Ulas Samchuk – Maria: A Chronicle of a Life (Ukrainian Literature)
A story of a Ukrainian peasant woman whose life follows a path to the famine-genocide
In 1934, at the age of 29, Ulas Samchuk published Maria, a historical fiction depicting the life of a Ukrainian peasant woman from her birth to her death. He tells us that Maria lived for “twenty-six thousand, two hundred and fifty-eight days” and, during this time, she experienced a plethora of emotions – loves, losses, joy, heartache and grief.From the outset, Samchuk describes the bond between the newborn Maria and her own mother, Oksana. Motherhood plays a prominent role in this book as evidenced in Samchuk’s dedication “To the mothers who died of hunger in Ukraine in 1932-33”. Eighty years ago, this relatively young man made the unconventional decision of writing a novel about peasants as seen through the eyes of a woman. This, in itself, speaks to his character and determination.
Many books and historical texts describe the situation and circumstances of Ukraine during the years leading up to the fall of the Russian Romanov dynasty and the famine-genocide known as the Holodomor. The uniqueness which Samchuk brings to the history of this period is the personal perspective of the peasant family which was deeply rooted and tied both to the land and to faith. This is a story about Maria and her life, set against a period of history that saw immense and significant political changes. We see how these changes completely transform the society in which the peasants lived and the affect they had on the characters at a personal level – this is what makes this book so compelling. Events unfolded and developed gradually over a period of the roughly seventy years of Maria’s life. The characters wanted and hoped for stability so that they could simply continue to farm and worship but, with each subsequent political change and development, their desires and hopes grew further out of reach until survival became the only reality that they hoped for.
Maria’s story unfolds initially with joy, happiness and abundance; slowly and subtly Samchuk foreshadows the heart-wrenching and devastating conclusion even in the opening paragraphs, “she was a living being who …. felt hunger pains, and loudly made them know “.
The book is divided into 3 sections: A Book about the Birth of Maria, A Book of Maria’s Days, and finally, A Book about Bread (which Samchuk re-wrote in 1952).
In the first book, Samchuk develops the character of Maria beginning with her as an infant, and following her life as a child orphan, a young naive bride who marries for security and not for love, who experiences the devastating death of her first two children and, finally, matures to realize that she is determined to have and marry her true love, Korniy.
read is for the stomach, a tale is for the heart.” Berdnyk addresses “seekers of fantastic tales” who are open to adventure. A charming mix of fantasy, science fiction, and bits of Ukrainian folklore, these stories can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Berdnyk says “we all live among miracles and wonders . . . only we often forget about it . . . We awaken only sporadically . . .” The theme that runs throughout both works is that “there’s no power greater than a flaming, loving heart––especially one that finds joy in a fantastic tale.” Berdnyk encourages us to be open to the childlike wonder within us. “Seek and you shall find. Look and you shall see.”
ouching novel about parenthood, first love, family bonds, and rekindled relationships from the New York Times bestselling author and beloved Nantucket storyteller Nancy Thayer.Blythe Benedict is content. Her life didn’t end when her marriage did. In fact, she’s more than happy living in her comfortable house in Boston, working as a middle school teacher, and raising four wonderful children. With three of her kids in the throes of teenagerhood and one not too far behind them, Blythe has plenty of drama to keep her busy every single day.
But no amount of that drama could change the family’s beloved annual summer trip to Nantucket. Blythe has always treasured the months spent at her island home-away-from-home, and has fond memories of her children growing up there. But this summer’s getaway proves to be much more than she bargained for.
Yes, there are sunny days enjoyed at the beach. But Blythe must contend with teenage angst, her ex-mother-in-law’s declining health, and a troubling secret involving her ex-husband. Meanwhile, Blythe reconnects with her first love, her former high school sweetheart Aaden. But their second-time-around romance becomes complicated when another intriguing man enters the picture.
It’s all a bit out of Blythe’s comfort zone. This particular island summer may not be as relaxing as Blythe had hoped, but she’s never felt that life has given her more than she can handle—especially when she has the love and support of her family around her.
Who do you go to for advice and support? Or when you want an adventure and a little extra courage? Or when you need to find that warrior spirit inside you? Fierce aunties!
Aunties come in different shapes, sizes, and ages. They all have different laughs, skills, and stories. They might be your parents’ sisters, your older cousins, or even family friends. But there’s something they all have in They’re fierce, they love you, and they’ll help make everything better.
