Immerse yourself in a rich literary heritage that unveils the soul of Belarus, a nation often overlooked but brimming with stories that deserve to be heard. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a lover of poignant tales, or simply seeking to expand your literary horizons, the books on Belarus and by Belarusian authors promise an enriching experience that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
In 2015, Svetlana Alexievich was the first Belarusian to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Poet and activist Hanna Komar included Voices from Chernobyl by Alexievich in her selection of five books about Belarusian literature.
We spoke to Belarussian tech commentator, Evgeny Morozov who picked the best books on the philosophy of technology.
For the history of Belarus experts recommend:
Between East and West . "In this book, Anne Applebaum goes into the area between the old Russian Empire, Germany and the old Turkish Empire, and sees how it has developed. In 1800, there wasn’t what I would call a Ukrainian – or still less a Belarusian – nation. They become nations when their educated classes came together and formed a nationality, more or less late in the 19th century."
The Reconstruction of Nations. "It’s about how from the population of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, destroyed in 1795, there arose several modern nations: the Lithuanian national movement, based on the Lithuanian language; the Belarussian national movement; and, interestingly, the Polish national movement."
Five of the Best Works of Belarusian Literature, recommended by Hanna Komar
Writers have been subject to persecution and repression in Belarus, and increasingly so in the aftermath of the protests that swept the nation in 2020 and 2021. Owning or distributing books deemed ‘extremist’ by the Lukashenko government can be enough to land you in jail. Here, the poet and activist Hanna Komar selects five of the best works of Belarusian literature that offer a glimpse of the culture and mindset of this post-Soviet nation, and the bravery of those who continue to fight for political freedom.
