I remember that in school, teachers made us read works by Belarusian writers in literature classes. Not everyone followed the school curriculum and read the assigned material, missing out on so much that was useful and new for them. Probably, the reason was age, or maybe other interests prevailed.
Time has passed, but the works of literary classics have not disappeared. We suggest recalling and reading the best Belarusian books and real classics. If you are looking for modern ones, they are in another material on the site.
Yakub Kolas "New Earth"
Date of writing: 1911 - 1923
Yakub Kolas began writing the book in 1911, while in prison for three years for participating in the revolutionary movement of 1905-1906.
The poem “New Land” written by the national poet Yakub Kolas is the first Belarusian major epic work. This book should be in the library of everyone who considers himself a Belarusian. This is the first national poem, which is rightly called an encyclopedia of the life of the Belarusian peasantry, a classic work of our literature, and simply beautiful poetry. The author himself considered “New Land” the main poem in the entire history of his work.
Many critics consider "Symon Muzyka" to be a continuation of the book.
Vladimir Korotkevich "Kalasi fell with your stern"
Date of writing: 1965
One of the most significant and telling novels of Belarusian literature. The work, written in two parts, is dedicated to the events on the eve of the 1863-1864 uprising in Belarus. The first book tells the story of the birth of discontent, which resulted in a river of anger and the struggle for the independence of Belarus. Reading the novel, you are completely immersed in the events of that time and see in front of you the boy Oles Zagorski and his friends. The main revolutionary Kastus Kalinouski is also mentioned on the pages of the novel. The book tells how the worldview of Belarusians changed and what sacrifices were made to build the future for the country.
The Belarusfilm studio planned to film a book by Vladimir Korotkevich, the script was approved, but at the last moment they abandoned the idea. The reason for the cancellation of the filming was the poor quality of the script.
Vasily Bykov "Alpine ballad"
Date of writing: 1963
No wonder the "Alpine Ballad" occupies a central place on the bookshelf for many. The name of Vasily Bykov is known all over the world.
In his book, Vasily Bykov tells the story of two prisoners of war who managed to escape from an Austrian camp. The whole truth about the war that the Belarusian author told in his books was not just astonishing, it was scorching. His profound works about people who faced the horrors of war have no equal in Russian literature.
Based on the story "Alpine Ballad", a film of the same name was made. The book was filmed in 1965 by the director of the film studio "Belarusfilm" Boris Stepanov.
Ivan Melezh "People on Baloca"
Date of writing: 1961
The novel “People on the Marsh” by Ivan Melezh is one of the pinnacles of Belarusian literature, an example of post-war works. The largely lyrical novel tells about the inhabitants of the remote village of Kureni, which is cut off from the outside world by impassable Polesie swamps. Ivan Melezh showed the life of the Belarusian population with almost ethnographic accuracy using the example of the everyday life of the village residents. The novel shows national traditions, legends, games with songs, and Christmas fortune-telling of the Polesie people. The author, using the example of the main characters of the book, described the fate and drama of the life of the Belarusian people.
“People on the Marsh” is one of the few Belarusian works that was released on television as a multi-part film.
Janka Mavr "Paleskiya rabinzona"
Date of writing: 1932
Belarusian Jules Verne – Yanka Mavra, who wrote primarily for young readers, can be considered the founder of the adventure genre in Belarusian literature.
The work, which today is called a bestseller, is one of the most beloved books among many generations of schoolchildren - "Paleskiya rabinzony". Janka Mavr showed that not only foreign countries can be interesting for travel, but in native places there are many fascinating and unusual things. The author writes so convincingly about travels and adventures that the reader has no room for doubt: Yanka Mavr was there and saw everything with his own eyes.
The adventures of Polissya Robinsons in 1934 were shown on the big screen by the Belgoskino film studio. In 2014, "Belarusfilm" based on the story released the film "Wonder Island, or Polissya Robinsons".
Yanka Kupala "Scattered Nest"
Date of writing: 1913
The work "The Scattered Nest" was written as a play in five acts. The drama of the Zyablik family, whose fate Yanka Kupala reveals in his book, was a drama of the Belarusian people. The events unfold during the revolution of 1905.
The play is based on facts from the life of a family whose land and house were taken away by Prince Radziwill. Understanding the family tragedy as a national tragedy, Yanka Kupala showed in the work the difficult path of the Belarusian peasantry in search of their lost homeland, land and freedom.
Today the play "The Scattered Nest" is played in Minsk theaters.
Kondrat Krapiva - "Who laughs last"
Date of writing: 1913
Folk humor, self-irony and sarcasm give a national peculiarity to Belarusian literature. Among the authors of this genre it is worth remembering Kondrata Nettlewhose works are still read with pleasure. In the center of the plot is the image of the pseudo-scientist Gorlokhvatsky and his accomplices.
Nettle reveals in his work not only specific political problems, but also universal ones, such as sycophancy, bribery, and betrayal. The author wrote about all this.
The Belarusfilm studio's collection of films grew in 1954. A screen version of Kondrat Krapiva's play "Who Laughs Last" was released.
Zmitrok Byadulya - Yazep Krushinsky
Date of writing: 1929 - 1932
A novel written in two parts about the life of Belarusian residents during collectivization. The main character of the book is a wealthy farmer Yazep Krushinsky, behind whose actions Byadulya hides the essence of the class struggle and the desire to show how the worst enemy can hide behind external decency.
Critics interpret the novel "Yazep Krushinsky" as one of the most important works in the writer's work.
Jan Borshevsky. Shlyakhtich Zavalnya
Date of writing: 1844 - 1846
This book can certainly be called an encyclopedia of the life of the Belarusian people, their folklore and traditions. In a simple and sometimes witty form, the author talks about the culture of Belarusians, their desire for a better life and the lot of the unfortunate.
The phenomenal fantasy and talent of the author turned into one of the most mysterious and fascinating Belarusian works – “The Nobleman Zavalnya, or Belarus in Fantasy Stories”. The book used Belarusian folk tales, legends and traditions.
Svetlana Aleksievich "War has no woman's face"
Date of writing: 1985
As for modern books by Belarusian writers, one of the most famous works in the world about the terrible bloody time is “The Unwomanly Face of War”. The author of the book, Svetlana Alexievich, became a Nobel Prize laureate in 2015 “For her polyphonic creativity – a monument to suffering and courage in our time”.
The book has absorbed the stories recorded from the words of 800 women who went through the war. The work "War does not have a woman's face" has been translated into more than 20 languages.
