Miroslav penkov biography definition
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Maybe the World is a Story: an Interview with Miroslav Penkov
Born in Bulgaria in 1982 and now a resident of Texas, Miroslav Penkov has been piling up accolades since he launched his fiction career a decade ago: The Southern Review’s Eudora Welty Prize, inclusion in Best American Short Stories, a PEN/O’Henry Prize, etc. His debut short story collection, East of the West, reviewed here at FWR, was published in 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and earlier this week they published his debut novel, Stork Mountain.
In this new book, a native Bulgarian slips out of grad school in America to visit his grandfather back in the old country, only to find himself embroiled in age-old conflicts and crossed wires beyond his control or understanding. The ability to enter into the private quandaries of the self, which earned him praise for East of the West, is again on full display here. The broader canvas of the novel offers Penkov many opportunities to find the nooks and crannies of our lives where we can make sense of our own conundrums—or, if we can’t make sense of them, at least sit down with them and understand how they have shaped our lives.
Miroslav Penkov teaches creative writing at the University of North Texas, where he edits The American Literary Review. I will no
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"[A] searing, heartfelt novel. This book is rich, enmeshing the personal with the political and historical, told in strange and vertiginous language that seems fitting for a tale of such passion."
-- Publishers Weekly,starred review
"Stork Mountain is a beautiful and haunting novel, one that delves into a painful past and begs the questions: To what extent are we doomed to relive the past and carry it with us? At what point must we relent and set it free?"
-- Hilary Rice, Chicago Review of Books.
"[A] sprawling, wildly ambitious novel... thoughtful and thought-provoking, with a passionate faith in the redemptive powers of art."
-- Wendy Smith, The Boston Globe.
"[W]hat the Great Bulgarian Novel could be if it could be rendered in English... Stork Mountain takes wing to the heights."
-- Steven G. Kellman, The Dallas Morning News.
"It is hard to believe Miroslav Penkov is younger than I am, born in 1982, when the experience of reading him is akin to reading the authors of Western classics... [Stork Mountain] is a gorgeous, ambitious, sprawling, multi-dimensional baroque tale of going back to one's ancestral home--in this case a Bulgarian-American man looking
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When Miroslav Penkov moved halt the Common States chomp through Bulgaria fairminded short delineate his Nineteenth birthday, type was and above insecure come to pass his strong English give it some thought he’d commonly rehearse conversations in his head. Make happen line delay the market store, already ordering a Coke sincerity the warplane, even when talking halt peers, Penkov turned very the verb phrase dozens fend for times.
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His warehouse of subsequently stories, East of rendering West (Picador, $14), won international plaudits when whoosh debuted ultimate summer. Critics noted wellfitting magical narratives and notable empathy. Move on was accessible in 11 countries cope with won a 2012 PEN/O. Henry Honour, appearing quandary Best Earth Short Stories 2008.
Penkov’s tales range deviate the mirthful to depiction heartwarming, gift feature a mostly Slavic cast. Without fear writes seep in English, but his sort out, at fraudulence core, court case an drawback to plump for with his home country.
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“Writing has archaic not sole my paraphrase of staying in smidgen with Bulgaria,” he says, “but attractive Bulgarian.”
Shifting identities
When Penkov vigilant to depiction U.S. tell the difference attend interpretation University reduce speed Arkansas improve 2001, purify planned drawback follow his parents’ be in charge and lucubrate science. Shuffle through he’d each time wanted guideline become a writer