Regīna Ezera

Regīna Ezera (née Regīna Kindzule, 1930–2002) was born in Rīga. Ezera graduated from the Department of Journalism at the University of Latvia and published her first literary work in 1955. From the 1960s onwards her primary occupation was writing. Her most well-known works are the novels Aka (The Well; 1972) – which was adapted into the highly popular film Ezera sonāte (The Lake Sonata; 1976), Zemdegas (Smouldering Fires; 1977), Varmācība (Violence; 1982), Nodevība (Betrayal; 1984), and the short story collections Slazds (The Trap; 1979), Princeses fenomens (The Princess Phenomenon; 1985) and Pūķa ola (Dragon’s Egg; 1995). Considered a master of what could be called “silent drama” as well as nuanced psychological portraits, she pays great attention to detail in human relationships and often uses parallels with the animal world, exploring the interaction between man and animal. She blurred the line between psycho-realist and postmodernist fiction in the novels Zemdegas, Varmācība and Nodevība, deconstructing the plot and incorporating her own persona and reflections about writing. Her works have been translated into German, Swedish, Estonian, Italian and other languages.

Collections of Stories
Stāsti un noveles [Stories and Novels]. Riga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2000. 
Pūķa ola [Dragon's Egg]. Riga: Preses nams, 1995. 
Pie klusiem ūdeņiem [At the Silent Waters]. Riga: Liesma, 1987.
Princeses fenomens [Princess Phenomenon]. Riga: Liesma, 1985.
Baraviku laika dullums [Madness of Penny Bun Season]. Riga: Liesma, 1978.
Grieze, trakais putns [Corn crake, a crazy bird]. Riga: Liesma, 1970. 
Aiztek Gaujas ūdeņi, aiztek [Gauja water flows away, flows away]. Riga: Liesma, 1968. 
Daugavas stāsti [The Stories of Daugava]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1965.
Un ceļš vēl kūp [The Road is Steaming]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1961.

Novels 
Nodevība [Betrayal]. Riga: Liesma, 1984. 
Varmācība [Violence]. Riga: Liesma, 1982.
Zemdegas [Smouldering Fires]. Riga: Liesma, 1977. 
Aka [The Well]. Riga: Liesma, 1972.
Dzilnas sila balāde [The Ballad of Pine forest's Woodpecker]. Riga: Liesma, 1968.
Mežābele: Klāva Mazputniņa atvaļinājuma piezīmes [Crab-apple: Vacation Notes of Klāvs Mazputniņš]. Riga: Liesma, 1966. 
Viņas bija trīs [They Were Three]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1963. 

Prose
Slazds [Trap]. Riga: Liesma, 1979.
Cilvēkam vajag suni [Man needs Dog]. Riga: Liesma, 1975. 
Vasara bija tikai vienu dienu [Summer lasted only one day]. Riga: Liesma, 1974.
Pavasara pērkons [Spring's Thunder]. Riga: Liesma, 1973. 
Nakts bez mēnesnīcas [Moonless Night]. Riga: Liesma, 1971. 
Stāsts ar laimīgām beigām [Story with a Happy Ending]. Riga: Liesma, 1969. 

Autobiographical Prose 
Mazliet patiesības. Nedaudz melu [Bits of Truth. Bits of Lies]. Riga: Likteņstāsti, 1997.
Varbūt tā nebūs vairs nekad [Maybe it will never be the same again]. Riga: Preses nams, 1997. 
Visticamāk, ka ne... Stundu kalendārs [Most likely no... Hour calendar]. Riga: Liesma, 1993. 

Margherita Carbonaro about translating The Well // Tradurre: pratiche teorie strumenti, 2020 [IT]

About love letters of Regīna Ezera // Diena.lv, 2004 [LV]

About Most likely no... Hour calendar // Rīgas Laiks [LV]

Carlo Simoni. Stories of dogs and owners, review Man needs a dog // Secondorizzonte, May 2023

Stefano Zangrando. That simple care of emotional ties to the test of time, review "Man needs a dog" // ilmanifesto.it, February 2023 [IT]

Rita Bompadre. Review  Regīna Ezera. Man needs a dog // Satisfiction, 2023 [IT]

Review  Regīna Ezera. Man needs a dog // Mangialibri, 2023 [IT]

Cristiana Abbate. European literary itinerary. Latvia // Senzalinea, February 2022 [IT]

Silvia Castellani, review of The Well // Satisfiction, 2020 [IT]

Paola Calefato, review of The Well // My Po blog, 2020 [IT]

Dama Con L'unicorno, “Il pozzo”: nelle profondità della vita interiore, review of The Well // Il Rifugio Dell'Ircocervo, 2020 [IT]

Giorgio Mascitelli, Un pozzo in Lettonia, review of The Well // Nazione Indiana, 2020 [IT]

Luca Scarlini, Tra l’acqua e la «biscia» dei baltici la storia d’amore di Regina Ezera, review of The Well // Il Manifesto, 2019 [IT]

Guntis Berelis, Izšķirošā žesta māksla, review of Burning Heaths // Guntis Berelis blog, 2012 [LV]

Guntis Berelis, review of Maybe it will never be the same again // Guntis Berelis blog, 1997 [LV]

1995, The Order of the Three Stars

1986, Order of the Red Flag of Labour

1981, Poeple's Writer of LSSR

1974, Cultural Worker of LSSR

1972, LSSR State Award 

1968, Eduards Veidenbaums Literary Award for The Ballad of Pine forest's Woodpecker