Why Literature?

 A few thougths from The Guardian's ‘Hope matters’: Ukrainian and international authors on why literature is important in times of conflict:

War takes away the ability to speak from many. Many writers say that they cannot write. A number of readers claim that they cannot read. The reality of war is something that can deprive you of the most important things – your life, your time and your capacity to think. It is difficult to write, to think and to dream when a missile hits the very heart of your reality.

But literature is still important. We write and read to understand reality. We write and read to invent a reality. When there is a war, you desperately need both.

Read all the selections, please. Literature, its ideas and ideals, are what we can throw against the worst of us and what we do to this world and to one another.

sch 10/8/22