A conversation with the lead singer of Okean Elzy about Ukrainian books
Okean Elzy lead singer Sviatoslav Vakarchuk talked about reading with reporters at the first Children's Book Fair held in Kyiv on May 31. Following are excerpts of the conversation.
Q: What is your own contribution to promoting Ukrainian books?
A: There are many ways of promoting or making contributions. I would divide it into two parts: humanitarian and material. The humanitarian contribution is present in all of us, because we support such events. I can see many Ukrainian books published in the Ukrainian language - children's books I had read in my childhood a long time ago which afterwards became lost and I hadn't seen recently. But now they are being published again nicely and I am happy about this.
As for my personal support in particular, it consists of two parts. I was an initiator of social advertising for reading. At the beginning of autumn we will see the results of this work. It's not just my work, but also the work of my partners and friends from advertising agencies and creative studios, and I hope that television networks will support this also. And we will do a good job.
Also, we are cooperating with the Publishers Forum and I've decided to donate 50,000 hrv ($10,000) to purchase books for children at boarding schools and for libraries also - especially those that most need new children's books. I don't think this money is a lot on a national scale, but it is concrete, it's there and I'm ready to donate and to do something good.
Q: What do you think is the bigger problem - that we don't have enough books or we just don't want to read them?
A: I think the much bigger problem is we don't want to read. We live too quickly. Daily problems and everyday moments draw us from the intellectual world, the world of thoughts and viewing the world from a distance. Reading broadens our world view and deepens our understanding of the world in which we live. If we don't read, we will become a nation of people with instincts, rather than people with intellect.
I want us to remember that intellect makes us people, and what guarantees the strength of the nation is learning and education. I'd say this as a person who went through serious schooling and, looking from a distance, I understand that perhaps that was the most important thing.
When we look at financial problems, we are looking forward two, three, five years ahead. But when we look at problems related to education, they will give results, bad results unfortunately, in 20 or 30 years and it won't be reversible. That is why we have to do something right now.
We have to take an active role in promoting reading. I think that it doesn't have to be an initiative of famous people, "Let's get together and discuss how reading is good." That would seem to me a PR event. People decided to create a PR event named, "Let's call on people to read." The fact that this problem already exists is already a big problem and a very alarming signal. We have to remember that books make us more intelligent and that intellect is a guarantee of material success.
Q: Do you read frequently?
A: Yes, of course. I read regularly - in planes, at hotels, at home, everywhere it's possible. It helps make me who I am, particularly in these areas in which I don't know a lot. What kind of books? Whatever - books by Ukrainian authors, contemporary books, classics, world classics and some avant-guard literature. I can name a lot.
Q: What did you read most recently?
A: The last book I read was by Ukrainian writer Mariah Matios, "Solodka Darusia." It is a very nice, contemporary book that takes us back to the time when Stefanyk wrote in the authentic Hutsul language. I'm very, very satisfied with the language it's written in and its ideas. I think that's the future of Ukrainian literature.
Q: What is your opinion of the status of children's books, and how long has it been since you looked through a children's book?
A: With pleasure, I look for any publications of children's books, particularly world classics such as "Alice in Wonderland" or stories [Alice] by Hoffman. These books are also for adults, which is why they are interesting.
Publication quality has significantly improved because there are a lot of books made according to global standards. If only we could promote all this by world standards, it would be very good. Unfortunately, so far publication has progressed, but distribution and the culture of reading these books lags behind.
Q: And what about Ukrainian children's books?
A: Well, I said the situation is significantly better now. Do you mean written by Ukrainians?
Q: Yes, contemporary books, and which have you read most recently?
A: Honestly, I haven't seen many books recently written by Ukrainians for children. That's the truth. I can't think of many new books for children that I personally looked through. I know they exist, I know these writers personally, but these books haven't reached my hands. More so classics for children.
Q: What books did you read in your childhood?
A: Well, I mentioned them. By the way, a very nice Ukrainian book I recommend to all is "Tereodor iz Vasiukivky" by Vsevolod Nestayko. I liked this book very much in my childhood, and it was a best-seller at that time. I hope we can regenerate interest among present-day children to this book because it is very interesting.
The first book I read in my life - I was quite young - was a book about the adventures of Baron Munchausen. I was only 5 years old. But I look through it often because I don't think it's for children only. Also, Hoffman's stories or Lewis Carroll's books.
Moreover, literature for those a bit older - but it's children's literature also - the adventure books of Jules Verne or Jonathan Swift. In this literature, there are lots of moments that could be interesting for adults, too. In general, the concept of children's books is very conducive for conveying deep, appropriate messages.
When you are reading books written in language for 10-year-olds, and truly there are deep truths, then children mature with such books while adults can very often see, in childlike forms, mature themes. So I remember "Winnie the Pooh" books, which also have many interesting, I would say not banal, things that are worth re-reading when you are 20, 30 or older.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 18, 2006, No. 25, Vol. LXXIV
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