Summing up the past year, Gojko Božović, founder and editor-in-chief of Archipelago, says that "among the most read books of this publisher are two books of modern classics by Danilo Kish, three contemporary novels, two books of stories, one political study on modern power flows, one historiographical study about what political power looked like in the first half of the 20th century, as well as a book of memories that includes decades of exciting life."
Readers' choice is primarily a recommendation for those books, but also an image of the readers themselves.
The mentioned two books by Kish are Early grief i Encyclopedia of the Dead. Božović reminds that "they have been translated into all major world languages, and in Serbia they have become a mandatory part of the reading material of every new generation of readers".
Then, on the list of the most read "Archipelago" editions is the book by Sergey Guriev and Daniel Treisman Spin dictators, perhaps the most significant and provocative political study of the present age, which speaks of the new guise of tyranny in the 21st century. "Published in Serbian in mid-October, this book talks about how spins and manipulations are managed today, control of the media, economy and social life, in a short time it confirmed its relevance, receptiveness to different readers and became a whole social and reading event". Božović believes.
One of the most read books is i memories of Charles Simic Frightening paradise. In this book, the great American poet and essayist of Serbian origin remembers his childhood in occupied Belgrade, the post-war Belgrade in which he grew up, his departure to the United States of America and the first years of "American life", then his military service in the American units in Germany and France in the early sixties, as well as entry into poetry and an exciting and unique poetic career in general.
Among the most sought-after novels, Božović singles out titles by Jelena Lengold, Uglješa Šajtinac and Ljudmila Ulicka, and says that "while in the novel A light day Jelene Lengold, the main character, in search of solving family history and doubts in life, as well as doubts stemming from a love shipwreck, goes on a long journey across Europe - from Italian coasts to Norwegian harbors and fjords, heroes in the novel by Uglješe Šajtinac Koljka and Sašenjka, in the midst of modern Banat everyday life, constantly question two privileged figures. One is from an intimate environment, it is a recently deceased relative of Koljko, who left behind things and memories. The second is Sashenka, in which readers immediately recognize the great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. Although absent from reality, both Koljka and Sašenjka are part of conversations, personal and reading experiences, those against which everyday life is measured".
Ludmila Ulicka in a short novel Truly a plague narrates the appearance of the plague in the Soviet Union at the beginning of 1940. Appearing suddenly, the plague will first surprise the doctors themselves, who need some time to recognize it, so doctors will be the most common carriers at first, because they did not know that they were in contact with the plague. When the appearance of a disease that was thought to be eradicated is recognized, the mechanism of health and repressive authorities is set in motion, party committees sit, and investigations are conducted. At the same time, information is controlled so that the public does not learn about the danger that has appeared and lives with.
Mihajlo Pantić's book of stories is among the most read books None of the seven and a new book of stories by Srđan V. Tešin Black Angel, premiered at the Belgrade Book Fair. "Although there is a series of stories in Pantić's book None of the seven talks about people from the margins or about loves that permanently disturbed the lives of the heroes, in other stories, as a counterpoint, a lively, conversational and, especially important, humorous tone of storytelling appears."
The new book by Srdjan V. Teshin Black Angel they make interesting, evocative and nostalgic stories about childhood and growing up, more precisely, about some stopped moments of childhood and growing up. Mokrin remains in the foreground, but he is in the story Black Angels Tešin introduced animals as a new subject and a new view of the world.
In the historiographical study of the Russian historian Oleg Hlevniuk Stalin. The Life of a Leader both Stalin's life and his technology of power in the long decades of all-powerful rule are re-examined.
Therefore, Božović concludes, "opting for books that belong to different genres and whose authors are writers of different poetics, generations and sensibilities, the readers have once again supported the concept of 'Archipelago', which is based on high criteria for the selection of books from contemporary literature and humanities, as well as on exploring different practices and shaping different views on the important experiences of our reality."
Božović also states that during the year 2023 "Archipelag" has increased both the number of copies of books sold on an annual basis, and the number of points of sale in Serbia - at the moment there are over 190, and in the region where there are over 30. Under the given circumstances, we can to say that these are good results.
