The author's previous book on the subject (1977) also used the word "present day" in the title; but much has happened in the Belarusian literary landscape in the decades since that work was
published. McMillin states in his preface that changes have not only been political (the Chernobyl tragedy is ongoing) but also cultural, specifically in terms of "writers' far greater
awareness of a wider world, and the partial coming of age of Belarusian literary criticism." This survey encompasses poetry, plays, and prose of various sorts. As in his previous books, the
author groups some writers together according to similarities of age or theme or writing style, and he treats others individually--those he deems particularly important for their impact or
output. The book itself has an unusual shape, the 1,100-plus pages stack up to a thickness of about 3.5 inches, in a binding measuring 6x8.5 inches. A more usual format would have seen bigger
pages, perhaps a two-column format for the type, and a much slimmer profile; fortunately, the signatures seem to be sewn so pages are not going to fall out right away, and the spine is flexible
so that the pages lie flat when the book is open. Maney Publishing (UK) produced the book for the Modern Humanities Research Association; distribution in North America is by The David Brown
Book Co. Annotation 穢2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
