Ukrainian Writers Speak!

City Lights and Deep Vellum Books present Ali Kinsella and Zenia Tompkins celebrating the publication of "Love in Defiance of Pain: Ukrainian Stories," edited by Ali Kinsella, Zenia Tompkins, and Ross Ufberg, published by Deep Vellum. This event was originally broadcast via Zoom and hosted by Peter Maravelis. You can purchase copies of "Love in Defiance of Pain: Ukrainian Stories" directly from City Lights here: https://citylights.com/story-anthologies/love-in-defiance-of-pain-ukrainian-sto/ Proceeds from the sale of this collection will be donated to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. "Love in Defiance of Pain: Ukrainian Stories" aims to bring the riches of contemporary Ukrainian literature—and of contemporary Ukraine, too—to the world. While Ukraine is under sustained attack, many in the West have marveled at the nation’s strength in the face of a barbaric invasion. Who are these people, what is this nation, which has captivated the world with their courage? By showcasing some of the finest Ukrainian writers working today, this book aims to help answer that question. Authors include: Sophia Andrukhovych, Yuri Andrukhovych, Stanislav Aseyev, Kateryna Babkina, Artem Chapeye, Liubko Deresh, Kateryna Kalytko, Oksana Lutsyshyna, Vasyl Makhno, Tanja Maljartschuk, Taras Prokhasko, Oleg Sentsov, Natalka Sniadanko, Olena Stiazhkina, Sashko Ushkalov, Oksana Zabuzhko, and Serhiy Zhadan Ali Kinsella has been translating from Ukrainian for ten years. Her published works include essays, poetry, monographs, and subtitles to various films. She won the 2019 Kovaliv Fund Prize for her translation of Taras Prokhasko’s Anna’s Other Days. She received a 2021 Peterson Literary Fund grant to translate Vasyl Makhno’s Eternal Calendar. She holds an MA in Slavic studies from Columbia University, where she focused on Eastern European history and literature. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Ali lived in both western and central Ukraine for nearly five years. Her co-translations with Dzvinia Orlowsky from the Ukrainian of Natalka Bilots