Jonas Zdanys

In the insightful, celebratory poems of Invocations of Light, Valdas Ausra affirms the life of the spirit as the source of redemption and regeneration, for himself and for all of us, as we seek to make our way through the complexities of our lives as individuals and as members of communities. There is a mystical quality to these poems, a sense of constant revelation of God as the One who reveals Himself in all the living and growing things of the earth. Lutheran pastor of an active congregation, Rev. Ausra provides us with clear guidance to opportunities for the transcendence made possible through kinship with God. At times wry, sometimes pious, often devotional in their expressions, these are poems of hope and of welcome affirmation of what it means to be most fully human and committed to the important place of the divine in our lives. This is poetry that holds a unique position in modern Lithuanian literature and it deserves a well-lighted place in the gallery of modern European religious verse.

Jonas Zdanys has published 49 books from 1970 to 2020. This is his 50th published book. The books include his own poetry, translations into English of Lithuanian poetry, and edited anthologies of poetry. He has spent much time in different countries, all of which have influenced his writing, and book reviewers in such divergent places as Ireland, Australia, and Luthuania have praised his poetic craftsmanship and genius as a poet.

A classic of Holocaust literature from "one of the great masters of the short novel."--The New Yorker In the Vilna Ghetto during World War II, Nazi Commandant Schoger demands that all children be sent to the death camp. When Abraham Lipman pleads with him to spare their lives, Schoger reconsiders, and tells Lipman there will be a chess match between himself and Lipman's only surviving son, Isaac, a chess prodigy. If Isaac wins, the children will live, but Isaac will die. If Isaac loses, the children will die, but Isaac will live. Only a draw will save the ghetto from this terrible predicament. The chess game begins: a nightmarish contest played over the course of several evenings, witnessed by an audience impotent to act, staking the lives of their children on a stalemate. This is a moving story of a father and a son who shame their cruel perpetrator with their dignity, spirit, and extraordinary courage. Stalemate speaks to the power of humor even under the direst circumstances. As a parable that gives voice to the unspeakable, Stalemate is an antidote to despair. "Gripping . . . a truly memorable work."--Booklist