2018 is a very important year for Latvia as it marks its 100th year of independence. However, its capital city of Riga existed long before Latvia was declared a nation, and therefore has many stories to tell. Benefiting from its coastal location the city saw a lot of trade coming in and out of its shores in the Roman times.
Although Latvia has been independent for exactly 100 years, half of that was spent under Soviet rule, so it is fair to say the city has a coloured history. Some of which is used as a backdrop for a book of ten short stories called; The Book of Riga. All stories were written by Latvian writers and all stories are set in Riga. I think it’s also important to note that all stories were written in Latvian and translated into English.
As one of Europe’s smallest nations, I am always intrigued to learn more about places that are seldom spoken about and Latvia is one of those places. What was life like in this city, how is life there now and what will life be like in the future?
The stories gathered in The Book of Riga, published by Manchester’s Comma Press, chronicle Riga’s growth and ongoing transformation, and offer glimpses into the dark humour, rich history, contrasting perspectives, and love of the mythic, that sets the city’s artistic community apart.
On this particular evening we were joined by Sven Kuzmins who read his story The Shakes. Set in an office in Riga, a successful Swedish businessman (Jensen) invites his assistant (Agnia) into his office and is taken aback by his ability to predict the future. However, she goes along with his slightly erratic behaviour to save face - a theme which is very common across Latvian society.
I think the concept of short stories in one location is fantastic as you get to hear about one place from so many different character’s perspectives. It was a shame that Dace Ruksane could not be attendance as billed.
After hearing about the city in the post discussions talks, Riga is definitely on my list of places to visit. It seems like it’s managed to keep its identity despite the difficult history the city faced. It has established itself as a vibrant city full of culture and art - it sounds a bit like the Edinburgh of the Baltic region.
Reportage - Brian Madden
on - 15/10/18
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