Poems of Čaks reach Bulgarian audience

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.

Aleksandrs Čaks

The poetry of Aleksandrs Čaks is reaching a Bulgarian audience thanks to a new translation.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.

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