Love in Defiance of Pain: Ukrainian Stories aims to bring the riches of contemporary Ukrainian literature-and of contemporary Ukraine, too-to the world. While Ukraine is under sustained attack, many in the West have marveled at the nation's strength in the face of a barbaric invasion. Who are these people, what is this nation, which has captivated the world with their courage? By showcasing some of the finest Ukrainian writers working today, this book aims to help answer that question. There are war stories, but there are also love stories. Stories of aging romantics in modern Ukraine, and of modern Ukrainians in Vienna and Brooklyn, a fantastical tale set on a mysterious island where people never die, a wild lovers' romp through modern-day Ukraine, a sobering account of an American war photographer, and a post-modern tale of a botanist in love. Some of these stories have been published before-indeed, many are award-winning and acclaimed-while some are appearing for the first time, making their rightful debut on the world stage. The range of voices, settings, and subjects in this vivid and varied collection show us how to "love in defiance of pain"-an apt phrase taken from the very first story in this book. Readers will be delighted and moved, and will gain insight into the proud history and contemporary life of Ukraine. Authors include: Sophia Andrukhovych, Yuri Andrukhovych, Stanislav Aseyev, Kateryna Babkina, Artem Chapeye, Liubko Deresh, Kateryna Kalytko, Oksana Lutsyshyna, Vasyl Makhno, Tanja Maljartschuk, Taras Prokhasko, Oleg Sentsov, Natalka Sniadanko, Olena Stiazhkina, Sashko Ushkalov, Oksana Zabuzhko, and Serhiy Zhadan Proceeds from the sale of this collection will be donated to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Eccentric Days of Hope and Sorrow brings together a selection of Natalka Bilotserkivets's poetry from the last four decades. Having established an English-language following largely on the merits of a single poem, Bilotserkivets's larger body of work continues to be relatively unknown. She was an active participant in "Ukraine's Renaissance" of the late-Soviet and early-independence period. Now, nearly thirty years on, much has changed in her birth land, but the lyricism and urgency in Bilotserkivets's poetry remain; her voice still speaks about movement and restricted movement, even symbolic movement. Eccentric Days of Hope and Sorrow endeavors to return to shed light on the missing history.