Instead of Whom Does the Flower Bloom

by Feri Lainscerk, Ales Berger (Editor), Tamara M. Soban (Translator), Matej Bogataj (Afterword)

Overview

In Lacki roma, a destitute Roma settlement, the strange and stubborn Sanji is born to father Mariška and mother Tereza. One night, Mariška commits murder, stumbling home wounded with officers in hot pursuit. In the final hours of his freedom, he renames his son to Halgato and entrusts him with a family heirloom – the mysterious White Crow violin, urging him to dedicate his life to its mastery. Mariška is arrested, Tereza goes vagrant, and Halgato is left to fend for himself. The mother eventually returns home with Bumbaš, a new mate. In tow with his meagre possessions, Bumbaš brings over his son Pišti and daughters Ana and Fani, moving, with the blessing of the Roma community, into Tereza's old house. Halgato, hardened by a life of loneliness, finds in Pišti a sudden friend and companion. Bumbaš, though, wants Pišti to attend school in the city, and the family sends him there while he and Halgato tour taverns, playing music to pay for Pišti's education. Halgato, once again estranged, finds out Pišti has been seeing a girl he is secretly in love with. After a series of personal tragedies he is broken, seeking redemption in music. The story is tinged with sadness arising from the fateful condition of both the protagonists, Halgato and Pišti. Their Roma heritage will never allow them to be accepted by the surroundings, and even their friendship is troubled and tempestuous. With his portrayal of the lyrical soul-searching aspect of the Roma spirit, Feri Lainšček made a welcome break with the previous Slovene literary tradition, which often characterized the Roma as an embodiment of calculating mischief.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789616995306
Publisher:	Slovene Writers' Association
Publication date:	07/25/2017
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	369
File size:	442 KB

About the Author

Writer, poet, and playwright Feri Lainšček was born in Dolenci na Goričkem in 1959. He studied journalism and now lives and works in Murska Sobota. He is a versatile author and explores different literary genres: prose, poetry, theatre plays, as well as puppet plays and radio plays. His first poetry publication entitled "Kot slutnja radovedno” (Like a premonition, curious, 1981) was co-authored by the poets Milan Vincetič and Valerija Pergar; this was followed by several collections of his own poems. Nevertheless, literary audiences are more acquainted with his novels and their stories, which stem from the Prekmurje environments. In addition to editing several collection of short stories (some as contributor), he has published numerous novels. Among the most acclaimed are "Peronarji” (Platform People; 1982), "Raza” (Crack; 1986 and 2004), "Namesto koga roža cveti” (Instead of Whom does the Flower Bloom, 1991), "Ki jo je megla prinesla” (The Woman Carried in by the Fog, 1993), "Astralni niz” (Astral Series, 1993), "Petelinji zajtrk” (The Rooster's Breakfast, 1999), "Ločil bom peno od valov” (I Will Divide the Foam from the Waves; 2003), "Poema o ljubezni” (A Love Poem, 2003), Muriša (2006) and "Orkester za poljube” (An Orchestra for Kisses, 2013). With Dušan Šarotar as co-athor, Lainšček published "Občutek za veter” (A Sense for Wind; 2005) with the Franc-Franc Publishing. He also writes plays and books for children and young adults. His most renowned plays are "Samorastneži” (Self-Growing People, 1986), "Impresarij” (Impressario, 1990) and "Penzion Evropa” (The Europa Pension, 1995), which was also produced as a radio play. His works have been translated into Hungarian, English, German, Croatian, Czech, Spanish, and Catalan. He also collaborates with numerous Slovenian authors and groups. In 1995, Lainšček received the Prešeren Fund Prize for "Ki jo je megla prinesla” and in 2006 the Kresnik Award for Best Slovenian Novel for "Namesto koga roža cveti” and Muriša. He also received the Večernica Award for the Best Slovenian youth literary work for "Mislice” (Little Thoughts), a collection of fairy tales, the Kajuh Award for Raza, the Vladimir Slejko Fund Award for "Astralni niz” and the first award of Centre for Drama Art in Zagreb for his film script "Črni klovn” (The Black Clown).