Georgy Gospodinov

Georgy Gospodinov is one of the most readable modern Bulgarian writers. His debut collection of stories “Lapidarium” (1992) won the National award “Southern spring”. The next lyrical collection “Sweet cherry of one nation” was republished 3 times (in 1996, 1998, 2003). Georgy Gospodinov is the co-author of two books of literary mystification “Bulgarian reading book” (1995) and “Bulgarian anthology” (1998).

His debut “Natural Novel” (1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) won special prize at “Development” contest in the nomination “New Bulgarian novel” and now is the most readable modern Bulgarian book. The critics define it as “the first born and first in glory novel of 1990s generation” (the magazine “Egoist”). “Natural Novel” was also published in Serbia “Geopoetica”, Belgrade, 2001), France (“Febus”, Paris, 2002), the USA (Dalkey Archive Press, Chicago, 2005), Check Republic (Lidove Noviny, Praha, 2005), Slovenia (Beletrina, Ljubljana, 2005), Denmark (Husets Forlag, 2006), Austria and Germany (Droschl Verlag, 2007) etc.

“Le Nouvel Observateur” calls it “special and amusing”. “Le Courrier” defines the book as “story machine”, “Livres Hebdo” regards Gospodinov’s novel as “simultaneously amusing and intellectual, vulgar and refined, but, all in all, bright and innovative in form”.

“Natural Novel” was marked and commented by influential and prestigious editions in both the USA and Great Britain. “New Yorker” defines it as “anarchic, experimental debut”, charming in its refusal to look like anything created. “Guardian” says it skillfully combines “personal and philosophical”. “Los Angeles Times” considers the novel is very representative in the context of trends which were formed in modern Eastern European prose.

The editor of “The Complete Review” included the title in the February list of the best fiction books, and one of the most prestigious London book shops “London Review Bookshop” introduced it to visitors as the book of week.

“Natural Novel” is distributed in the USA, Great Britain, Canada, announced and offered by all Internet bookshops.

Georgy Gospodinov is the author of the play “D.J.” (abbreviation from Don Juan) which won the annual “Ikar” award for the best dramatic text in Bulgarian (2004). The play was staged in Sofia Satire Theatre, it was translated in Russia and published in the collection of stories and poems “Modern Bulgarian literature” and “St. Petersburg magazine” (2004). Georgy Gospodinov participated in literary readings in Paris, London, Coimbre (Portugal), Viene, Praha, Istambul and other cities. His poems and stories are printed in English, German, French, Polish, Check, American, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian and other periodicals.

Georgy Gospodinov defended PhD thesis on Problems of New Bulgarian literature, now he works in the Institute of Literature, edits “Literaturnaya gazeta”, is a weekly observer of the paper “Dnevnik” and issuing editor of Oxford-based literary news-paper “Orient Express”.

Back    Top