Bulgarians are the most patient people I have ever met. But at the same time, there is a lot of wisdom in the Bulgarian people, because they survived. This is what Bozhidar Chekov said at the presentation of his new book “Return Ticket”. The event took place last night at the “Grand Hotel Sofia”, BTA reported.
In “Return ticket“ over 40 short stories have been published. They are on different topics and are the result of experiences, the author pointed out. According to the publishers of “East West“ through his book, Chekov seals in time real stories and faces.
After reading several stories myself, I saw that the book is really worth publishing in Bulgaria, publisher Lyuben Kozarev said during the event. According to him, the fate of Bozhidar Chekov is extremely interesting, as there is a “very subtle feeling” in the book, including justice. There is only one truth and one must serve it, noted Kozarev. “I am convinced that many people will be affected when they read about themselves in the book. But what to do – the mirror is not to blame for what it shows. "We are against the mirror," added the publisher.
„I have always compared writing with painting”, remarked Bozhidar Chekov, reading his text written on the occasion of the release of “Return Ticket” in Bulgaria. “The paintings that the artist exhibits at his exhibition are not the same. Sometimes there are series of landscapes dedicated to certain localities – Balchik, Olive Grove or Sozopol, for example. My travelogues and encounters can also be defined as series – “Childhood“, “Adolescence“, “Paris“, “United States“, “Russia“ and “Sofia”, he pointed out.
Chekov said that he received advice in correspondence with a Bulgarian publishing house. “The letter ended with the advice not to have any illusions, because the number of Bulgarian authors has been filled by the end of the year. If there is something I have always been most sensitive to, it is discrimination against Bulgarians. Either from foreigners, or from the Bulgarians themselves to their compatriots”, pointed out Bozhidar Chekov, thanking his publishers.
Bozhidar Chekov, who has been living in Paris for years, was born in Lom. At the age of ten, he moved to Sofia, where he graduated from the “Iulius Fuchik” Polygraphic Technical School. His first publications were in the newspaper "Labour Affairs", an organ of the labor forces. He also cooperates with the newspapers “Narodna Vladje“ and “People's Army”. In March 1966, Bozhidar Chekov was the youngest author published in the month of the Bulgarian short story, organized by the newspaper "Vecherni Novini". Actively plays sports and wins city and republican junior boxing championships.
Later, he graduated from the “Estienne“ Polygraphic Institute. in Paris and has worked in the printing and paper industry for more than 40 years. Until the fall of the Berlin Wall, he published regularly in the dissident magazine “Budeshte“, led by Tsenko Barev. For 10 years, he has been a correspondent for the magazine “Tema“.