Friends!

Today the famous Ukrainian writer Grygir Tyutyunnyk could celebrate his 85th birthday. The exclusive short story writer, talented novelist, he lived a hard life, and payed high price for each day.

Grigor was born in the village Shylivka in Poltava region. For his father, it was the second marriage, in first he also had a son, Gregory, oddly enough -he is another well-known Ukrainian writer, author of the novel "Whirlpool".

As a child, Grygir survived Holodomor, this terrible period has left significant mark on all his life. The terrible memories of how his family suffered from hunger, and grandfather died because of it, leaved with him forever. Only a few years later Grygir’s father Michael Tyutyunnik was arrested and sent to Siberia. Uncle took the boy to his place. So, the guy actually became an orphan. But he saw life from the other side. Uncle’s wife was a teacher, and she taught him to love reading and showed the biggest family wealth - a small library.

Grygsr studied at a trade school, after which he was sent to work to the factory in Kharkiv. He didn’t work there for three years, as he used to, and ran to the village. For this he was arrested and spent four months in prison. Then he served in the army,as navy radio operator.

Later, he finally managed to implement a dream. In 1961 in the journal "Krestyanka" he published his first story"The Twilight". Then he wrote on Russian. However, the same year died his brother Gregory. It extremely influenced him, so finally Grygir decided to write only in Ukrainian.

Author lived a hard life. All his works were subjected to censorship. And yet he was spied by the faithful dogs of the KGB. Grygir was always the soul of the company, told a variety of stories, funny and sad. He knew that all of his conversations were bugged, and said: "For every Abel there are three Cains." Friends told that the writer never choose compromises, hated opportunists, made a lot of enemies because of that. And in spite of external force and courage, he was extremely vulnerable. This proves his famous quote:

"I accept that surrounds me, and what is happening around me, at first through my heart, and then through the mind – that’s why I suffer twice on one occasion. God, how hard it is. "

Difficulties life brought Grygir to the tragic end - he shortened his age. Previously people thought that it is because of the award - during his lifetime he received only Lesya Ukrainka’s award for his work for children, and serious works were not awarded. And it's not true. Even after the death of Grygir, readers nominated him for the Shevchenko Prize as their favorite author. He just could not stand all the hardships that he had to go through. And Ukrainian literature lost a bright star.

Friends, unfortunately, only few nowadays knows him. I suggest you to read his stories, if you suddenly are not familiar with them. Finally give you, in my opinion, his prophecy: "When I’ll die, through the ashes of my heart will sprout an oak root, and from it will grow a mighty oak, and its branches will took on pins – to beat stupid and disabled people's hearts."