For 20 years, the "Library of Freedom" series saw the light of nine dozen publications about Belarusian politics, language, history, society, journalism, prison, health and much more.

We continue to introduce you to our publishing output.

By the way, every book is available in digital format.

The fifth letter to those who can read.

The land of mysteries

Large thematic cycles that were broadcast on Svoboda's airwaves and published on the website later became books of the "Liberty of Svoboda" - as a rule.

I will now explain this clarification, but for now I will say the main thing: you can now bring back the time that existed only on short waves, its harmony and meaning, because they are preserved in books.

As a rule, because we did not manage to publish all the cycles worth it as books, for example, Algerd Bakhorevich's fifty publications "Wonders and Wonders of Belarus", or the series of unique interviews of Anna Sous with the presidents of Russia's neighboring countries "Russia and I", or our first annual the 1999 project "Remembrance of the Century", where people recalled the memorable events of their lives.

One of such unpublished literary cycles was called "Like Belarusians..." - and then the thematic essay was deciphered.

"How Belarusians visit, make friends with the Chinese, have sex, go to Moscow, love their superiors..." - and so on.

The cycle of brilliant essays was completed by the program called "How Belarusians write essays".

The main task of essay writing is to see the mystery and understand its meaning.

Today I invite you to the shelf where attempts to solve Belarusian riddles and discover their meanings are presented.

Well, in the meantime, we will think about how to publish an essay about essays and other miracles.

Alexander Lukashuk, librarian of Svoboda

"Why Belarus is not Russia"

• Why Belarus is not Russia (.pdf)

There is no question mark in the title, because this is not a book of questions, but of answers.

The historiosophical essays of the doctor of history, Sergey Ablameyka, ring a bell and hit the target, even if you have not yet heard the march of history or seen its routes.

The book contains four dozen essays, each of which surprises and inspires with the quality of its arguments.

You can't think about the future of Belarus, Europe and your own without this book.

"Incredible 2020"

• Incredible 2020 (.pdf)

• The Incredible 2020s (.epub)

The unimaginable miracle of the most fantastic summer in the recent history of Belarus impressed both the Belarusians themselves and the rest of the world.

What was it, why, where and where - these questions are answered by 20 Belarusian intellectuals, from Svetlana Aleksievich to Artem Shreibman.

The author Yuri Drakakhrust constructs the book as a search not so much for the political, but for the anthropological and national dimension of the "incredible 2020".

In other words, how likely was the unbelievable?

And it will be.

"Kalinovsky and the political birth of Belarus"

• Kalinovsky and the political birth of Belarus (.pdf)

• Kalinovsky and the political birth of Belarus (.epub)

• Kalinovsky and the political birth of Belarus (YouTube, audiobook)

The leader of the liberation uprising of 1863, Kastus Kalinovsky, and his associates came to the surface themselves - not from the grave, but from history, when Belarus began to approach the abyss.

During the solemn ceremony in Vilnius in Belarus, there were many discussions about Kastus: ours or not ours, hero or not, to love or not to love.

The book of Serhiy Ablameyka, which was published in two editions, gives the answer - clear, complete, proof, once and for all.

Make sure!

"Skin rash"

• Skin rash (.pdf)

Belarusian first printer Francishak Skaryna appears in the blogs and dialogues of the writer Mihasy Skobla as our contemporary.

The author offers his answer to the questions: why would Skorina be happy, what was he angry about, what was he happy about, for what and to whom would he give a thumbs up in today's Belarus?

I wonder if the first printer would have recognized his words in the retelling of the poet Ales Rozanov?

And do you recognize?

"My Carthage"

• My Carthage (.pdf)

• My Carthage (.epub)

It's not about the Roman Empire and its wars, it's about us here and now.

Already here you can see the foundations of the future books of the laureate of the award Jerzy Gedroyts, doctor of history Serhiy Ablameyka, which were published later in the "Library".

"Seven lean years"

• Seven lean years (.pdf)

An expression from the Bible gave the name to this book of blogs (because what is the Bible if not a collection of blogs) published on the svaboda website.

org from 2008 to 2014.

This is a chronicle of events to which the author Yury Drakakhrust promptly responded, as well as the riddles of Belarusian everyday life, which the author tried to solve, determine the meanings and foresee the trends of changes.

A rare case - the author, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, counted and wrote how many predictions have come true, and how many are still waiting for their time.

The percentage of hits will surprise you!

"Free Studio"

• Free Studio (.pdf)

• Free Studio (Soundcloud)

These 50 conversations about the freedom to think, create and remember in modern Belarus, collected under one cover by Mihas Skobla, are only a tenth of his work on Freedom.

An intellectual and aesthetic fest - only the top of a ten-year radio cycle of the author's weekly dialogues with excellent participants - take the chance to meet, think and argue.

"Accents of Freedom"

• Accents of Freedom (.pdf)

The program "Prague Accent" was born shortly after the Radio moved from Munich to Prague, and its participants and authors discussed the turmoil of Belarus between East and West every week.

Yuri Drakakhrust held hundreds of round tables, but only a small part fit between the covers.

A book of this size could be published annually - but here are selected the most interesting, in the opinion of the author, discussions.

"Sharp Gate"

• Pointed Gate (.pdf)

• Sharp Gate (Soundcloud)

The Belarusian cultural context at the turn of the century - this is how Siarhei Dubovets once defined his essayist podcast, although this word did not yet exist in the late 1990s, and he made an intellectual Belarusian revolution - more precisely, he made it every week.

It's like that again - "Ostraya Brama", the Sunday program loved by many, deserved its own almanac, because its revelations were revelations, paradoxes were paradoxes, and the national discourse was unique.

One can only envy those who will open this gate for the first time.

There will be a continuation

Find out about other editions of the Library of Freedom

20th anniversary of "Library of Freedom".

Our guide to the country behind bars

20th anniversary of "Library of Freedom".

Our guide to the Land of Heroes

20th anniversary of "Library of Freedom".

Our guide to the Land of Time Travel

20th anniversary of "Library of Freedom".

Our guide to the Land of Poets

• Alexander Lukashuk

  Journalist of Radio Svaboda

  lukashuka@rferl.org

  Subscribe