Myrna Kostash je uznávaná autorka nebeletristické literatury, která se ve své tvorbě zaměřuje na zkoumání kulturní identity a historie. Její styl se vyznačuje hlubokým vhledem do společenských témat a pronikavou analýzou lidských zkušeností. Prostřednictvím svého psaní se snaží odhalovat složitost minulosti a její vliv na současnost. Kostash přináší do literatury jedinečný pohled, který čtenáře podněcuje k zamyšlení a obohacuje jejich porozumění světu.
Exploring the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War, the author reflects on her experiences as a writer in residence at Athabasca University. Through a self-critical lens, she examines her previous work and how her visits to Ukraine have deepened her understanding of Ukrainian Canadian identity. This essay not only addresses personal growth but also connects broader themes of culture and conflict, highlighting the evolving narrative shaped by current events.
In Ghosts in a Photograph, award-winning nonfiction writer Myrna Kostash delves into the lives of her grandparents, all of whom moved from Galicia, now present-day Ukraine, to Alberta at the turn of the twentieth century. Discovering a packet of family mementos, Kostash begins questioning what she knows about her extended families’ pasts and whose narrative is allowed to prevail in Canada.This memoir, however, is not just a personal story, but a public one of immigration, partisan allegiance, and the stark differences in how two sets of families survive in a new country: one as homesteaders, the other as working-class Edmontonians. Working within the gaps in history—including the unsolved murder in Ukraine of her great uncle—Kostash uses her remarkable acumen as a writer and researcher to craft a probable narrative to interrogate the idea of straightforward and singular-voiced pasts and the stories we tell ourselves about where we come from.Rich in detail and propelled by vital curiosity, Ghosts in a Photograph is a determined, compelling, and multifaceted family chronicle.
Period accounts and journals, histories, memoirs, songs and fictional retellings are used to provide a history of the Fur Trade Wars, with a focus on the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816.
A geographical, historical, and spiritual odyssey by a master of creative nonfiction.
Exploring the theme of first love and its lasting impact, the narrative follows a woman's infatuation with rebel heroes across diverse regions, including Canada, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean. Through her journey, she navigates the complexities of love and attraction, intertwining real-life figures with her romantic fantasies. The story delves into how these experiences shape her understanding of love and relationships.