Pre-orders are open for Katerina O'Haro's book "You have such a lovely accent," translated into Belarusian
This work is about leaving one life and building another, while at the same time remaining oneself next to the Other, writes bellit.info.
There are phrases you hear more often than others in a foreign country — and "You have such a lovely accent" is one of them. At first, you hear curiosity and warmth in it, and then you realize: it's a polite way to say "where are you from?", "you are not one of us."
Katerina O'Haro, a writer from Belarus and author of the books "Magpie Radio" and "Hold on and Write," has compiled a book about what it's like to leave one life and build another. These notes take the reader through countries and eras, but the main journey happens within oneself.
There is no direct plot here: stories are linked not by chronology, but by memory and associations — sometimes French Lille, sometimes Italian Turin, sometimes Belarus, sometimes France again. Policemen with automatic weapons in the subway, whom one should not be afraid of. A dog that an entire city pulls out of a river into the light of telephone flashlights. An Italian who says: "You came to visit and opened your heart."
"Partially, this book is about emigration. But truly — it's about the home we build ourselves, externally and internally. About how to remain oneself among people whose habits, beliefs, and values do not coincide with yours. We meet the Other not only at state borders: it's enough to change a city, a job, a circle of friends, or marital status.
It will be both funny and sad here — sometimes in the same paragraph, with that warm self-irony that allows you to put an arm around yourself and say: everything will be fine," the publishing house promises.
Until July 12, you can pre-order the book on the website bukinistka.store.
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