Family Hearth. Stories

Yevhen Hutsalo is a prominent Ukrainian writer of the Sixtiers movement, a poet, and a journalist. He was one of the few authors who managed to preserve his originality and satire in his work even during the Brezhnev Stagnation, continuing to create after Ukraine gained independence.
In his novella «Family Hearth», Hutsalo masterfully depicts life in the small village of Zbarazh as it recovers after the war. The story centers around Hanka, who lost her husband in the war and is now raising three children on her own. The woman desperately seeks justice. Despite the arbitrary rule of minor officials, she finds the strength within herself to build a new home for her children and stand up for her truth. Yevhen Hutsalo not only creates vivid characters of the local residents and sharply and satirically describes their daily lives, but he also tells a touching story of a mother's love.
In other texts included in this edition, the writer also touches on themes of growing up, a deep connection to family, closeness to nature, and the multifaceted life of the Ukrainian village.