Allen Lane pre-empts 'devastating account of life during war' from Ukrainian writer Mykhed

Allen Lane has signed a “devastating account of life during war” from acclaimed Ukrainian writer Oleksandr Mykhed.

Casiana Ionita, publishing director at Penguin Press, bought UK and Commonwealth rights to The Language of War from Emma Shercliff at Laxfield Agency, in a pre-empt in the run-up to the Frankfurt Book Fair. It will publish in June 2024.

The book is described as “both a record and a reckoning”, bringing together Mykhed’s vivid day-by-day chronicles of the 13 months of the Russian invasion into Ukraine with a chorus of other voices – his family that lived through the occupation, friends in exile, those who have fought and have witnessed unimaginable atrocities.

Mykhed is now enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is the author of nine books; selected essays and excerpts from his books have been translated into 10 languages. He has participated in literary residencies in Finland, Latvia, Iceland, the US and France, and virtual residency at Oxford University. He has written for publications including the Financial Times, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Guardian, and has appeared as a guest on CNN and NPR. He is a member of PEN Ukraine.

Mykhed said: “It is an honour to be part of Allen Lane’s amazing range of authors, whom I consider my teachers in non-fiction. This is an opportunity to tell our story, to share our love, memory, grief, and rage that is understandable across languages and across borders. With an eternal memory of those who have been killed and with the deepest gratitude to those who defend Ukraine each day."

Ionita added: "I was floored by Oleksandr’s manuscript and, as soon as I finished it, I had to share it with everyone. His craft and skill are extraordinary. I believe it is a classic in the making.”