In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Orysia Tracz’s book, First Star I See Tonight: Ukrainian Christmas Traditions. Orysia Tracz explores the origins, rituals, and cultural significance of Ukrainian Christmas traditions in her first book, First Star I See Tonight. This book includes a number of articles about Ukrainian Christmas celebrations in […]
This interview was recorded at the height of the Maidan uprising, in January of 2014. Just weeks later, Crimea would be annexed — a possibility unimaginable at the time of this conversation. It was a volatile time, marked by rapid and unprecedented changes that would permanently reshape Ukraine’s path forward. Listening now, it offers insights
In late February 2025, shortly after the three-year mark of russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, I had the great privilege to speak on air with the authors of two remarkable books that bring home this devastating war in gripping novels that are hard to put down. Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is an American author now living
In this interview which first aired on Nash Holos in March 2025, Canadian Kobzar tells us about NAFO, the Wild Hornets, and the Toonie Tuesday fundraiser. To listen, click on the player. Transcript below. Enjoy! Pawlina: Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine is into its fourth year. Unfortunately, it has morphed into a political
Update: October 8, 2025 Late last year, I was hit with a takedown notice by my podcast hosting platform where I had been archiving the shows for many years. Fortunately, I appealed and was given a reprieve. The feed was not taken down, but I was informed that going forward I am not allowed to
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Stanislav Aseyev’s, The Torture Camp on Paradise Street. The Torture Camp on Paradise Street, translated by Zenia Tompkins and Nina Murray and published by the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, is a personal memoir of Stanislav Aseyev’s two and a half years in illegal
For those advance planners, here’s a suggestion for holiday gift-giving. Everyone loves a good cookbook, and this one has turned out to be quite popular. In August of last year, I wrapped up a project started almost 20 years ago—a collection of the recipes of Sylvia Molnar, who presented over 200 of them in the
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s novel, Kidnapped from Ukraine: Under Attack. In this novel, Skrypuch describes the horrific human impact of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. His first invasion occurred in 2014 when he took Crimea and portions of Eastern
Swimming with Spies is a young adult novel by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, set in Crimea during Russia’s 2014 annexation. Part of The Reschen Valley Series, the story follows a dolphin trainer navigating themes of loyalty, empathy, and marine biology in a time of political upheaval. This review originally aired on the Knyzhka Corner segment of Nash
Ukraine celebrates the 29th anniversary of the hryvnia, its national currency. To mark 29 years of Ukraine’s hryvnia, introduced to the world on September 2, 1996, we revisit a four-part radio series originally aired five years ago on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio. This series explores how coins and banknotes quietly tell stories—of independence, identity,
