Book Advent with Serbian Writers

5 weeks of captivating reading in anticipation of New Year and Christmas

December is a time of waiting in expectation of a miracle. As we prepare for the "great transition" of the year, we recall the customs we brought with us from home and childhood, make wishes, write notes, and – in recent years – open the doors of Advent calendars.

What emotions did Serbian authors express about New Year and Christmas? How did their characters meet this turning point? What customs were associated with winter holidays for them? How did sparks of humor, nostalgia, faith, and hope shimmer in the light of Christmas tree garlands and the fire of the Christmas badnjak?

I invite you to embark on a five-week journey towards the holidays with texts by Serbian authors from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Every Saturday, from the beginning of December until Christmas, you can expect:

• short New Year and Christmas stories/poems by Serbian authors in Serbian and Russian.
• a glossary of "holiday" words and expressions for each text,
• brief information about the author and the context of the work.

I choose and translate the texts for you, Anna Rostokina, philologist specializing in Serbian, translator of the works of Momo Kapor and Milorad Pavić, author of the blog “Once Upon a Time in Serbia”.

• Texts will be sent to your email on Saturdays in PDF format, which can be printed or read on an electronic device.
• Each text is accompanied by an artistic translation.
• Reading time: 20-30 minutes (in Russian; in Serbian – depends on your level)

The Book Advent begins on December 6, but you can join it until December 13!

See you on the electronic pages! 🙂