Darya Shut - Selected Title Author
We are happy to present our selected title author Darya Shut . She has written The Price of Freedom. My Father, Me, and the Dictator (original title: Frihetens pris – min far, jeg og diktatoren). The book is one of NORLA’s Selected Titles of the autumn 2024.
What is your book about?
The book is about Belarus and my family. It is a story about my childhood and my father, who was an elected representative and one of the first people to oppose Lukashenko – Europe’s last dictator. As a child I was often angry with my father because of the decision he made – in my book I also talk about how such decisions affect a whole family, especially the children.
I use all the stories that my parents and grandparents told me during my childhood, as well as those from secondary sources, such as academic books, articles and newspapers.
Who is this book for?
The book is for those who don’t know very much about Belarus. I describe many of the events that shaped the country, while my personal story makes it all more vivid and less distant.
Anyone reading the book will learn a lot about the country’s history, its complicated path to independence and how destructive populism is for a young state.
How is your book different from other books in this area?
There aren’t that many books about Belarus out there, but the ones I’ve read are either personal or purely factual. I believe that I was able to find the balance, and alternate between being personal, and being academic and analytical.
Read more
See full presentation of the book here
Read more about the author here (in Norwegian)
See all NORLA’s Selected Titles for the autumn 2024 here
