The work of poet and prosaist Aleksandrs Čaks (1901-1950) is now reaching a wider audience in Bulgaria, thanks to a new anthology focused on Latvian writers. Čaks’ collection of poems Iedomu spoguļi has been published by the Sofia-based Foundation for Bulgarian Literature, reports the Latvian Literature Centre.

Čaks, born Aleksandrs Čadarainis, is remembered in part for pushing Latvian poetry in new directions.

The Bulgarian translation by Aksinia Mihailova includes selections from Sirds uz trotuāra, Es un šis laiks, Apašs frakā, Mana paradīze and Iedomu spoguļi. The translation was supported by the literature center and the State Culture Capital Foundation (Valsts kultūrkapitāla fonds).

It is not the first time Čaks’ work has been translated into Bulgarian, according to the Latvian Literature Centre. Sirds uz trotuāra was translated in 1998.

The Foundation for Bulgarian Literature also has published a translated collection by Latvian poet Dagnija Dreika and is planning to release translations of novels by Zigmunds Skujiņš and Nora Ikstena.

Latvijas rakstniekam Vikam šogad paliek 70 gadi. Atzīmējot šo jubileju, apgāds Zvaigzne ABC izdod prozas krājumu Bīstamvieta, kurā apkopoti vairāki stāsti un pasakas.

Rakstnieka īstais vārds ir Viktors Kalniņš un viņs arī pazīstams kā komponista Imanta Kalniņa brālis. Dzimis 1939. gada 1. aprīlī, Viks kopš 1974. gada profesionāli nodarbojas ar rakstniecību. Viņš ir Latvijas Rakstnieku savienības biedrs.

Kā rakstīts apgādas preses ziņojumā, krājumā Bīstamvieta, “Lasītāji kopā ar stāstu varoņiem varēs izstaigāt gan rakstnieka jaunības gadu vietas Grīziņkalna apkārtnē, gan iejusties stopētāja dialogos ar šoferīšiem maršrutā Dikļi–Rīga–Dikļi, gan kļūt līdzdalīgi, šķetinot vīrieša un sievietes attiecību samezglojumus.”

Viks ir vairāku dzeju, prozu, libretu, scenāriju un dziesmu tekstu autors. Darbojies arī ar bērnu literatūru un no angļu valodas tulkojis vairāku autoru darbus.

Vairāk par grāmatu uzzināsiet apgāda mājas lapā, www.zvaigzne.lv.

Nothing Special is pretty special at the moment, at least according to Latvian media reports that note how the group is garnering international press attention.

The mysterious group of four bandmembers has released two singles through Rīga-based Platforma Music, but it was a March 16 story carried by the Reuters news agency that put the group into the global limelight.

“Nothing special” (or nasing spešal, as Latvians like to write it) refers to the infamous statement by former Finance Minister Atis Slakteris characterizing his nation’s economic collapse. The statement was made during a blunder-full interview with the Bloomberg business news channel. Journalist Gunta Gasuna’s report for Reuters examines the cottage industry emerging from the statement, including the band and T-shirts. Not too long ago I saw a downtown Rīga restaurant offering a lunchtime “Nothing special.”

The band’s first single, “Taupi,” was released at the start of February and used words from poet Jānis Rainis’ work “Saimnieciskas pamatmācības,” according to a Platforma Music press release. The second single, “No ligzdas kritušie,” heralds the coming of the band’s debut album, Mēs esam ellē! (We Are in Hell!).

Members of Nothing Special include four experienced musicians, according to Platforma: Aigars, Ainars, Aivars and Einārs. The names refer to well-known politicians. They perform in penguin costumes, so it’s anyone’s guess who they really are. (In the late 1990s, the members of Prāta Vētra performed as their alter-egos Reigani, all sporting Ronald Reagan masks and even cutting an album, Nospiedi sarkano podziņu).

For more on the “nothing special” phenomenon, visit the blog www.nothingspecial.lv. For more on the band, and to purchase the singles, visit www.platformamusic.lv.