Bookouture to republish Lucyk-Berger’s Souvenirs from Kyiv

Bookouture will publish a new edition of Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s book of short stories, Souvenirs from Kyiv, on 22nd April. 

Managing director Jenny Geras and associate publisher Jess Whitlum-Cooper acquired world rights to the book of short stories directly from the author, who initially self-published the collection. The stories were inspired by the author’s Ukrainian family history during the Second World War.

Lucyk-Berger said: “Souvenirs from Kyiv is my attempt to connect the world to Ukraine and Ukrainians and to share my understanding of a lesser-known history. I took liberties with the characters and events in order to weave together a complete portrait of the Ukrainians that I grew up with, loved and respected. 

“It is a portrait of a culture and  country that I have grown to better understand as I have matured and to love ever more deeply. Russia has been trying to effectively wipe Ukraine off the world map for thousands of years. They haven’t succeeded yet. And they certainly won’t be able to now that the entire world is watching. I plead for peace in the pages of this collection.”

Souvenirs from Kyiv  was awarded second place in the 2014 HNS International Short Story Award and the collection won the silver medal in the IPPY Book Awards 2020 for Military and Wartime fiction. 

Lucyk-Berger has previously published two historical novels with Bookouture: The Girl From the Mountains and The Woman at the Gates. 

Geras said: “We are honoured to be publishing this book and proud to be bringing Chrystyna’s stories—and her Ukrainian family’s history—to a wider readership.”