Shadow of Mazepa: Ukrainian nation in the era of Gogol

Sergey Belyakov is a historian, literary critic, author of the Bratseller biography “Gumilev Son of Gumilyov” (a prize “Big Book”)
Combining the meticulousness of the historian with the talent of the narrator, in the new book “The Shadow of Mazepa”, he would seem impossible: the impossible: A fundamental study based on many sources is more fascinating than the novel. Here, the hetmans perform the fate of the Zaporizhzhya troops and Kozatsky’s speech is heard, here comes to life in bright smells, sounds, colors the magical world of the Little Russian village, here are the biographies of great writers and poets - even Shevchenko and Gogol - only part of the general biography and fate ... Here is a nation.

“I wanted to prove that the history of nationalism is not a collection of boring“ ideological ”texts, not the history of political parties or movements, and not the evolution of political programs. This is an interesting world full of passion, energy and creativity. ”
Sergey Belyakov