PROSE, POETRY, LITERARY COMMENTARY

Sabīne Košeļeva’s short story “Going Defines the Way, or in Bed with Kafka” conjures a self-styled intellectual groupy reading Kafka in the company of the scruffy denizens of a public library.

In a segment from his latest novel Abrene 2002, Ainārs Zelčs reminisces on the fictional history of a prosperous Latvia that never went through WWII.

A poetic cri de coeur from Ieva Dāboliņa takes the form of a series of short e-mail or text messages from Latvian economic emigrants to the families they have left behind.

Ligita Levinska examines Guntis Zariņš’ (1926-1965) use of the city as a symbol of disharmony and freedom in his existentialist writings.

Literary critic Bārbala Simsone looks into imagery in the genre of Latvian horror fiction.

Rolfs Ekmanis’ segment on poet Māris Čaklais (1940-2003) covers his creative work in confrontation with Soviet censors during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

 

VISUAL ART

Art historian and exhibitions curator at the Latvian National Museum of Art, Dace Lamberga, describes 1914, an ongoing exhibit of art produced during WWI. We feature three artists from this exhibit, Jānis Siliņš, Jēkabs Kazaks, and Jāzeps Grosvalds.

Our art editor Linda Treija gives an account of the career of Signe Baumane, illustrated with three frames from her 2013 animation movie Rocks in My Pockets.

The cover design for this issue is by Haralds Norītis.

 

HISTORY, ACTUALITIES, REMEMBRANCE

Scripta manent, a section devoted to notable commentaries in the contemporary press, features professor Vents Sīlis (Dept. of Humanities, Rīga Stradiņš University) and independent journalist-essayist Sanita Upleja. Sīlis reminds us of the heroism and lasting relevance of dissident Gunārs Astra, who in 1983 faced – and suffered – death in Soviet prison for speaking the truth. Upleja warns against defeatism in the face of Russia’s sudden imperial relapse.

In his book The Power of Song: Nonviolent National Culture in the Baltic Revolution, University of Washington professor Guntis Šmidchens delivers a meticulously documented account of how singing came to be an effective tool of protest against Soviet rule in the 1980’s. In his extensive review article, Juris Šlesers finds the book worthy of study and thoughtful discussion.

Folklorist Sandis Laime gives evidence that the people of Northeastern Latvia at one time believed in distinctly different “night witches” and “village witches”.

Playwright and memorialist Uldis Siliņš, looking back with a smile on his boyhood in a refugee camp in post-war Germany, describes the administrative aspects of the camp.

Our frequent contributor in Israel, journalist Franks Gordons shares memories of his travels through Ukraine when it was part of the USSR. He makes it plain that the Russians are hypocritical in fomenting fear of Ukrainian nationalism.

The section “In a Few Words” summarizes new publications and cultural happenings and other actualities in and around Latvia, focusing especially on the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In “Kiberkambaris”, readers’ comments follow up a blog by Latvian journalist Kārlis Streips on the perversion of language evidenced in public discussion of current events, most notably in the case of Russia’s “info war” against Ukraine.

 

BOOK REVIEWS

Arnis Koroševskis reviews Māra Zālīte’s Pieci pirksti (Five Fingers), a novel of a child’s survival in the Gulag and return home.

Lāsma Ģibiete reviews Latvieši PSRS varas virsotnēs. Ilūzijas un traģēdija: 20. gadsimta 20.-30. gadi (Latvians at the Pinnacle of Power in the USSR. Illusions and Tragedy: The 1920’s and 1930’s).

Andrievs Ezergailis reviews (and pans) Māris Ruks’ Arāja komandas Lettonia (Arājs’ commando and fr. Lettonia), a book purporting to implicate a student fraternity in the crimes of Viktors Arājs during the Nazi occupation of Latvia (1941-1944).

Jūlija Dibovska reviews Pauls Bankovskis’ Es neko neatceros. Par lietu dabu (I Remember Nothing. On the Nature of Things), a novel about what our physical possessions might tell about us if they could.

Elīna Kokarēviča reviews Inta Čaklā’s Kas dzīvo vārdos (Those Who Live in Words), a collection of her essays and literary critiques.

Laura Celmiņa reviews the historical/philosophical novel Berlīne (Berlin) by Canadian writer and publisher Michael Mirolla, translated into Latvian by poet Jānis Elsbergs.

Gundars Ķeniņš Kings reviews the Journal of Baltic Studies 44/4 (December 2013).

 

 

(jž)