Vinko Vrbanić (born 12 May 1951, died 7 January 2024) is a Croatian writer who lived in
Vinkovci
Vinkovci () is a city in Slavonia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. The city's registered population was 28,247 in the 2021 census, the total population of the city was 31,057, making it the largest town of the county. Surrounde ...
,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
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, capit ...
. He is best known for his published short stories,
novella
A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...
s ''Furmani'' (''Carters'') and ''Sokolov let'' (''Flight of the Falcon''), and
coming-of-age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can ...
novel
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
''Glasovi u šumi'' (''Voices in the Forest''). He graduated from the School of Agriculture in
Požega, worked in construction, and fought in the
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugosl ...
.
[Vrbanić bio – ''Darežljivo srce'' Glas Koncila, 2016 ISBN/9789532415223, Page 132][MORH records - fighters in Croatian War of Independence - accessed February 5, 2017]
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Genre
Novellas ''Furmani arters' and ''Sokolov let light of the Falcon' are collections of diverse tales connected by loose narratives about the tragic lives of common folk.[Book promotion event, article in Vinkovački list 2012]
/ref> Whereas, the coming-of-age novel ''Glasovi u šumi oices in the Forest' traces the life of a mischievous boy growing up in a Croatian village during times of socio-political upheaval.
“At last, we received a storyteller who stepped away from traditional themes and turned towards the urban setting, telling stories that avoid romantic or melodramatic content,” says Zlatko Virc in ''Vinkovacki list inkovci Newspaper'.[
]
Themes
The short stories in ''Sokolov let light of the Falcon' trace the struggles and destinies of the ordinary people caught between the great military powers during the decline of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
.[
In ''Furmani arters', the author examined fate in short stories about people from the bottom of the social ladder who turn to alcohol as a way to cope with their broken lives.][
His coming-of-age novel ''Glasovi u šumi oices in the Forest' captures the persistent struggle for a better life and brutality of those in power.
]
Style
Vrbanić wrote short, inter-connected narratives with a discernible beginning, climax, and resolution encapsulated within self-contained chapters that demonstrate the author's skill as storyteller from an oral tradition
Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985 ...
.[1st prize award justification – “Cvija”]
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Bibliography
* Novel ''Voices in the Forest'', Independently published, 2019
* Short story "Gvozdansko" (Cro), ''književnost.hr'', KNJIŽEVNOST.HR, 2018[Story "Gvozdansko" (Cro) at KNJIŽEVNOST.HR]
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* Short story "Gvozdansko" (Eng), ''ZiN Daily'', ZVONA i NARI, 2018[Story "Gvozdansko" (Eng) at ZiN Daily]
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* Short story "Kuga", ''književnost.hr'', KNJIŽEVNOST.HR, 2018[Story "Kuga" at KNJIŽEVNOST.HR]
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* Short story "Beograd", ''ZiN Daily'', ZVONA i NARI, 2018[ Story "Beograd" at ZiN Daily]
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* Short story "Cvija", ''Darežljivo srce'', Glas Koncila, 2016[''Darežljivo srce'', Glas Koncila, 2016 ISBN/9789532415223]
* Short story “Rakija”, ''Dar Domovine'', Glas Koncila, 2014[Crolib library catalog - ''Dar Domovine'']
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* Novel ''Glasovi u šumi'', Modimac Ltd., 2012[Crolib library catalog - Vinko Vrbanić]
/ref>[''Glasovi u šumi'' – Library catalog Vinkovci]
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* Novellas ''Furmani–Sokolov let'', Modimac Ltd., 2011[''Furmani–Sokolov let'' – Library catalog Požega]
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* Short story "Riječka luka", ''Moji Vinkovci'', Privlačica, 2010
* Short stories "Džepni sat" and "Božić", ''Moji Vinkovci'', Privlačica, 2009[Short stories in ''Moji Vinkovci'' 2009 - Vinko Vrbanić]
/ref>
Awards
* 2nd shared prize ohvalnicafor a drama "Dvadeseto pjevanje" at 36th HSK National Literary Competition 2017[HSK 36th Competition Results 2017]
/ref>[Scena.hr article HSK 2017]
/ref>
* 1st prize for a short story "Cvija" at the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2016[1st prize award, article in ''Vinkovački list'' 2016]
/ref>[Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2016]
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* Short story "Rakija" selected for publication in the journal ''Dar Domovine'', as part of the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2014][Short story ''Rakija'' selected letter 2014]
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]
Sources
External links
Vinko Vrbanić author's profile at goodreads.com
Article about book promotion at vinkovci.com.hr
Poem quoting Vinko Vrbanić's view on the earned privilege of the women at authorsden.com
Vinko Vrbanić author's profile at najboljeknjige.com
''Glasovi u šumi'' book review at vinkovci.com.hr
''Glasovi u šumi'' description at booksa.hr