Knuts Skujenieks

person

Biography

Knuts Skujenieks (1936-2022) is a Latvian poet, journalist. He translates poetry from more than fifteen languages, Skujenieks has studied at the University of Latvia, and the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. In 1962, he was convicted of anti-Soviet activities, and sentenced to seven years in prison camp in Mordovia, Russia, and this misfortune meant that he was only able to publish his first collection of poetry in 1978, aged 42, his poetry has been translated into Swedish, Ukrainian, Armenian, Lithuanian, as well as widely published in Russian and English. He has received the Annual Literary Award – for the best collection in 2001, and for lifelong contribution in literature in 2010. He has written literary critiques, reviews and often has contributed to discussions regarding sociopolitical issues and historical events. His life's work has been assembled in an eight-volume series, published by "Nordic" from 2003 till 2008. Knuts Skujenieks is regarded as one of the most prominent authors, an idol of many writers and translators of his own and following generations, as well as a key intellectual figure. He is responsible for bringing many of the world classics to the attention of Latvian readership through translations, for instance, works of Walt Whitman, Federico García Lorca, Aleksandar "Aco" Šopov, Tomas Tranströmer, and many other significant authors, but his greatest achievement may be the lifelong and strong commitment to translating poetry of different ethnic groups, nations, cultures, and promoting traditions of folk songs from all around the world. The year 2001 saw the publication of book Dziesma, ej viegli pa manu sirdi/Oh Song, Tread Lightly in My Heart, a selection of 20th century poetry from 27 European languages in original and translation, selected and translated by Knuts Skujenieks. He has received the prestigious Tomas Tranströmer Prize in 1998, has been the chairman of the Latvian PEN for many years, and has been awarded the The Order of Three Stars, Second Class (2008), a Latvian civilian order of honour.

library_books

Bibliography

Poetry
Basās zvaigznes. Босые звезды [Barefoot Stars], Riga: Pētergailis, 2016.
Poga [The Button], poetry collection, Riga: Neputns, 2011.
Bilingvālais dzejas izdevums „Basās zvaigznes”, Pētergailis (2016)
Nekā personīga [Nothing Personal]. Riga: Neputns, 2010.
Mūsu dzīve nokalpotā [Our Life, Served]. Riga: Nordik, 2007.
Tagad es esmu Aleksandrs [Now I am Alexander]. Riga: Neputns, 2006.
Patiesīgs, bet ne pilnīgs dzīvesstāsts ar 33 smukiem un nesmukiem dzejoļiem 33 gadu garumā [A True But Incomplete Story of 33 Years of Life With 33 Poems, Fine and Poor]. Riga: Likteņstāsti,1996.
Uzvarētājs nāk pa ķēķa durvīm [The Winner Comes Through a Back Door].1994.
Sēkla sniegā [A Seed in the Snow]. Riga: Liesma (1990)
Iesien baltā lakatiņā [Do It Up in a White Kerchief]. Riga: Liesma, 1978.
Lirika un balsis [Voices and Lyrics]. Riga: Liesma,1978.

Criticism
Paša austs krekls [A Hand-Woven Shirt]. Riga: Liesma, 1987.

Collected works
Raksti [Writings]. 1-8. Riga: Nordik, 2003 - 2008.

Selected works
Simts. Dzejas izlase [One Hundred. Selected Poems]. Riga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2011.
Parkā par solu [I Wish To Be a Bench in a Park], Selected Poems. Riga: Likteņstāsti, 1997.
Līdz kailai rokai [Bitter Hand], Selected Poems. Riga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1996.
Mūžīgs pusmēnes [Eternal Crescent], Selected Poems. Riga: Teātra Anekdotes,1993.
Kā putu zīmes [Tracks of Froth], Selected Poems. Riga: Teātra Anekdotes, 1992.