Author:Andrey Kurkov,Sam Taylor
Acclaimed author Andrey Kurkov gives powerful insight into life in Kyiv following the 2013 protests and before the 2022 Russian invasion.
-16°C, sunlight, silence. I drove the children to school, then went to see the revolution. I walked between the tents. Talked with revolutionaries. They were weary today. The air was thick with the smell of old campfires.
Ukraine Diaries is acclaimed writer Andrey Kurkov's first-hand account of the ongoing crisis in his country. From his flat in Kyiv, just five hundred yards from Independence Square, Kurkov can smell the burning barricades and hear the sounds of grenades and gunshot.
Kurkov's diaries begin on the first day of the pro-European protests in November 2013, and describe the violent clashes in the Maidan, the impeachment of Yanukovych, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the separatist uprisings in the east of Ukraine. Going beyond the headlines, they give vivid insight into what it's like to live through - and try to make sense of - times of intense political unrest, on the path to the current crisis.
Andrey Kurkov's Ukraine Diaries offer a unique personal insight into one of the world's most complex trouble spots. The fact that Kurkov lives in the heart of Kiev, and the fact that he can write so well, give an eloquence and immediacy to his account of day to day life in the teeth of a crisis. This is history, with feeling
—— Michael Palin[Kurkov writes] in the style of an informed but convivial flaneur, and his entries crackle with irony and humour
—— Marcus Tanner , IndependentControlled rage and wry wit, nicely captured in Sam Taylor’s translation… Kurkov’s diaries are valuable
—— The EconomistAs his diaries make clear, real life has outstripped his blackly comic fiction for surreal detail, political cynicism and latent menace
—— Ben Hoyle , The Times, Book of the weekThe power...lies in the interweaving of the extraordinary and the mundane
—— John Thornhill , Financial TimesWhat it lacks in first-hand reportage…it makes up for in atmosphere. We learn what the revolution is like not from the point of view of the demonstrators but from the ordinary citizens, who are left to pick up the pieces after the foreign television crews have gone home
—— Colin Freeman , Telegraph[Kurkov’s diaries] seamlessly mix the everyday with the seminal and provide a fascinating guide to how Ukraine has found itself where it is… The prose is charming… I am glad Kurkov will be at the centre of the events as they unfold, ready to distil both tragedy and delight into his pithy, humane prose
—— Oliver Bullough , ObserverThose 500 yards [from Kurkov’s flat to the Maidan] permit Kurkov to take a thoughtful stance towards evolutionary moments, their goals, and the people who come to the fore at such times
—— Padraig Belton , Times Literary SupplementBunker’s narrative is human and even-handed; and from the Boston harbourside to the salons of London, a complex and epic tale is told with colour and enthusiasm. It should even go down well in Boston
—— Sinclair McKay, 4 stars , Sunday TelegraphBunker relates the complex story of the Boston Tea Party with zest and almost intimidating thoroughness
—— David Goodall , TabletThis is a compelling read that explains British decision-making with skill and insight. Highly recommended
—— Andrew Lambert , BBC History MagazineShows how a lethal blend of politics and personalities led to the American Revolution
—— Choice MagazineBunker has done a wonderful job describing the tragedy of errors that led to a bitter and costly war
—— Good Book GuideA distinguished and refreshing contribution to the secondary literature on the American Revolution
—— Andrew J O’Shaughnessy , Literary Review[It is] brilliantly written and meticulously researched.
—— Simon Shaw , Mail on SundayA vigorous book, full of energy as well as insight
—— Jeremy Black
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