Izabrane novele

The collection represents one of the first significant presentations of this great Bulgarian storyteller to the Croatian audience. The collection contains a selection of Pelin's best and most characteristic short stories and tales, including classics such as the stories from the Gerakov cycle, stories about poor peasants, children, old women and cunning Shopian peasants. In these short stories, Elin Pelin masterfully depicts the Bulgarian countryside at the beginning of the 20th century – its misery, hard work, faith, prejudices, but also the indestructible vitality and warmth of ordinary people.

The special value of Pelin's prose lies in combining a realistic depiction of difficult life circumstances with gentle, humane humor and lyrical warmth. His characters are not idealized, but are deeply human – poor, sometimes cunning and selfish, but always worthy of sympathy. Pelin writes in a simple, rich vernacular language, almost as if he were talking by the fire in a peasant's house.

Ivan Esih's translation is considered very successful because it manages to convey the rhythm and flavor of the original. At the time of its publication (1927), the collection significantly contributed to the popularity of Bulgarian literature in Croatia and Yugoslavia.

Selected Short Stories is still the best introduction to the world of Elin Pelin – a writer who is rightly considered one of the greatest European village storytellers. The work exudes humanism, wisdom and subtle irony, while at the same time showing a deep understanding of the suffering and joy of the little man. Today, this edition is rare and sought after among fans of classic Balkan prose.