‘The Language of War’: Chronicles of the Russian invasion of Ukraine by Oleksandr Mykhed to be released by PRH imprint

Allen Lane, the hardcover imprint of Penguin Random House specializing in nonfiction, has announced the release of its new title “The Language of War” by Ukrainian writer Oleksandr Mykhed. The book is available for pre-order on major platforms and in bookstores in the UK with a release date of June 13, 2024.

“’The Language of War’ is about what happens when your world changes overnight. When you wake up to the sound of helicopters and the smell of gunpowder. When your home is hit by shells or broken into by gunmen, and you spend another night in a basement-turned-bomb shelter. When, even though you’ve never held a weapon before, you realize the only choice is to fight back. It is about things one can never forget, or forgive,” the description reads.

On the evening of Feb. 24, 2022, Oleksandr and his wife evacuated from their home in Hostomel and joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces. A few days later, a Russian shell destroyed Oleksandr’s house. His parents spent three weeks under Russian occupation.

The rights were acquired by Casiana Ionita, the publishing director of Penguin Press, with translations by Marina Gibson, Hanna Leliv and Abby Devar. The book will also be published in Dutch this year.

Oleksandr Mykhed is a writer. Until March 2022, he lived in Hostomel, a town not far from Kyiv; he is now enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is the author of nine books; selected essays and excerpts from his books have been translated into 10 languages. He has participated in literary residencies in Finland, Latvia, Iceland, the USA, and France, and a virtual residency at Oxford University. He has written for publications including The Financial Times, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and The Guardian, and has appeared as a guest on CNN and NPR. Oleksandr Mykhed is a member of PEN Ukraine.

Copy editing: Sheri Liguori, Terra Friedman King