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Review of Miroslav Penkov’s East of the West: A Country in Stories

Miroslav Penkov’s literary debut, East of the West: A Country in Stories, is a beautifully written, at times sentimental, and almost-always tragicomic story collection that worries itself with much more than the author’s place of origin, Bulgaria. Much can be made of the suggestive subtitle, A Country in Stories, but Penkov’s narratives do more than simply explore his eastern European roots, their mythologies and personal histories. They also confront the American immigrant experience, address notions of transience, and illuminate the restlessness of a modern, global life.

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I am about 45% through and loving it. I like the manner in which he does a family story with the country’s history as an aside rather than driving them.

I have finished and definitely loved it! Each of the stories has a different setup, different timing. My favorite was "Buying Lenin", a story about a young man who is leaving Bulgaria to study in America and his close relationship with his communist grandfather. The grandfather's goodbye note to him: "You rotten capitalist pig...have a safe flight. Love, Grandpa". At first I thought, OMG! And then I realized (especially after the grandson responds in kind calling him a "communist dupe") that this was how they handled their love for each other. All of the stories were wonderful. Can't remember who nominated this, but great job!

I finished and also loved it. Usually I don't appreciate short stories because there isn't enough time to develop the characters and there is a tendency to throw in plot twists for effect. However, Penkov had wonderful primary characters and little tendency to want to shock or surprise, rather he built on relationships and his relationship with Bulgaria (usually from the US). I particularly appreciated the ones with older people in them...the first, Makedonija, has a wonderful older man jealous of a man long dead. Buying Lenin was so illuminating in regards what it would be like to grow up under communism where all your needs were met including being assigned a place to live and a job to do, and then suddenly to have to think about how to make a living and pay rent in a place you don't even want to live. The relationship between the grandfather and the run away grandson is wonderful. Great recommendation and I hope to track down Penkov's novel soon.

Thank you Ladies, VM. I am looking forward to reading this book and adding my comments. I hope to start it tomorrow.

I have read 2 chapters and love it too. I'll keep going and leave this here until I finish.

I have finished - Sept 30 and hope to write a review worthy of this fabulous set of historical short stories.