To Essay

Winner of the Open Letter Contemporary Bulgarian Literature Contest

In To Essay, Rusana Bardarska offers a bold, multifaceted exploration of the human condition through a striking blend of narrative fiction, essay, and philosophical inquiry. Spanning the author’s journey from childhood in communist Bulgaria to her adult years in post-communist Europe, this thought-provoking work weaves together themes of time, death, identity, and language.

Bardarska’s unique voice combines humor, existentialist reflection, and sharp cultural critique to navigate the complexities of personal history and societal change. From meditations on Marxism and economics to reflections on feminism, multilingualism, and the role of art in human life, To Essay challenges the boundaries of genre and invites readers to contemplate their place in the ever-changing landscape of the world.

Rich with personal narrative and intellectual rigor, To Essay is a deeply engaging reflection on how we experience time, choose our paths, and leave traces of our existence in an increasingly globalized world.

Rusana Bardarska is a Bulgarian writer, essayist, and philosopher, known for her innovative approach to literature that combines narrative fiction with intellectual reflection. With a background that includes both academic and literary pursuits, she is a distinctive voice in contemporary European literature. To Essay is her most ambitious work, weaving together essays, short stories, and philosophical discourse in a compelling narrative about personal and societal transformation.

Christopher Buxton is a translator and scholar specializing in Eastern European languages, with a particular focus on Bulgarian literature.

Zornitsa Hristova is a Bulgarian translator from English, journalist and author of children’s books. In 2010 she founded her own publishing company ＂Tochitsa＂ for entertaining and educational children’s literature.