Andrej Kurkov Knihy

Rozvedený padesátník Sergej Sergejič si nepřeje o moc víc než pomáhat svým včelám v klidu sbírat pyl. Jenže žije na ukrajinském Donbasu, kde se už léta vleče válka s neustálou propagandou. A tak na jaře naloží včely na přívěs a putuje přes několik hraničních přechodů až na Krym… Prostá mise ve prospěch včel ho vede přes nejžhavější místa probíhajícího konfliktu. Dostává se do kontaktu s vojáky i civilisty na obou stranách bojové linie: loajalisty, separatisty, ruskými okupanty i krymskými Tatary, u nichž nakonec nachází útočiště.Navzdory tíživému tématu je román o rozvíjející se krizi na Ukrajině plný černého humoru a groteskních prvků. A kdo jiný než nejslavnější ukrajinský spisovatel – narozený v Rusku a píšící v ruštině – může osvětlit tento nepochopitelný konflikt?

První kniha světově známého autora Andreje Kurkova v českém jazyce právě vyšla. Hlavním hrdinou románu Tučňák a smrt je snílek Viktor Zolotarjov. Život v Kyjevě let devadesátých, plném zbohatlíků a městě mafie, je těžký. Bez peněz a bez přítelkyně sdílí domácnost s tučňákem Míšou - zoologická zahrada už byla zcela bez prostředků, a tak věnovala zvířata těm, kdo je mohli uživit. Viktor píše jen nedokončené romány a všechno do šuplíku. Jednoho dne se na něj však přece jen usměje štěstí - šéfredaktor známého kyjevského deníku mu nabídne stálou práci a dobře placené místo: Viktor má do zásoby připravovat nekrology o známých, bohatých a významných lidech, kteří zatím ještě nezemřeli. Jako každý autor by své texty rád viděl otištěné, ale jak se bohužel zdá, mají VIP osoby velice tuhý kořínek. Při sklence vodky si na to Viktor postěžuje jednomu příteli svého šéfa. Když pár dní poté otevře noviny, vidí, že se jeho přání vyplnilo až znepokojivě rychle…

This journal of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine is a collection of Andrey Kurkov's writings and broadcasts from Kyiv.

Set against a backdrop of nostalgia, the narrative unfolds as a joyous caper filled with playful energy. It intertwines magical elements and supernatural twists, creating a whimsical atmosphere. The story evokes a sense of bittersweet longing for a brighter past, blending humor and enchantment to engage readers in an uplifting adventure.

A vivid, moving, and sometimes humorous account of life during Russia's invasion, this work provides an uplifting and defiant perspective on the ongoing conflict. For centuries, Ukrainians have resisted efforts to erase their language, songs, and history, facing nearly 400 years of Russian aggression. Ten years after Crimea's annexation and two years into the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian people continue their fight for identity and survival. The second volume of Andrey Kurkov's war diaries chronicles the diverse experiences of Ukrainians amidst Russian hostility, detailing everything from air raid stresses and deportations to Christmas celebrations and trench candle recipes. Kurkov's human-centric view blends satire, tragedy, humor, and heartfelt emotion, offering invaluable insights into Ukraine's history, politics, and culture. This account serves as an essential primer for understanding contemporary life in Ukraine. It captures the transformation of ordinary life into something extraordinary, highlighting themes of survival, hope, and humanity. With a genial yet impassioned voice, Kurkov passionately defends Ukrainian culture against Putin's attempts at erasure, asserting that Ukraine's future hinges on its freedom and independence. His quiet hope for victory resonates throughout this compelling narrative.

Going beyond the headlines, this title gives an insight into what it's like to live through - and try to make sense of - times of intense political unrest

'Rich, authentic and entertaining' New Statesman Discover the darkly funny follow-up to cult classic Death and the Penguin Viktor - last seen in Death and the Penguin fleeing Mafia vengeance on an Antarctica-bound flight booked for Penguin Misha - seizes a heaven-sent opportunity to return to Kiev with a new identity. Clear now as to the enormity of abandoning Misha, then convalescent from a heart-transplant, Viktor determines to make amends. Viktor falls in with a Mafia boss who engages him to help in his election campaign, then introduces him to men who might further his search for Misha, said to be in a private zoo in Chechnya. What ensues is for Viktor both a quest and an odyssey of atonement, and, for the reader, an experience as rich, topical and illuminating as Death and the Penguin.

'A bittersweet work, tough and touching at the same time. Kurkov's style is spare and effective, drawing us with deceptive ease into a dense, complex world full of wonderful characters' Michael Palin A sharp, engaging satire that delves into Ukraine's history. Moscow, 2013. Bunin, the Ukrainian President, has joined other heads of state in an open air swimming pool to drink vodka and celebrate with Putin. During his rise to power Bunin has juggled with formidable and eccentric political and personal challenges. His troubles with his family and his women combine with his difficulties with corrupt businessmen and demanding international allies, but it is his recent heart transplant that worries him most. Since the operation he has started to develop freckles, and his heart donor's mysterious widow seems to have moved in with him... Spanning forty years, The President's Last Love is a hilarious satire on love, lies and life before and after the Iron Curtain.

A hugely entertaining romp through the beautiful city of Lviv, by the author of Death and the Penguin and Grey Bees, now reporting widely on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, his home country.