Oksana Zabuzhko

Serhiy Zhadan

Halyna Kruk

Volodymyr Rafeyenko

Taras Prokhasko

Ivan Malkovych

Stanislav Aseyev

Ihor Kalynets

Yuri Izdryk

Yuri Andruhovych

Ivan Andrusiak

Lyubko Deresh

Pavlo Korobchuk

Borys Khersonsky

Kostiantyn Moskalets

Svitlana Povalyaeva

Andriy Bondar

Tamara Duda

Lyuba Yakimchuk

Oleksiy Chupa

Iya Kiva

Olaf Clemensen

Olena Herasymyuk

Yuliya Musakovska

Olena Stiazhkina

Oksana Lutsyshyna

Vasyl Makhno

Voices of Freedom: Contemporary Writing From Ukraine is a collection of Ukrainian writing that aims to introduce the English-speaking world to some of the most iconic as well as emerging living writers whose work is shaping contemporary Ukraine. These are leading intellectuals and moral authorities for the Ukrainian people, whose voices and opinions have helped to synchronize the internal compasses of Ukrainian society in the struggle for the freedom of their country. Through poetry, short stories, and essays, this collection demonstrates that the desire for freedom and the struggle to achieve it is a theme that cuts across generations of Ukrainian writers and is a central preoccupation of Ukrainian society.This collection demonstrates the unique style and artistry of contemporary Ukrainian literature over the past 50 years. The curated poetry is an instant reaction to the events taking place today, which speaks directly to this current moment and the national psyche. The short stories sensitize readers to Ukraine's indivisible history and the present. These are accounts of the memory of generations, choices and transitions, self-irony, friendship, love, and the powerful significance of home. The essays showcase the voices of contemporary Ukrainian intellectuals, providing analysis and reflection on what is happening in the present, showing historical connections and parallels, and shedding light on the origins and triggers of war on a mental level.The collection that follows is the story of Ukraine, in the voice of Ukrainians.

Contemporary Writing From Ukraine

Voices of Freedom

Ivan and Phoebe spotlights the uproarious generation that led the Ukrainian independence movement of 1990; from subjugation to revolution to post-Soviet rule, it investigates the difficulties and absurdities of societal change and the families that change with it. Ivan and Phoebe chronicles the lives of several young people involved in the Ukranian student protests of the 1990’s, otherwise known as the Revolution On Granite or the “First Maidan.” The story bounces between politically charged cities like Kyiv and Lviv, and protagonist Ivan’s small, traditional hometown of Uzhgorod. As characters come to exercise their rights to free speech and protest, they must also re-evaluate the norms of marriage, family, and home life. While these initially appear to be spaces of peace and harmony, they are soon revealed to be hotbeds of conflict and multigenerational trauma. Married couple Ivan and Phoebe grapple with questions about family, trauma, and independence. Although Ivan tells the story, Phoebe’s voice rings through the text as she divulges her own traumas through poetic monologues. The two reflect on the traumatic aftermath of revolution: torture at the hands of the KGB and each other. While Ivan refuses to talk about his pain, Phoebe describes her past through poetic monologues. Lutsyshyna’s poetic form allows her to experiment with characterization and genre, creating her own category. Through her characters’ vivid voices, Lutsyshyna creates a his- and her-story of Ukraine: a panoramic view of post-Soviet society and family life through social, political, and economic crises.

Ivan and Phoebe

Oksana Lutsyshyna

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