TE21 Serbian Moments

Trafika Europe 21 —Serbian Moment Editors’ Welcome Take a moment to indulge in this issue with some real treats from Serbian literature accompanied by a sampling from elsewhere in Europe. We begin with Dejan Tiago Stanković whose novel Zamalek won the 2021 European Union Prize for Literature. The work transports us to Egypt, sharing stories and experiences that he gathered during a long stay in the capital city. Marija Kneževic ’s poetry collection, Breathing Technique , centers around how to sustain life both physically and emotionally. She addresses current issues that affect the globe while remaining ever so human and individual. EUPL-awardedauthor DarkoTuševljaković ’sshortstorytakes place over an eighteen-hour plane ride as two men meet by chance of being placed next to one another. Similarly exploring divides of public and private, poems from Ana Ristović ’s collection, Directions for Use , explore the eroticism, feminism, and solitude hidden beneath the surface. Kicking off the works from elsewhere in Europe, Bulgarian author KristinDimitrova ’s short story, “The Smile,” askswhat it means to smile and bury a smile as the protagonist processes the loss of a mother.

Croation author Nikola Tutek ’s short story, “The Widower”, narrates the intimacy of a family struggling through losing the matriarch of the family and trying to move forward with life. Then, there’s a novel excerpt from Andrea Scrima ’s Like Lips, Like Skins . An expat from New York City living in Berlin, she explores ideas of return, foreignness, and identity between both of her worlds. Georgian author Nana Ekvtimishvili ’s International Booker longlisted novel, The Pear Field , tells an endearing story of hope seen through the eyes of two children. Ending off the issue, Italian author M. Caterina Mortillaro ’s short story, “Virtual Truth,” supplies an action-packed, surreal look at a man whowants to leave his planet and just get his feet off the ground. So take a moment and enjoy this wonderful selection of literature.

Andrew Singer and Clayton McKee, Editors

We’ve got some great related audio episodes you’ll want to check out on our Trafika Europe Radio! Here is some more info on that!

6

7