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hrc333's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed these short stories about Bulgaria that I had the privilege to read while visiting the country.
guerlettres's review against another edition
3.0
Много добри разкази/ новели, без преувеличение. Наистина - с внимание Към речта, ритъма и музиката на езика. Ппредпочитание към "Нощният хоризонт" и "На изток от запада"
mairi_h's review against another edition
5.0
We bought this book whilst on holiday in Bulgaria as some light holiday reading, and we got much more ! The stories are short but go deep into Bulgarian history, traditions and sentiments. Penkov's pen is humorous yet thoughtful and has a great range of ideas as demonstrated by his different themes in each story. I, and my travel buddies truly recommend East of the West.
sarahc3319's review against another edition
4.0
Mr. Penkov communicates longing, resignedness (did I make that word up?) and pride like few other writers. His stories are sentimental, bleak, funny, inspiring, depressing. I am a huge fan of his writing and look forward to more of his work.
ariel_bloomer's review against another edition
4.0
I would give this a 4.5, if possible. A solid collection of short stories that effectively create a cohesive Bulgarian atmosphere.
zaphirenia's review
4.0
B.R.A.CE. 2018 4 βιβλία με ένα ζώο στον τίτλο ή στο εξώφυλλο (Νο. 1)
Πολύ ωραία και καλογραμμένα διηγήματα. Όχι όλα το ίδιο δυνατά, αλλά μερικά (όπως για παράδειγμα το "Ανατολικά της Δύσης" και το "Ντεβσιρμέ") ήταν συγκλονιστικά. Παρότι τα διηγήματα δεν είναι το φόρτε μου, μου άρεσε πολύ. Και δείχνει σε κάποιο βαθμό και τη διασταύρωση της μοίρας της Ελλάδας με τη Βουλγαρία σε διάφορα χρονικά σημεία.
Πολύ ωραία και καλογραμμένα διηγήματα. Όχι όλα το ίδιο δυνατά, αλλά μερικά (όπως για παράδειγμα το "Ανατολικά της Δύσης" και το "Ντεβσιρμέ") ήταν συγκλονιστικά. Παρότι τα διηγήματα δεν είναι το φόρτε μου, μου άρεσε πολύ. Και δείχνει σε κάποιο βαθμό και τη διασταύρωση της μοίρας της Ελλάδας με τη Βουλγαρία σε διάφορα χρονικά σημεία.
eri_123's review against another edition
4.0
The Bulgarian instalment as I read around the world.
I deliberated for a long time about which Bulgarian book to choose: a classic or something modern? A novel or short stories? In the end, I went with this one because short stories seemed like a change of scenery to the novels I've been reading lately. I enjoyed the short and sweet format of the individual stories (good for holiday brain that finds it hard to concentrate on buses, trains or in cafes) but I also think the eight short stories have given me the benefit of eight different windows of insight into Bulgaria, all wildly different, that I may not have received from a story about one period of time in Bulgaria.
The stories are in different times and places, both in and out of Bulgaria. It includes historical events and also just talks about what it's like to be there, what it's like to be Bulgarian, or of Bulgarian heritage, and what the burden of history feels like.
My favourite stories were the title story, East of the West, and Buying Lenin. East of the West was interesting as it described the conflict of living on a border with Serbia in the 1970s and the surprising ties that persisted across the border, despite the violence of the border guards.
Buying Lenin was interesting as it examined the need to leave to seek a better life and also the threat to one's identity that leaving inadvertently provides, as well as the strong intergenerational links that cannot be erased.
I can't speak to the authenticity of the stories, but for an outsider, I think this provides a very accessible means of scratching the surface of Bulgaria through literature.
I deliberated for a long time about which Bulgarian book to choose: a classic or something modern? A novel or short stories? In the end, I went with this one because short stories seemed like a change of scenery to the novels I've been reading lately. I enjoyed the short and sweet format of the individual stories (good for holiday brain that finds it hard to concentrate on buses, trains or in cafes) but I also think the eight short stories have given me the benefit of eight different windows of insight into Bulgaria, all wildly different, that I may not have received from a story about one period of time in Bulgaria.
The stories are in different times and places, both in and out of Bulgaria. It includes historical events and also just talks about what it's like to be there, what it's like to be Bulgarian, or of Bulgarian heritage, and what the burden of history feels like.
My favourite stories were the title story, East of the West, and Buying Lenin. East of the West was interesting as it described the conflict of living on a border with Serbia in the 1970s and the surprising ties that persisted across the border, despite the violence of the border guards.
Buying Lenin was interesting as it examined the need to leave to seek a better life and also the threat to one's identity that leaving inadvertently provides, as well as the strong intergenerational links that cannot be erased.
I can't speak to the authenticity of the stories, but for an outsider, I think this provides a very accessible means of scratching the surface of Bulgaria through literature.
zmeyche's review against another edition
4.0
Аз съм от хората, които искрено смятат национализма за откровена глупост и за един от най-големите врагове на човечеството, но с думите си Мирослав Пенков дори в мен изкарва онази българска жилка, онзи извечен яд, спотайващ се из историята ни, разбърква ме и успява да ме накара да се гордея с нещо, за което нямам заслуга. А именно - че съм се родила в България.
"На изток от Запада" несъмнено има качествата да стисне за гърлото всеки българин - леко и с финес влиза изпод кожата, пъхва се и остава там. Завинаги.
http://knigozavar.com/?p=68
"На изток от Запада" несъмнено има качествата да стисне за гърлото всеки българин - леко и с финес влиза изпод кожата, пъхва се и остава там. Завинаги.
http://knigozavar.com/?p=68
sarahpisa's review against another edition
4.0
I'm usually not a huge fan of short stories, but this little collection was absolutely delightful. East of the West is a compendium of eight short stories taking place in Bulgaria (the East of the Western world) or about Bulgarians (the Orientals of the Occidentals....) and even though each stories brings its own lot of adversities and pain, no character is victimised or self-pitying here and the humour makes everything easily digestible.
My favorite one was Buying Lenin, and the one that almost made me cry was A Picture with Yuki. If you've read this book too, let me know what your favourite one was!
My favorite one was Buying Lenin, and the one that almost made me cry was A Picture with Yuki. If you've read this book too, let me know what your favourite one was!