Notes of a Ukrainian Madman (Ukrainian: Записки українського самашедшого) is the first novel by Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko. It was published in 2010, and was the first new book by Kostenko in 20 years.[1]
The book shows Ukrainian politics and daily life of ordinary Ukrainians through the diary of a 35-year-old Ukrainian programmer. The book starts ironically and pessimistically during the end of Leonid Kuchma's presidency, and ends optimistically during the Orange Revolution.
The book contains the observation that "all nations suffer from certain pathologies; Russia's are incurable".
The book became a Ukrainian bestseller, with around 100,000 sales in the first six months.
Lina Kostenko was predominantly famous as a poet, and the book became her first experience in the genre of prose novel. Also it was her first new book since about 1987. Lina Kostenko was writing the Notes for almost 10 years.[2]
The book design was created by artist Vladislav Yerko. The cover uses a picture by Polish artist Rafał Olbiński (Manon Pelleas et Melisande).
The first edition went on sale December 17, 2010, and comprised 10,000 copies. It was rapidly sold out, and the new edition appeared in bookshops January 18, 2011. As of June 2011, the publisher estimated the total official sales to be 80 thousand copies, as well as 20 or 30 thousand issued by pirates.[3]
The novel describes the period of Leonid Kuchma's presidency and the Orange Revolution. The protagonist of the novel is a 35-year-old programmer. He met his future wife during the student protests of 1990 in favor of Ukraine's independence. His father, a famous translator and a sixtier, has a new wife and a young introverted son that appears in the novel under the nickname Teenager. The wife of the protagonist is a linguist studying Nikolai Gogol. The protagonist's son studies at school and befriends his neighbor Boris, the son of a new Ukrainian.
The protagonist writes so-called "Notes", where he keeps track of all catastrophes, assassinations and scandals, of which he learns from the news. Thus he tries to channel his emotions, to describe his attitude to the corrupt Kuchma regime and avoid slipping into complete cynicism. In parallel, the notes reflect the sometimes problematic relationship of the protagonist with his wife. The notes start in an ironic, pessimistic, skeptical, even mocking tone, but at the end the tone changes dramatically, as the protagonist goes through the emotionally intense events of the Orange Revolution.
^Lina Kostenko. The poet of the era, Ukrayinska Pravda(in Ukrainian) (26 December 2018)
^Ліна Костенко. Записки українського самашедшого. Сьогодні вийшов у світ перший прозовий роман видатної української поетеси. [Lina Kostenko. Notes of a Ukrainian Madman. The first prose novel of Ukrainian poet was published today] (in Ukrainian). Ababahalamaha. December 17, 2010.
^«Українські народні казки» - одна з найбільш багатотиражних національних книг [Ukrainian Fairy Tales among the best-selling books nationwide]. UNIAN (in Ukrainian). July 5, 2011.
External links
Виходить перша за 20 років книга Ліни Костенко [First Lina Kostenko's book in 20 years is issued]. UNIAN (in Ukrainian). December 17, 2010.
Drozdovskyi, Dmytro (August 5, 2011). Інформаційне "самашествіє": перезавантаження [Informational Madness: Reload]. Den (in Ukrainian).
Drozdovskyi, Dmytro (December 24, 2010). "Записки українського самашедшого" як рятівний електрошок [Notes of a Ukrainian Madman as a saving electroshock]. Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (in Ukrainian).
Dziuba, Ivan (December 30, 2010). "Самашедчість" як спротив абсурду [Madness as resistance to absurdity]. Den (in Ukrainian).
"«Записки самашедшого» – це Костенко в масці програміста, – трійця з «Кабінету»" [Notes of a Ukrainian Madman shows Kostenko masked as a programmer, they say in Cabinet]. ZIK (in Ukrainian). January 7, 2011.
April 23, 2023
notes, ukrainian, madman, ukrainian, Записки, українського, самашедшого, first, novel, ukrainian, poet, lina, kostenko, published, 2010, first, book, kostenko, years, authorlina, kostenkolanguageukrainiangenrenovelpublished2010isbn978, 7047, 7the, book, shows,. Notes of a Ukrainian Madman Ukrainian Zapiski ukrayinskogo samashedshogo is the first novel by Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko It was published in 2010 and was the first new book by Kostenko in 20 years 1 Notes of a Ukrainian MadmanAuthorLina KostenkoLanguageUkrainianGenreNovelPublished2010ISBN978 966 7047 88 7The book shows Ukrainian politics and daily life of ordinary Ukrainians through the diary of a 35 year old Ukrainian programmer The book starts ironically and pessimistically during the end of Leonid Kuchma s presidency and ends optimistically during the Orange Revolution The book contains the observation that all nations suffer from certain pathologies Russia s are incurable The book became a Ukrainian bestseller with around 100 000 sales in the first six months Contents 1 Background 2 Plot summary 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External linksBackground EditLina Kostenko was predominantly famous as a poet and the book became her first experience in the genre of prose novel Also it was her first new book since about 1987 Lina Kostenko was writing the Notes for almost 10 years 2 The book design was created by artist Vladislav Yerko The cover uses a picture by Polish artist Rafal Olbinski Manon Pelleas et Melisande The first edition went on sale December 17 2010 and comprised 10 000 copies It was rapidly sold out and the new edition appeared in bookshops January 18 2011 As of June 2011 the publisher estimated the total official sales to be 80 thousand copies as well as 20 or 30 thousand issued by pirates 3 The book includes numerous allusions to and direct quotes from books by Nikolai Gogol and from The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov The name of the novel itself is a reminiscence of Gogol s Diary of a Madman Plot summary EditThe novel describes the period of Leonid Kuchma s presidency and the Orange Revolution The protagonist of the novel is a 35 year old programmer He met his future wife during the student protests of 1990 in favor of Ukraine s independence His father a famous translator and a sixtier has a new wife and a young introverted son that appears in the novel under the nickname Teenager The wife of the protagonist is a linguist studying Nikolai Gogol The protagonist s son studies at school and befriends his neighbor Boris the son of a new Ukrainian The protagonist writes so called Notes where he keeps track of all catastrophes assassinations and scandals of which he learns from the news Thus he tries to channel his emotions to describe his attitude to the corrupt Kuchma regime and avoid slipping into complete cynicism In parallel the notes reflect the sometimes problematic relationship of the protagonist with his wife The notes start in an ironic pessimistic skeptical even mocking tone but at the end the tone changes dramatically as the protagonist goes through the emotionally intense events of the Orange Revolution See also Edit Ukraine portal Books portalList of Ukrainian language poets List of Ukrainian language writers Ukrainian literatureNotes Edit Lina Kostenko The poet of the era Ukrayinska Pravda in Ukrainian 26 December 2018 Lina Kostenko Zapiski ukrayinskogo samashedshogo Sogodni vijshov u svit pershij prozovij roman vidatnoyi ukrayinskoyi poetesi Lina Kostenko Notes of a Ukrainian Madman The first prose novel of Ukrainian poet was published today in Ukrainian Ababahalamaha December 17 2010 Ukrayinski narodni kazki odna z najbilsh bagatotirazhnih nacionalnih knig Ukrainian Fairy Tales among the best selling books nationwide UNIAN in Ukrainian July 5 2011 External links EditVihodit persha za 20 rokiv kniga Lini Kostenko First Lina Kostenko s book in 20 years is issued UNIAN in Ukrainian December 17 2010 Drozdovskyi Dmytro August 5 2011 Informacijne samashestviye perezavantazhennya Informational Madness Reload Den in Ukrainian Drozdovskyi Dmytro December 24 2010 Zapiski ukrayinskogo samashedshogo yak ryativnij elektroshok Notes of a Ukrainian Madman as a saving electroshock Dzerkalo Tyzhnia in Ukrainian Rodyk Kostiantyn in Ukrainian March 23 2011 Kafka nazavzhdi Kafka forever Ukrayina Moloda in Ukrainian Dziuba Ivan December 30 2010 Samashedchist yak sprotiv absurdu Madness as resistance to absurdity Den in Ukrainian Zapiski samashedshogo ce Kostenko v masci programista trijcya z Kabinetu Notes of a Ukrainian Madman shows Kostenko masked as a programmer they say in Cabinet ZIK in Ukrainian January 7 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Notes of a Ukrainian Madman amp oldid 1139971440, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
