Must-Read Books from CEE Authors for Your Summer Reading List
During summer, there's nothing better than lounging in the sun with a good book in hand. If you're looking for a diverse and exciting selection of books to add to your summer reading list, consider the works of our colleagues' favorite authors from Central and Eastern Europe. From Slovakia's "Fleeting Snow" by Pavel Vilikovský to Albania's "The Palace of Dreams" by Ismail Kadare, and Serbia's “The Fairground Magician” by Jelena Lengold, these recommendations will transport you to captivating worlds filled with irony, powerful stories, and complex characters. Whether you're seeking classics or contemporary literature, this list has something for everyone. So, grab your sunscreen, a comfy beach chair, and dive into the pages of these must-read books that will make your summer unforgettable.
Slovakia
Recommendations by Nadežda Palušová
“Letmý sneh” / “Fleeting Snow” by Pavel Vilikovský
Pavel Vilikovský is the most translated Slovak author. One of my favorite books written by this author is “Fleeting Snow”. It’s the story about an aging man who presents us with his ironic and humorous reflections on life and love. Brilliantly presented deep thoughts and puns.
„Dnes už nik nepíše rukou a všetky listiny majú tú istú dušu počítačovej tlačiarne.“ / “Today, no one writes by hand anymore and all documents have the same soul of a computer printer.“
Pokojní v nepokoji” / “Light In Darkness” by Timotej Križka
Powerful stories of real people who spent part of their lives in prison during communism. For living according to their beliefs. Just looking at the photos confirmed to me how important it is to show backbone.
„Nehanbím sa sám pred sebou. Keby som videl, aj zrkadlo by mi ukázalo, kto som.” / “I am not ashamed when I look at myself. If I could see, even the mirror would show me who I am.”
“Six Slovak Poets (New Voices from Europe and Beyond)” edited and introduced by Igor Hochel
If you want to familiarize yourself with Slovak poetry, there is no better place to read this book than the beach. 😊
And one more tip: Here you can find a list of Slovak books published abroad: List of books | Slovak Literary Centre (litcentrum.sk)
In English, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, German... – there’s something for everyone. 😊
Albania
Recommendations by @Tesi Vila
“The Palace of Dreams” by Ismail Kadare
This novel is intended as a vision of the modern totalitarian state with a taste of human sadness.
“Albania: The Rock Garden of Southeastern Europe” by Faik Konica
The book is an analysis of the character of the Albanian people as well as their language, literature, and religion, all in a captivating style that makes this anthology essential for understanding Albania’s know-how.
“The Rise and Fall of Comrade Zylo” by Dritero Agolli
A satirical novel that revolves around Comrade Zylo, a functionary of the Albanian Communist Party, his pathetic vanity, and his grotesque behavior, all recorded in ironic details.
Serbia
Recommendations by @Jelena Lapčević
Three Serbian books to read this summer:
It’s a very challenging task to single out only three books to recommend, especially if it must be a translated book. Unfortunately, as a relatively "small" literature, Serbian prose (and poetry) hasn’t been translated enough. For that reason, the best way is to start with the so-called classic of Serbian literature.
Ivo Andrić is the only Serbian Nobel laureate, but that is not the only reason why he’s on the top of the list of almost everyone’s recommendations. He’s kind of a reference pillar of our literature and his works have been translated into more than 20 languages. His most famous novel, “The Bridge on the Drina” (Na Drini ćuprija) has received the most scholarly attention of all his works. It follows four centuries of events around the great bridge over the Drina River in Višegrad. The bridge is the integrative point of the novelistic narrative and its main symbol, a place of contact between historically verified personalities and nameless characters that are the fruit of the writer's imagination. The eponymous bridge is usually interpreted as a metaphor for former Yugoslavia, which was itself a bridge between East and West.
If you fall in love with Andrić’s beautiful storytelling and complex portrayal of characters and want to explore his oeuvre further, continue with the works that have been translated, some of which are “The Damned Yard and Other Stories”, “Signs by the Roadside”, “Omer Pasha Latas – from Marshal to the Sultan”.
For lovers of the contemporary literature, two titles come to my mind that have recently been translated into English and represent some of the best examples of modern Serbian prose literature.
The first one is again a novel, this time by author Vladimir Tasić, “The Farewell Gift (Oproštajni dar)”. What first appears to be a novel about family life in the disturbed historical framework of 1990s Serbia turns into an exciting and powerful narrative about the experience of new emigration (a very “hot” topic in the past years in Europe). It reveals a writer of exceptional strength and extraordinary imagination and culture. According to the undivided opinion of critics, it is one of the best Serbian novels written after 2000.
After two novels, my recommendation list will be completed by the great collection of short stories of the famous Serbian author Jelena Lengold, “The Fairground Magician (Vašarski mađioničar)”. She is part of a generation that appreciates the broad-mindedness of a writer capable of equally successfully understanding and imitating both the male and female voice, while doing so in a poetically innovative way. This book brings stories about love and longing, about the city, everyday life, and passion. Written in an unburdening style that is easy to understand, but with a multitude of successful self-ironic and witty statements, it brings a very insightfully treated issue of modern male-female relations. This author’s prose talent is also confirmed in her novels (some of them translated into English, and also highly recommended, like the novel “Baltimore”).
Enjoy reading 😊!
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The importance of Ivo Andrić for the entire Balkans is also shown by the book tip of our Bosnian colleague Vedran Gašević, who also recommends "The Bridge on the Drina":
My list includes a single, but very important book in the history of our country. It is "The Bridge over the Drina" by Ivo Andrić, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961. Although the book is over 70 years old, in my opinion it belongs on every "must read" list.
It has been translated not only into English, but into practically every major language in the world.
Croatia
Recommendations by Sven Petrak
The last few years have seen a significant increase in the number of Croatian books appearing in English translation. This, of course, makes us really proud.
Here you can find just a short list of all the amazing, well-known and loved books by Croatian authors, ideal for a summer read.
“What is a man without a moustache?” by Ante Tomić
This book launched Ante Tomić’s literary career. One journalist once called the novel ''a sweet and salty candy'' and let's just leave it to that, without saying much about the plot. The movie based on the book was a huge hit in Croatia and one of the best domestic cinematic accomplishments of the 20th century. If you still haven't heard of Tomić, start by reading this book first. Then watch the movie and continue by reading the rest of his work, filled with comedy – based masterpieces.
“Baba Yaga Laid an Egg” by Dubravka Ugrešić
This fictional book explores the mythical character that is Baba Yaga (basically the Slavic, and female, version of the Boogeyman). Internationally acclaimed author, essayist and translator Dubravka Ugrešić passed away recently, on March 17 2023 in Amsterdam, at the age of 73. Read at least one of her books to keep her artistic legacy alive.
“Farewell, Cowboy” by Olja Savičević Ivančević
Olja Savičević Ivančević writes poetry, prose, and columns. She is an author of several poetry collections and books. “Farewell, Cowboy” tells the story of Dada, a young woman who moves from the city to a small town in Croatia and deals with her family history. The book was made into a successful theatre play around a decade ago.
We hope to have provided you with some inspiration with this summer reading list and wish you a wonderful and relaxing time!
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