchistic trickster Kukutis. Incapable of understanding or following the laws and rules of the totalitarian regime, and knowing nothing of strictures or borders, he says and does what he likes, thus becoming a potent symbol of freedom until the downfall of communism in Lithuania. Together these poems form a black comic riposte to the horrors of occupation and totalitarian rule. "It is of the essence of the trickster that he is playful and seems to be talking - whispering, acting - about something else, and that this something else has an innocence about it, a lack of central concern. No politics here! It worked, we are told; of the few books that got through the layers of official censorship, this one - or in its separate publications - did." Stride "To describe these poems as ballads is not to say they are written in regular verse or have recourse to narrative structures punctuated by refrains, but they nonetheless penetrated the consciousness of the people of Lithuania to the extent that they were chanted by crowds demonstrating as the Soviet grip on the country was released. Kukutis is clearly of those characters who escape from their creator and belong to all." The Warwick Review Marcelijus Martinaitis, author of fifteen collections of poetry and five collections of essays, was born in 1936 in western Lithuania. After an education disrupted by first Soviet then Nazi occupation, he graduated from Vilnius University and worked as a journalist, editor and university tutor until he retired in 2002. In 1998 he received the Lithuanian National Award in Literature, the highest honour bestowed upon a Lithuanian writer. During the late 80s and early 90s, he actively participated in Lithuania�s struggle to regain its independence from the Soviet Union. Laima Vince is a graduate in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Her other translations include Martinaitis�s poetry collection K.B. The Suspect (2009). This book is also available as an ebook: buy it from Amazon here.
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New. Arc Translation Classics (obsolete) . In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Audiobook. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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New. Set in the Stalinist era, when Lithuania's farmers lost everything to the process of collectivization, this book documents the life of the village idiot / trickster Kukutis. Unable to comprehend the strictures of the totalitarian regime, he says and does what he likes and is a potent symbol of freedom until the downfall of communism in Lithuania. Translator(s): Vince, Laima. Series: Arc Translation Classics. Num Pages: 160 pages, black & white illustrations. BIC Classification: DCF. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 217 x 141 x 12. Weight in Grams: 222. 2011. Paperback.....We ship daily from our Bookshop.
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Seller's Description:
New. Arc Translation Classics (obsolete) . In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.