An annual Lviv Publishers Forum, probably the most popular city event, floods the city with book lovers from all over Ukraine while dozens of city cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, book stores and shopping malls host book presentations, autograph sessions or thematic discussions for all five days of the event.
At the same time, dozens in this city have already sacrificed their lives in Russia’s war against eastern Ukraine and thousands keep fighting there.
Still, the Publishers Forum — held in mid-September for 20 years — was never interrupted by revolution or war. More books about the war have appeared at the forum during the last two years, but there are no less books about love, traveling and sex.
The popularity of a Polish writer, Janusz Leon Wisniewski, never goes down among Ukrainians since his first novel, Loneliness On The Net, was published, although the writer never talks politics or makes political statements.He says he is afraid of politics and is specialized in love, chemistry and IT only.
His female readers always obey the rule and gladly ask the questions about the psychology of the romantic relationships, sex, love or even ask the writer to give an advice on their personal life.
Wisniewski comes to the forum every year for at least a few days meeting his readers up to a dozen times during each visit. And every time there is a crowd of bright-eyed women awaiting him. His last meeting during this year’s forum was no exception. Blonds, brunettes and read haired Ukrainian beauties of all ages occupied every corner of a small Lviv cafe terrace long before the meeting began, each holding new Wisniewski’s book in their hands, anxious to ask their questions.
A young man in a military uniform came in late. All the tables were already occupied by Wisnewski’s fans, so the military man sat on the concrete stairs, not far from the author’s table and patiently waited to ask his question. His question was simple. He wanted advice from the author himself on what book to read next. His first one was Loneliness, a Russian translation. He found it accidentally at war.
The soldier asked his question in fluent Polish and then translated to the others.“We were in Pisky, were walking around the ruined houses looking for a pan or a pot to make some soup for dinner and suddenly I noticed this book among the trash,” the soldier says. “I thought the cover was interesting, so I turned the page and read a few paragraphs, got fascinated and took the book.”The man says he was reading the book in between the fights all the time. “It is amazing,” he says and cordially thanks the author. Wisnewski thanks him back “for sharing the story.”
The writer is amazed with how war and peace clash in Ukraine. “Impossible to imagine that there is a real war in the same country just a few hundred kilometers east,” he said earlier watching the Lviv festivities. This story proved him right – Ukrainian special kind of schizophrenia exists.
As the meeting finishes and all the women come up for an autograph and a picture, coquettishly sitting near Wisnewski, the soldier also waits for his turn. When the crowd winds down he comes up to the speakers table with a small dirty book in his hand. “Oh, please sit,” the soldier says as he sees the writer jumping up.“No,no, I’ll stand up,” Wisnewski says and shakes the soldier’s hand.
Both pose very seriously for a picture.
“Amazing! Such an amazing story,” the writer repeats as the soldier leaves with the two books signed – he first one, a war relic, and Wisnewski’s last book, presented by the author and the publishers.
Serhiy, the soldier, was leaving the festive Lviv to the war for his third rotation the same night, bringing something to read from home this time. Meanwhile his home city continued celebrating the peace he is fighting for.
