The FINANCIAL — BBC Ukrainian announced the winners of its Book of the Year 2014 awards presented in partnership with the Cultural Programme of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Sofia Andrukhovich’s “Felix Austria” (“Фелікс Австрія”) won the accolade of the BBC Book of the Year 2014 while Katya Shtanko’s “Dragons, Forward!” (“Дракони, вперед!“) was named the BBC Children’s Book of the Year 2014, according to EBRD.
To commemorate the award’s 10th anniversary, BBC Ukrainian also announced the BBC Book of the Decade ‑ also presented in association with the Cultural Programme of the EBRD. This accolade went to Serhiy Zhadan’s “Voroshylovhrad” (“Ворошиловград”) which was the BBC Book of the Year in 2010.
“Sofia Andrukhovich’s novel delighted the judges with its carefully painted portrait of the times of Emperor Franz-Joseph and the deep psychology of its narrative. The work is another reminder of love’s sometimes destructive effect – and also of the fact that no empire is eternal,” said Nina Kuryata, BBC Ukrainian Editor.
“This is the third year of cooperation between the EBRD Cultural Programme and the BBC Ukrainian Book of the Year. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development knows that children are the future of all countries, and we are interested in helping to develop Ukraine’s future. In these three years, we have been able to recognise three outstanding books for children. This year, Katya Shtanko’s book won not only the prize but also the hearts of all, children and adults, have read it. Now we know that every dog may turn out to be a dragon, and even the most ordinary child can be capable of great things,” Jonathan Charles, EBRD Director of Communications.
“The list of books that we have awarded since 2005 reads like a connoisseur’s guide to the best of Ukrainian literature. Serhiy Zhadan’s book, which was chosen as the BBC Book of the Decade, has this precious quality of acquiring new meanings as time goes on, as you re-read it in a changing world. The jury chose the book not for its relevance, then and now, or for political expediency, or for reasons of the news agenda. It is the outstanding artistic merits of ‘Voroshylovhrad’ that won it this one-off accolade,” Artyom Liss, BBC World Service Europe Hub Editor, , said.
The three winning authors are awarded a Ukrainian hryvnia equivalent of £1,000 for each book. The publishers of the two winning books of the year 2014 will have the right to use the logos of the BBC Ukrainian book awards on subsequent editions, according to EBRD.
