Batsford will publish Inside Ukraine: A Portrait of a Country and its People by Ukraïner next month. The book is a visual exploration of the real Ukraine featuring over 350 photographs, lovingly put together by the Ukraïner team in the years leading up to the current war.
Publisher Polly Powell acquired English language UK, Europe, US and Aus rights from Rights Director Ivan Fedechko at The Old Lion Publishing House, Lviv.
Powell commented: ‘This book came into my hands as a gift from the Ukrainian family I was hosting in London. It, along with the mother and two girls, had travelled 30 hours to get to us, via a bus, a train journey to the Polish border and then a flight from Krakow. They didn’t know I was a book publisher and my immediate interest was a surprise to them. It was obvious both that they needed to sleep, and that the book needed to be published in the English-speaking world. It was written before the war and it is a wonderful portrait of what it means to be Ukrainian.’
Ukraïner is a volunteer-run multimedia project launched in 2016. It aims both to help Ukrainians discover the varied regions of their country, and to promote Ukraine to the wider world. Its volunteers travel the country to explore its landscape, customs and people.
In Inside Ukraine, readers will discover picturesque villages, stunning mountain scenery, medieval fortresses, curious museums and even a bear sanctuary. Along the way is a huge cast of characters including traditional carol singers, wild honey farmers, potters, sheep-breeders and broom-makers. Also included are a wealth of QR codes that can be scanned to unlock longer articles on the Ukraïner website, along with more images and videos, giving a whole new dimension to the book.
Inside Ukraine by Ukraïner is publishing by Batsford on 16 February 2023 and is available for pre-order now.
ISBN 9781849948555, RRP £25, Hardback.