Our new selection for lovers of beautiful and thought-provoking books. We invite you to explore our top 8 books — a list worth browsing and reading for everyone. Editor’s choice!

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1. “Belarusian Bedspreads and Carpets: Anthropology and the Art of Traditional Objects”

Volha Labacheŭskaya / 2021

As the author herself notes, “the book on the anthropology and art of the bedspread is a multilayered text that offers a comprehensive analysis of an object as a cultural phenomenon.” The book is a narrative of the fate of Belarusian folk art as told through bedspreads and carpets created in rural areas from the late 19th to the 20th century. It features numerous photographs of bedspreads from museums across the country, ranging from the National Art Museum to the Ivatsevichy Museum of Traditional Culture, and also includes archival photographs of Belarusians posed against bedspreads from the mid-20th century, collected by the VEHA NGO.

Where to buy: at Akademkniga bookstores in Minsk (72 Nezalezhnosti Ave. or 46 Bahdanovich St.).

2. “Aichyna: A Pictorial History. From Ragneda to Kościuszko”

Uladzimir Arlou, Pavel Tatarnikov / 2016

This book of illustrated stories is intended primarily for children and teenagers, but it will also be engaging and informative for adults. After each section, readers will find a series of questions — both playful and serious — such as: How many cats guarded the documents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania?

The book is published in two volumes. The first covers the period from antiquity to the end of the 18th century.

Where to buy: for example, on the website of the Janushkevich publishing house.

3. “The Vetka Museum of Folk Art” — book album

3rd edition / Minsk, Belarus, 2001

Not far from Gomel lies the small town of Vetka, home to a unique museum that preserves ancient folk traditions and a distinctive artistic heritage. Its collections include Old Believer icons, handwritten and early printed books from the 16th–19th centuries, as well as collections of textiles and archaeological artifacts. In our selection, we invite you to take a closer look at the album featuring works from this remarkable collection.

Where to buy: we found this book available only on Ay.by, priced at 15 BYN.

 4. “The Enchanted World: From Belarusian Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales”

Illustrations by V. P. Slavuk / 2nd edition. Minsk: Belarusian Encyclopedia named after P. Broŭka, 2010

Where else but in this book can one look for fairy-tale characters and images from our mythology? It describes extraordinary beings and creatures that have been preserved in the spiritual heritage of Belarusians and continue to appear in various aspects of our lives. The publication is richly illustrated (by the renowned artist Valery Slavuk!) and was even published in English.

Where to buy: we also found this book available only on Ay.by, in English, priced at 130 BYN.

5. “Kitsch in the Artistic Culture of Contemporary Belarus”

D. Y. Buneeva / Belarusian Science / Minsk, 2021

The publication examines the phenomenon of kitsch and its manifestations in the work of contemporary Belarusian artists — both self-taught creators and well-known painters, sculptors, and graphic artists. The author attempts to conceptualize this cultural phenomenon, defining its key stylistic characteristics and explaining them to the reader.

Where to buy: at Akademkniga bookstores in Minsk (72 Nezalezhnosti Ave. or 46 Bahdanovich St.).

6. The Belarus Book

Kasia Syramalot / 2020

A visual narrative about Belarus by photographer Kasia Palasatka. This book represents her work over the past ten years. Across more than 200 pages, it features around 170 photographs from different regions of Belarus and from Minsk, Kasia’s hometown, along with essays by people who shape the country’s contemporary culture.

Where to buy: the book is available in online stores (for example, on Oz.by for 110 BYN) or can be viewed and purchased offline (for example, at the bookstore-café MARKS on 11 Karl Marx Street, also for 110 BYN).

7. “This Is Belarus, Baby!”

Marta Charnova, Maryia Charakova / 2019

Through humorous illustrations, the book explores aspects of everyday life in Belarus, offering in-depth yet lighthearted explanations of phenomena that often shock foreigners and seem illogical to them.

Where to buy: the book can be purchased online on Oz.by for 17.46 BYN, or found offline at Belkniga bookstores.

8. “The Country of Belarus”

Uladzimir Arlou, Zmicier Herasimovič / 2013

Where to buy: at Akademkniga bookstores in Minsk (72 Nezalezhnosti Ave. or 46 Bahdanovich St.). 

If you would like to suggest interesting publications for this selection, please feel free to write to us!

On the cover: an illustration by Belarusian artist Pavel Tatarnikov from the book Aichyna: A Pictorial History. From Ragneda to Kościuszko.

Reprinting of this material or any part of it is permitted only with the written consent of the editorial team.

If you notice an error or would like to suggest an addition to the published materials, please let us know.

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