Валерій Пузік. З любов’ю — тато

Валерій Пузік

Work proposed for translation:

З любов’ю — тато
Short stories (2023)
Length: 160 pp.
Copyright: Author: fragmentatiopuzik2014@gmail.com

Valerii Puzik (born 1987) is a Ukrainian writer, film director and artist. An artist and designer by education, active participant in painting and graphic exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad. Director of documentary short films. His debut collection of short prose Monolith was published in 2018, and in 2020 — a new collection of stories I Saw Him Alive, Dead and Alive Again, which contains both bright childhood memories and the terrible reality of war. In January 2015, he volunteered for the front. He participated in the fighting in Donbas. Since March 2022, he has been in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During the war, he wrote the book With Love — Daddy, which was included in the list of the best prose books of 2023 according to the Ukrainian PEN Club.

The collection With Love — Daddy contains short stories, essays, and a letter in which the author truthfully tells about the reality of war and life in the trenches, but despite the terrible surrounding reality, he finds the strength for love, friendship, and beauty. He writes letters to his son, in which he recalls the happy moments of his childhood and asks to protect his mother. He also addresses his beloved wife, longing for that happy time when they drank one cappuccino for two. In addition to prose, there is also poetry — instant photos of the war that tell what cannot be expressed in prose. At times, the author himself doubts the appropriateness of words in war: “There are no words. I don’t know what to write about anymore. I don’t see the point…,” but in the end, words overcome silence, as life overcomes death, and the author continues to speak. He tries to pass on his knowledge to his son, teaches him to set goals, and most importantly, gives him and his family hope. This book is the truth about what Ukraine is going through now. About the fact that even where death lurks nearby, there is always a place for life, love, and hope, if we remain human.