Brief introduction to recent
Lithuanian Literature
Asta Helsper-Balciunaite
Sources
• Lietuviu literaturos ir tautosakos institutas: 12
best books of the year, LLTI laureate
• Articles on the website 7 Meno Dienos and
magazine Metai
• Articles in different newspapers and magazines
• Lietuviskos knygos/ Books from Lithuania
http://www.booksfromlithuania.lt/old/index.php
?page_id=20
• Friends
Genres
• Novel: historical, psychological,
realistic/naturalistic hybrids of, (modernist:
exhausted)
• Short stories
• Biographies
• Essays
• Poetry
• Plays
• Relation popular and high brow fiction: turn to
popular in all genres (journalistic novel)
Between Western European and
Soviet Literature I
• R. Tamosaitis, tendencies, Euronovel:
Non-dramatic, conformist politically correct
Euronovel
Commercial
Traditional (expected from other contries)
Hybrids of intellectual and popular lit.
Between Western European and
Soviet Literature II
• Soviet: romantic modernist creator, rebel
• Capitalist: a writer is a planned producer of
artistic production, economic laws regulate
romanticism; a book is a commodity
• In Lith literature: agrarian heritage mythologized
peasant
• Lith lit today: biographical facts are more
interesting than fiction, novels that play with
facts and fiction; blurring boundaries between
elite and pop fiction; strong poetry; and strong
drama turning into pop theater
Themes I
• Social issues: loneliness; parents-children
(raising up; adoption) (Cerniauskaite, Serelyte)
• Women trafficking (Ivanauskaite)
• Rethinking soviet times (Serelyte)
• Reconsidering history (Sabaliauskaite,
Martinkus)
Themes II
• Emigration (B. Jonuskaite, A.Sileika, social
adaptation)
• Women’s issues (pregnancy, motherhood,
U.Barauskaite, Z.Cepaite)
• Lith lit same tendencies are noticeable: facts,
biographical facts are more interesting than
fiction, novels that play with facts and fiction
Laura Sintija Černiauskaitė
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Laura Sintija Černiauskaitė (b. 1976). Prose writer,
playwright. She was born in Vilnius, studied at Vilnius
university the Lithuanian language and literature. In
1998-2002 she worked as a freelance publicist and
journalist in various magazines.
Prizes: In 1993 competition of young philologists 1st
rank diploma for the best pupil prose; in 1994 winner of
a competition of the First Book organized by the Writers
Union; in 2001 a winner of play competition (Liberate
the Golden Foal (Išlaisvink auksinį kumeliuką); in 2004,
Liučė Skates (Liučė Čiuožia) wins a first prize among 300
participators in an international play fair Theatretrefen,
Berlin; in 2009 Kazimieras Barenas literary award and in
2011 Jurga Ivanauskaite award. In 2011 she won
European union Prize for literature for her novel
Breathing into Marble (Kvepavimas i marmura, 2009)
Novel Threashold of Benediktas (Benedikto slenksčiai,
2008), A Room in a Jasmin (Kambarys jazmino krūme,
apysaka, apsakymas; novel Honeymoon (Medaus
mėnuo, 2011)
She is a member of Lithuanian Writers‘Union since 2004
Source: http://www.euprizeliterature.eu/author/2009/laurasintija-cerniauskaite
Renata Šerelytė
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Renata Šerelytė (b. 1970 in Šimoniai village,
Kupiškis district) is a prose writer, poetess,
playwright and literary critic. In 1994 she graduated
from Vilnius University majoring in Lithuanian
language and linguistics. After graduation she
worked with different Lithuanian periodicals.
Her first collection of short stories Skinning Fish was
published in 1995. She has published several other
collections of short stories, two novels, a book of
poetry for children, several dramas, etc. Junda’s
Fate was recognized the best children’s book of the
year. The novel Constellations of the Glacial Period,
published in 1999, received the Žemaitė Award in
the year 2000.
Her novel Melynbarzdzio vaikai (The Children of
Bluebeard) was among the 12 best novels of
Lithuania in 2008, she also received J.Ivanauskaite
award for it in 2011.
Work by Šerelytė has been translated into the
English, French, Swedish, Russian, Georgian and
Polish and other languages.
She lives in Vilnius.
Source and an interview:
http://www.booksfromlithuania.lt/en/node/10448
Vytautas Martinkus
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Vytautas Martinkus (born in 1943,
Jerubiskisi, Jurbarkas region), studied at
Kaunas Technology university, works at
Vilnius Pedagogical university.
• He has written novels, short stories and
essays.
• He is interested in history, national values
and (national) identity questions.
• He is a winner of many literary and art
prizes an awards.
• His work is translated into many languages
Short-stories: Šuns mazgas: apysakos (2005)
Dvylika lieptu (2011)
Novel: Žemaičio garlėkys: istorinis romanas
(2009)
Kristina Sabaliauskaite
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In 2008 she debuted with a historical novel Silva Rerum
(published by "Baltos lankos") about the life of a noble family
in 1659-1667, the period after The Deluge. It became a
bestseller of multiple editions and was pronounced "a literary
event" in Lithuania, critically acclaimed and recognised by
historians of culture, praised for the captivating storytelling
and great attention to historical detail.
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In 2008 it was shortlisted by the Institute of Lithuanian
Literature among the twelve most creative books.
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In 2008 received the Jurga Ivanauskaite literary award.
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In 2009 Silva Rerum became Book of the Year in Lithuania.
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In 2010 it was officially listed among the 10 most memorable
Lithuanian books of the past decade.
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In 2011 Silva Rerum II, the sequel about the Great Plague of
1707-1710 and the Great Northern War was published by
"Baltos lankos" and became a #1 bestseller nationally with
many editions.
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In 2011 Silva Rerum II also became Book of the Year in
Lithuania.
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In 2011 Sabaliauskaitė received the "Saint Christopher" award
from Vilnius' municipality for the reflections of Vilnius in
literature.
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In 2011 Vilnius Tourism Information Centre has introduced a
literary guided tour of Vilnius Old Town following the places
described in Sabaliauskaitė`s Silva Rerum
Source : (Wikipedia)
Sigitas Parulskis
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Sigitas Parulskis (born February 10, 1965, in
Obeliai, Rokiskis) is a modern Lithuanian poet,
essayist, playwright and reviewer. Studied at
Vilnius university Lithuanian language and
literature, has worked in journals, magazines
and newspapers; today, next to writing, he
lectures at Vilnius university
This author is outstanding among other
Lithuanian writers for his ironic, sharp, critical,
sometimes provocative writing style.
He has published many short stories on the
website www.balsas.lt. They were produced as a
book named Sraigė su beisbolo lazda and got
the nomination of the Best adult book in 2007.
His works are translated into Russian, English,
Latvian, Finnish, Polish, Czech, French, German,
Greek, Swedish and other languages.
He has been awarded with all main Lithuanian
literature prizes. In 2004 he became the
laureate of National culture and art award.
Translations