Uljarević: Ljosa's visit to Montenegro has a wider meaning

The new book had as its guests world-famous names such as Ljudmila Petrushevska, Tarik Ali, Sahar Delijani, Toni Parsons
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Predrag Uljarević, Mario Vergas Ljosa, Photo: Private archive
Predrag Uljarević, Mario Vergas Ljosa, Photo: Private archive
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.
Ažurirano: 23.08.2015. 19:46h

Mario Vargas Ljosa's visit to Montenegro was a cultural event to remember. We talk to Predrag Uljarević, the director of Nova Knjiga, about how complicated it is to organize a visit by a writer who is a global literary star. Uljarević tells Vijesti:

"For the first time, as far as I know, a Nobel Prize winner had a literary evening in Montenegro. We can also talk about the meeting of Montenegro with one of the most significant world writers today, Mario Vargas Llosa. Such an event would not have been possible had it not been for the previous, multi-year hard work that was not directly related to the arrival of Vargas Ljosa in Montenegro, but rather to the realization of the concept of the most complete presentation of works of Latin American literature and the publication of books by Latin American writers in Montenegro. Do I need to remind you that until recently it was not even possible to imagine a situation in Montenegro where the works of the most important Latin American writers are being actively translated, and thus, understandably, the works of Vargas Ljosa as well. With great efforts and investments, we managed to achieve certain results in this business. For the first time, we have translated the works of great writers from Cortasar to Ljosa, from Marques and Fuentes to Sabato, and we are translating and publishing them (I emphasize, in our translation) in Montenegro. In this way, we made them available to Montenegrin readers and Montenegrin culture, and we at the New Book are proud of that fact.

And the arrival of this Nobel laureate in our country is practically the culmination of all those previous multi-year designed and really great efforts in this business. Vargas Llosa showed that he appreciates what is generally not appreciated in our country. By personal example, he took the side of our involvement in culture. And to return to your question, it can be said that the bigger the writer, the smaller and easier the job of organizing his arrival."

  • How the writer himself commented on Montenegro and what he saw. Did you get the feeling that it was interesting to him?

"Not just a feeling, he unequivocally confirmed that everything related to Montenegro is very interesting to him. The first meeting with the Nobel laureate excited Montenegrin readers and the widest audience, such interest and crowds have not been seen in our country so far when it comes to literature and meetings with writers. Vargas Ljosa came to visit Montenegro and his Montenegrin publisher New Book, but there was also a great desire to convey to everyone in Montenegro his ideas about the power of culture, about the exchange of cultures, about the influence of culture and literature on society, politics and life.

Vargas Ljosa was particularly interested in the history of our literature and culture, in the creation of the Montenegrin state, and especially in the work of Petr Petrović Njegoš, with whom he wanted to get to know better and to visit Cetinje. Moreover, he was also interested in the poems of some of our poets that we had translated into Spanish. He said that for him it was the most convincing meeting with Montenegro."

  • You published eight of Ljosa's novels. At what pace will his next books be published?

"All the unpublished books of Vargas Ljosa will be published at the same pace as it is possible to obtain convincing and reliable translations. All the other hurdles that are the most difficult part of the publishing business have been removed.”

  • How did you come up with the idea of ​​establishing an award with Ljosa's name. How did the great writer like the idea itself?

"The answer to your question is contained in the answer to the question why Vargas Llosa accepted our invitation in the first place. He informed us two years ago that our initiative struck him as extremely sincere and very interesting, and he wanted to personally support it. At the very beginning of the collaboration, he carefully considered the concept of the entire New Book publishing project, deciding to transfer the rights to publish his books to this publisher. As for the establishment of the award itself, in our opinion, it has given us great confidence - it is a real opportunity to award a major literary international recognition in Montenegro in the coming years. And the fact that the Nobel laureate Vargas Llosa liked the idea is told by the fact that he accepted to be the permanent president of the jury, giving his name and his work so that this award would become internationally known and valued. By signing the Founding Charter of the International Literary Award Književni Plamen, Montenegro and the region got a new perspective on the world.

I am sure that the future winners, who will be looked after by the international jury and its president, Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, will take a big step in the internationalization of our culture and its better visibility in the whole world. The literary flame of Mario Vargas Ljosa is a permanent gain for Montenegro, its literature and culture, to the extent that we care about that visibility.

In the years to come, with the serious work and constant dedication of Vargas Ljosa, the jury and the publishing house, the New Book Literary Flame will be the light that inspires and illuminates. From the day the award was established, thanks to the trust and enthusiasm of the great writer and the efforts of his publisher New Book, a new era of our presence and participation in contemporary world literature begins!"

  • The new book plans to bring other internationally known authors to Podgorica and Montenegro. Who are the next notable guests, or will it be a surprise?

"We have bought the rights to the works of a whole series of the world's most important living writers, and we will certainly invite some of them to Montenegro, of course, in accordance with the interest of the local cultural public for their arrival in Montenegro and in accordance with financial possibilities.

  • Publishing has no serious support. How do you see the opportunities in Montenegrin publishing today?

"Every culture boasts great and valuable works. They are also the basis of the publishing production of the New Book, which especially cherishes the works of the world's most prominent writers, the classics of world literature, as well as the works of contemporary authors. The successful business of a publisher is not only appreciated by the number of books sold, but also by the value that has entered the homes of readers with those books. I am afraid that most of the Montenegrin publishing policy is still devoid of any system and chaotic to the extent that the implied uniqueness and orientation is lost. These weaknesses are a consequence of the key weakness that publishing does not have serious support, there is no purchase of books by libraries, which are otherwise so few in Montenegro, so that Montenegrin publishers survive in incomparably more difficult conditions compared to other countries in the region.

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