Publication of a new book by Ales Bialiatski, “Cold Wing of Motherland”

The new book by the head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski, “Cold Wing of Motherland” is a compendium of essays, interviews and sketches, written by the author in the recent years, including the time of his imprisonment in the Babruisk penal colony.

The main topic is the author's memories about his childhood, the town of his youth, Svetlahorsk, the study at the Homel State University, the conspirator activities in the 1980-ies, the first friends and likeminded people. The book also contains relevant documents regarding the public activism of Mr. Bialiatski.

“Cold Wing of Motherland” is a continuation of the book “Enlightened by Belarusian Issue”. Some of the essays have been already published in periodicals.

Ales Bialiatski explained the name of the book in the following way: “The title is ambiguous. It is clear why the wing is cold. The Motherland here looks like a bird, perhaps a cuckoo or a seagull. It looks like a cuckoo, as it doesn't take care of its children, and like a seagull, as their wings are silvery if one looks at them from the ground, and look cold in the sunlight. Such wings don't warm up the nestlings, by whom we can mean all those living under these wings.”

“Cold Wing of Motherland” is the fifth book by Ales Bialiatski. His earlier books are “Literature and Nation” (1991), “Runs along Shores of Geneva Lake” (2006), “Enlightened by Belarusian Issue” (2013) and “Quick Silver of Life” (2014).