Guntis Berelis

Prose author and literary critic Guntis Berelis (1961) was born in Cēsis, Latvia. Berelis studied in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Latvia, as well as in the Department of Library Sciences and Bibliography. His writing has been published in various platforms since 1986. 1989 – 1991 and 2003 – 2010 he was editor-in-chief for the critiques section of Karogs literary magazine. 1999 – 2016, he was one of the authors and creators of the Studio 9 and Ināra Kolmane’s documentary film series Rakstnieks tuvplānā/The Writer in Close-up producing over 30 documentaries about Latvian writers creating a panoramic overview of contemporary Latvian literary scene. He is one of the creators of Latvian Cultural Canon (2008). Berelis has read lectures at the Culture Academy of Latvia, and several other universities and seminars for librarians, teachers and young authors. He led the prose workshops at the Literary Academy in 2007, 2013 and 2016.

He is the author of around 600 articles on literature, reviews in magazines and newspapers, many forewords, and afterwords for books by Regīna Ezera, Marģers Zariņš, and translations of Umberto Eko, Anthony Burgess, Jorge Luis Borges, Charles Baudelaire, Samuel Beckett, et al. A large number of his articles and critiques have been published in his literary critiques blog Guntis Berelis vērtē. Guntis Berelis has translated short prose, essays, and critiques from Russian. His works have been published in English, Russian, Lithuanian, Belorussian, Swedish and other languages. He is also the author of several travel pieces based on historical events. He is the editor of over thirty books. Berelis has received some of the most important awards in Latvian literature for both his fiction and his academic writing. In 2015, his novel Words Were of No Use was published as a part of novel series We. Latvia, XX Century and shortlisted for the Annual Latvian Literature Award as the best work of prose. Since 1994, Berelis is a member of the Latvian Writers' Union.

Prose
Es nekad nerunāju muļķības [I Never Talk Rubbish]. Riga: Dienas Grāmata, 2018.
Vārdiem nebija vietas [Words Were of No Use]. Riga: Dienas Grāmata, 2015.
Ugunīgi vērši ar zelta ragiem [Fiery Oxen With Golden Horns]. Riga: Dienas grāmata, 2007.
Mīnotaura medības [Hunt for the Minotaur]. Collection of stories. Riga: Atēna, 1999.
Agnese un Tumsas valdnieks. [Agnes and the King of Darknes]. Children's literature. Riga: Daugava, 1995.
Mitomānija [Mythomania]. Collection of stories. Riga: Liesma, 1989.

Criticism
... rakstīt... [...to write...]. Riga: Orbīta, 2022.
Neēd šo ābolu, tas ir mākslas darbs [Don't Eat this Apple, it's a Piece of Art]. Essays. Riga: Atēna, 2001.
Latviešu literatūras vēsture [History of Latvian Literature]. Riga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1999.
Klusums un vārds [Silence and Word]. Collection of essays and reviews. Riga: Daugava, 1997.

Jan M.Heller. A space of absurdity, femininity and trauma // Itvar, January 2025 [CZ]

Berelis' professional blog, articles on literature // Guntis Berelis vērtē [LV]

Guntis Berelis, A Short Guide to Latvian Prose // Keel ja Kirjandus, 2013 [EN, EST]

Bārbala Simsone, Berelis dzied častuškas, review of I Never Talk Rubbish // Diena.lv, 2018 [LV]

Pauls Bankovskis, Berelis un latviešu psihs, review of Words Were of No Use // Online magazine Satori, 2015 [LV] 

Ieva Plūme, Esamība bez vārdiem: klusuma troksnis, review of Words Were of No Use // Online magazine Punctum, 2015 [LV]

Bārbala Simsone, Nāves deja bez vārdiem, review of Words Were of No Use //  full text in Latvju Teksti magazine. 3, 2015 [LV]

Aivars Eipurs, Kā Tušs par zvēru palika, review of Words Were of No Use // Diena.lv, 2015 [LV]

2002, the Annual Latvian Literature Award for criticism

1995, Culture Foundation Award for criticism

1995, the Rainis and Aspazija Foundation Prize

1993, Klāvs Elsbergs Prize