/ world today news/ Or a Bulgarian in Paris…
This is the writer Dimo Raykov, who on August 22 celebrated his 60th anniversary in the new sanctuary of books in Sofia – Greenwich bookstore.
The anniversary began as a trilogy between Dimo Raikov, Stoyo Vartolomeev (Director of IC “Hermes”) and the literary critic Konstantin Elenkov – collages from the past in Bulgaria were seamlessly integrated into the daily life of the writer today in Paris – and ended as a multi-voice from different times and spaces. Author of 12 books – short stories, novels, travelogues, essays – he made a splash in recent years with the psychological and social dissection of the BG-emigrant, publishing “Paris, my Paris” (2006), “BG-emigrant in Paris” (2008), 55 Secrets of Paris (2009), Chestnuts in Paris (2011), River of Death (2012).
The publisher Stoyo Vartolomeev noted that Dimo Raikov is one of the great Bulgarian writers: “Although his time is physically spent more in Paris, in spirit he is more in Bulgaria. Nine of his books bear the Hermès imprint, a testament to our long-standing friendship. I think that we have not made a mistake, betting on such an interesting and provocative Bulgarian writer.”
The critics Konstantin Elenkov, Katya Zografova, Prof. Lyudmila Grigorova, Vladimir Toromanov, journalists Georgi Papakochev (“Deutsche Vele”) and Rumen Petkov (” world today news”), poet Rachel Levi spoke about the style, themes and suggestions in his books for almost two hours and more friends of Dimo Raykov.
Konstantin Elenkov: “He is merciless towards everyone who disgraced Bulgaria. The Bulgarian tourist cannot bring us the comparison “they – there and we – here”. The traveler is one thing, the emigrant is another. Fiction writer Dimo Raykov makes us agree with this. He did not go to Paris to describe “Moulin Rouge” or Plas “Pigal” to us, the salt of these books is different – it is the sorrow for the lost paradise, the pain for Bulgaria, the leading passion is suffering. He tells us a variety of stories, he does not collect fortunes, his style is more journalistic, feuilleton-anecdotic. Dimo Raykov is uncontrollably social, often in the middle of the story he deviates to insult politicians, call for the removal of hoops from companies as soon as possible, etc. He discovered Bulgarian Paris and a Bulgarian woman in Paris.”
The audience applauded interesting moments from the author’s biography – in Malko Tarnovo, where he was born and grew up, in Veliko Tarnovo, where he studied, in Kyustendil, where he married and lived for many years, then in Sofia and finally in Paris.
“We should not hate emigrants, because every Bulgarian family today has an emigrant. It’s like hating ourselves. Do you know how huge the competition is out there? Do you know what brain overheating is there, what it means to be alone? Even the most successful Bulgarians abroad are so lonely. Read my stories to find out. Nothing is given for free there. Honor goes to those Bulgarians who manage to break through abroad”, the writer exclaimed several times.
Katya Zografova (director of the National Literary Museum) spoke about the 80s, when writers had collegial respect and affection for each other, and for the figure of Dimo she found the most accurate metaphor: “When you were born somewhere over there, on the border, behind the wire nets, you have a feeling, an irresistible curiosity to risk looking into the other world, into the other psyche, to look for otherness. This is an exceptional bet for productive curiosity, for “eyes wide open”, as Boris Shivachev says, going to Latin America. Dimo Raykov managed to be in Sofia and in Paris, looking for the opposition, but also the bridges between cultures. That probably came from his root.”
Prof. Lyudmila Grigorova made an analogy between the “old” (in the 80s) and the “new” (current) Dimo Raykov.
Vladimir Toromonov presented a congratulatory address and a gift on behalf of Vanya Kastreva (Deputy Minister of Education). Dozens of gifts from colleagues and friends showered Dimo Raykov.
For his anniversary, the writer delighted readers with his latest book “Diagnosis: “Bulgarian abroad” – reflections on our character demonstrated abroad. Violinist Zefira Valova, concertmaster of the Baroque Orchestra of the European Union, gave a musical greeting to the jubilee from fragments of Telemann’s “Fantasias”.
Text and pictures
Angela Dimcheva
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