BOOK NOTE

An account of Andrusyshen's contributions

"The Grace of Passing: Constantine H. Andrusyshen. The Odyssey of a Slavist" by June Dutka. Edmonton: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 2000, 125pp., $14.95 (paper).

"The Grace of Passing" recounts the life story of Constantine H. Andrusyshen, a renowned scholar in the fields of Romance languages and Ukrainian studies. In her book, June Dutka chronicles Dr. Andrusyshen's path to education and his academic passions, supplementing her work with a wide array of photographs and Dr. Andrusyshen's own letters and poems.

Born to a poor Ukrainian immigrant family in Winnipeg in 1907, the future scholar learned early on from his parents the importance of education as the way to a better life. With their help, he overcame imposing financial obstacles to study at the University of Manitoba, the Sorbonne, Harvard University and the University of Toronto, where he earned a Ph.D. in the field of Romance languages.

Much of Dr. Andrusyshen's scholarly work was guided by his identity as both a Canadian and a Ukrainian. He translated countless poems and stories from Ukrainian into English so that other Canadians of Ukrainian descent would be able to enjoy them as well. To this end, Dr. Andrusyshen completed a comprehensive Ukrainian-English Dictionary, a testament to his linguistic capabilities. Further works by Dr. Andrusyshen include "Ukrainian Literature and Its Guiding Light, Shevchenko"; "The Ukrainian Poets, 1189-1962"; and "The Poetical Works of Taras Shevchenko: The Kobzar."

Dr. Andrusyshen's unceasing devotion to Ukrainian scholarship led the University of Saskatchewan to name him head of the newly formed Slavic department in 1995. In an era of anti-Slavic prejudice, the creation of a Slavic department at a major university was an event of great significance for Ukrainian scholarship, especially since the department at the University of Manitoba was the first of its kind in Canada. The work of the Slavic department helped lend credibility to the field of study and trained future Slavic scholars of Ukrainian descent.

"The Grace of Passing" is a personal account of an unassuming man who left an indelible mark on the Canadian Ukrainian intellectual landscape. Ms. Dutka's biography provides a glimpse into the life and character of Constantine Andrusyshen (1907-1983) through the words and images of the scholar himself.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 15, 2000, No. 42, Vol. LXVIII

| Home Page |