Zigmunds Skujiņš

Zigmunds Skujiņš (1926 - 2022) is a renowned and established Latvian author of prose, poetry and drama, one of the greatest names and literary minds of the 20^th century Latvian literature. His books are among the most widely read and published, many works have been adapted for cinema and theatre, and many translated (into English, German, French, Russian, Lithuanian, Czech, Georgian, and other languages). Skujiņš's first short story appeared in 1948, and since then he has published numerous short stories, film scripts, plays, and essays. He is also outspoken on social, certain political, historical and moral issues, since his interests reach far beyond literature, and he has spent a lot of his life travelling and describing his experiences. More than seven million copies of Skujiņš’s works have been published in various languages. His writings have been collected and published in 10 volumes (the latest in 2011). Skujiņš is an Emeritus Member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences since 1998. He has also received many important awards and honours, including the Latvian Annual Prize for Literature for Magic and Ink/ Buršana un tinte (2003), and the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Prize for his lifetime contribution (2007).

Stories and novellas
Ēnu aleja [Avenue of Shadows]. Riga: Neputns, 2016.
Buršana un tinte [Magic and Ink]. Riga: Atēna, 2003.
Stāstītāja svētdiena [Narrator's Sunday]. Riga: Daugava, 1994.
Abpus durvīm [On Both Sides of the Door]. Riga: Liesma, 1988.
Sermuliņš uz asfalta un citi stāsti [Stoat on Asphalt and Other Stories] Riga: Liesma, 1980.
Pieta. An Undocumentary Story. 
Uzbrukums vējdzirnavām [Attack on Windmill]. Riga: Liesma, 1976.
Balzams [Balsam]. Riga: Liesma, 1972.
Zebras āda [Zebra Skin]. Riga: Liesma, 1968.
Ciemiņš no viņpasaules [Guest from Beyond]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1963.
Esmu dzimis bagāts [I Was Born Rich]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1956.
Ceļi un krustceļi [Roads and Crossroads]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1954.

Novels
Siržu zagļa uznāciens [Entrance of the Heart Thief]. Daugava, 2001.Miesas krāsas domino [Flesh-Coloured Dominoes]. Translated by Kaija Straumanis. Riga: Preses nams, 1999.
Gulta ar zelta kāju [The Bed with the Golden Leg]. Riga: Liesma, 1984.
Jauna cilvēka memuāri [Memoirs of a Young Man]. Riga: Liesma, 1981.
Vīrietis labākajos gados [Man in His Prime]. Riga: Liesma, 1974.
Kailums [Nakedness]. Riga: Liesma, 1970.
Sudrabotie mākoņi [Silvery Clouds]. Riga: Liesma, 1967.
Fornarina. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1964.
Kolumba mazdēli [The Grandsons of Columbus]. Riga: Latvijas Valsts izdevniecība, 1961.

Essays and memoirs
Secinājumi par piedzīvoto un 33 Aspazijas dēkas stāstā "Sātana eņģelis" [Concluions about the
Experiences and Aspazija's 33 affairs in the story “Satan's Angel”]. Riga: Likteņstāsti, 1997.
Jātnieks uz lodes [Bulletrider]. Riga: Preses nams, 1996.
Sarunas ar jāņtārpiņiem [Conversations with Fireflies]. Riga: Preses nams, 1992.
Abpus durvīm [On Both Sides if the Door]. Riga: Liesma, 1988.
Zibens locīšana [Folding of Lightning]. Riga: Liesma, 1978.

Film scripts
Vīrietis labākajos gados [A Man In His Prime], with Oļģerts Dunkers, 1977.
Tauriņdeja [Butterfly Dance]. After the novel “Career”, 1971.
Šķēps un roze [Spear and Rose]. With Leonīds Leimanis, 1959.

Raksti [Selected Works]. Riga: Mansards, 2005-2011.

Latvian writers novels and books from Latvia // Alles over boek en enschrijvers, October 2024 [NL]

Tina Rausch. Fabulous Riga. When you travel through the Latvian Art Nouveau metropolis on the trail of a novel // SZ Wohlfühlen, Süddeutsche Zeitung, November 2023 [DE]

Tina Rausch. Poetic cultural heritage. Search for clues about Latvian Childrens and youth literature, in print // Eselsohr, July 2023 [DE]

Börsenblatt. Follow the Leipzig Book Fair Prize, Z.Skujiņš // Boersenblatt, April  2023 [DE]

Björn Hayer. Leipzig Book Fair Prize: The nominees in the translation category // Freitag, April, 2023 [DE]

Gerrit Bartels.  The shortlist for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize: Time of the Transformed // Tagesspiegel, March 2023 [DE]

Thomas Hummitzsch. Impressive selection for the Leipzig Translator Prize // Intellectures, March 2023 [DE]

Jan Brahmann. Everything that moves needs warmth // Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in print), February 2023 [DE]

Anne-Dore Krohn. Leipzig Book Prize Shortlist // Rbb-online, February 2023 [DE]

About Z.Skujiņš and The bed with the golden leg // Saarländischer Rundfunk (audio), November 2022 [DE]

European literary itinerary. Flesh-Coloured Dominos by Z.Skujiņš // Senzalinea.it, February 2022 [IT]

José de María RomeroBarea. Outsider vulnerabilities Z.Skujiņš // Abaco (in print), March 2022 [ESP]

Christopher Moseley, foreword to Flesh-Coloured Dominoes // The London Magazine, 2019 [EN]

About Nakedness // The Books from Scotland, 2019 [EN]

Zigmunds Skujiņš, Flesh-Coloured Dominoes // Arcadia Books [EN]

Interview with Zigmunds Skujiņš // Diena.lv, 2016 [LV]

Latvian Writers' Union profile //  The Council of the Creative Unions of Latvia [LV]

Interview with Zigmunds Skujiņš // Guntis Berelis blog, 2005 [LV]

Jesse van Amelsvoort. The Latvian classic 'The Bed with the Golden Leg' is the work of a great European writer // Volkskrant, August, 2025 [NL]

B.Lelie. The first sentence of Zigmund Skujiņš's The Bed with the Golden Leg // Athenaeumscheltema, July, 2025 [NL]

Zigmund Skujin's 'The Bed with the Golden Leg': 500 pages of excellent literature // Standaard, July, 2025 [NL]

Tina Rausch. The Bed with the golden Leg, review // September,  2023 [DE] 

Latvian family saga: "The bed with the golden leg", review // Aachener Zeitung, July 2023 [DE]

Tina Rausch. The Bed with the golden Leg, review // Eselsohr, in print, June 2023 [DE]

Zigmunds Skujiņš – The Bed with the golden Leg, review // Freie-radios, May 2023 [DE]

Gregor Mundt. The Bed with the golden Leg, review // Untergrund-blättle, May 2023 [DE]

Nicole Nau: The Thinker, review The Bed with the golden Leg // Tralalit, April 2023 [DE]

Norma Schneider. Family in Latvian // Tagebuch (Austria) // March 2023 [DE]

Eat.READ.sleep. Books for you // Deutsche Podcasts, February, 2023 [DE]

Tobias Hartmann. Zigmunds Skujiņš – The Bed with the golden Leg, review // OsTraum, February, 2023 [DE]

Zigmunds Skujiņš – The Bed with the golden Leg, review // Perlentaucher, February, 2023 [DE]

Schlimme Helena. Zigmunds Skujiņš – Das Bett mit dem goldenen Bein, review // .nordisch.info, January 2023 [DE]

Karl-Markus Gauss. Und die Buddenbrooks machen weiter – Zigmunds Skujins’ Epos der lettischen Nation ist ein lange Zeit übersehenes Meisterwerk europäischer Romankunst, review // NZZ Neue Zürcher Zeitung, December 2022 [DE]

Roland Gutsch. Large family with Latvian history, review The Bed with the golden Leg // nordkurier.de December 2022 [DE]

Katja Schneider. The bed with the golden leg, review // Stories Hamburg, October 2022 [DE]

Review The bed with the golden leg // Welt Am Sonntag (in print), October 2022 [DE]

Tobias Zeising. The bed with the golden leg, review // Lesestunden.de, September 2022 [DE]

Albert Caspari. Zigmunds Skujiņš The bed with the golden leg, review // Baltbuch.blogspot, September 2022 [DE]

Alfredo Petitto. Flesh-Coloured Dominoes, review // Iocistolibreria, May 2022 [IT]

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

Liam Bishop, Within Touching Distance of the Past, review of Flesh-Coloured Dominoes // This is Splice, 2020 [EN]

Review of Nakedness // The Modern Novel, 2020 [EN]

Virginia Villa. Flesh-Coloured Dominos, review // leggindipendente.com, November, 2018 [IT]

Guntis Berelis, review of Selected Works // Guntis Berelis literary  blog, 2006 [LV]

Guntis Berelis, review Flesh-Coloured Dominoes // Guntis Berelis literary blog, 1999 [LV]

2007, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Prize for his lifetime contribution

2005, Aleksandrs Čaks Prize for representing Riga in literature

2004, the Annual Latvian Literature Award for Magic and Ink

1991, Three Star Order – a commemorative medal for participating in the Barricades

1965, Latvian SSR State Prize for The Grandsons of Columbus