Original article by Hanna Hoshko, UP
Translated by Anna Ivanchenko
Ivan Malkovych is a poet and founder of the first private publishing house of children’s books “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA”.
Thanks to the efforts and intensive work of translator Viktor Morozov, editor Oleksa Nehrebetsky and artist Vladyslav Yerko Ukrainian translation of the seventh book about Harry Potter became the first in the world.
The impatience of vendors and the willingness of readers to get the last book as soon as possible forced Mr. Malkovich to appoint the official presentation of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” several days before the scheduled date, on September 25.
On this day the sale of books throughout Ukraine started, and Ukrayinsky Dim [Kyiv] saw National President’s Symphonic Orchestra play the music to Harry Potter film for the first time during the presentation.
- I came across information that Ukrainian and German translations are apparently the best and were defined as such by the author herself, J.K. Rowling.
- There is such information on the Internet. I didn’t ask J.K. Rowling if she is associated with it but I have seen it.
However, she does value our book cover and possibly more than the others. We have such evidence, and it is not only from the Internet.
We received a letter from London office on August 5 as the following day J.K. was to give an interview about her future books. The interview was filmed in her study and all world editions of Harry Potter had only their backs showing. The writer’s representatives asked out permission to show the face of the Ukrainian book.
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At first I didn’t even understand what they meant. I sent him a huge file, I thought they wanted to print it out. But it turned out that the western world has such attitude towards copyright, they were just asking if they could show the book cover. Naturally, they could! It is great advertising for us.
I hope that the backs of our books will also charm out readers. It’s a special trick – if you put seven backs together you’ll see a whole plot unveiled. It is one more surprise for Ukrainian readers.
- What is unique about the Ukrainian cover? I know that “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA” had to fight for the right to design the book its own way.
- Of course. We need to understand that except American and British covers there exist German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese ones…
- Does that mean that every country has the right to use its own cover?
- Not every one… Most countries of the world are pressed to use American cover. We had a hard time refusing from it. And we are happy that we did it and persuaded them with the art produced by Vladyslav Yerko (our illustrator), they really liked it.
They wrote to us that it was “great” and “beautiful”. They were very happy with it and we had no problems with the next covers from then on.
It seems to me that Ukrainian readers should also feel pleased that their cover is one of the best and the most original in the world.
- Several days ago it was reported that the Ukrainian translation of Harry Potter “again” became the first in the world. When was the first record documented?
- Actually, we still don’t know if we were the first with the fifth book. There was information that a small edition of the book was published in one of the countries of former Yugoslavia on the same day it was in Ukraine… However, there is still no exact confirmation.
As for the sixth book, we were one of the first publishers. We weren’t competing that much but we know that German and French books came out on October 1 and 3 and our book on October 6. That is, the gap was really small, about a week.
Now London office confirmed that we are the first in the world with the seventh book. They were even surprised: “Wow! You were so quick that it is really the first translation in the world.”
We have made the first translation in the world. Our cover is considered the best one, and our translation is also rated as very good. In Ukraine the majority of readers prefer our translation. We are going to have the lowest price. Our book will be 10 to 15 UAH cheaper than the Russian one (naturally, it is possible that some “well-wishers” in certain regions may sell the book three times its price). Therefore, we have done everything we could, and now we are waiting for the feedback from Ukrainian readers.
We try to do everything in high quality and that is why it’s vexing to do everything and find out that many Ukrainians still prefer the Russian book.
They are just afraid to be fascinated by Ukrainian reading and I would like to state that it is one of the best translations and probably the best book in the Harry Potter series.
In this book J.K. Rowling gives many answers to many questions which arose from the rest of the books. The book has some really unexpected turns; the child has to think about some serious stuff, like life and death.
I saw how my younger son reacted to the book when he finished reading the last page. It was about half past eleven in the evening. I entered his room; he was lying in his bed. He had such blissful smile on his face; it seemed to be the happiest moment of his life. But he was somehow looking inside himself, he was dreaming about this book. I have never seen him like this before.
In the morning he came to me and lay beside me… I said, “do you remember this and this in Harry Potter?” and he answered “I am thinking about it right now”. He was under impression for several days, because the book contains very serious things.
The author did everything in such elegant way! In particular, I would like to share one of the secrets with you: the children in the book do not kill anyone. It may not be noticeable but it is great. It looks as if J.K. Rowling demonstrates that children cannot commit such sin. Even if they have enemies, they are killed by adults or it happens some other way…
I think it is the best book from the series. One can see that J.K. Rowling was planning it right from the beginning. Because, for example, I believe that in the fifth book the author wanted to show that when she writes a book 1000 pages long all kids are going to read it and be delighted just the same, and it was really so. But the book had to be artificially prolonged for that. However, it is totally different with the seventh book, the plot is very intense.
- Were you looking forward to the seventh book?
- It was the first book where I read the end before everything else. I did it for the first time in my life because I don’t like it. Viktor Morozov (translator) is more patient, he didn’t look into the end because he says it’s not interesting for him to translate in this case.
But I still looked because I felt some responsibility on myself as a publisher. Naturally, I couldn’t change anything in the author’s text. But you know, if something happened… in what mood was I going to work? By the way, I worked in a good mood…
- Are you planning to publish gift collections?
- I can show you our gift collection. We already had a package of six books and now we are preparing one for seven. I think it will appear in book shops in two or three weeks…
Just look at the picture revealed by the backs in the collection: the five books show how Dumbledore gives his wisdom through the cup drawn on the back of the sixth book to Harry who is depicted on the seventh one. I was really scared when Dumbledore perished in the sixth book…
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| Photo by Dmytro Amidov |
- So he didn’t perish?
- N-no, I can’t reveal these secrets but let’s put it this way: everything was very logical for our picture made of book backs.
- Tell me please if the cost of translation rights varies from country to country as a 150,000 copy edition can hardly be compared with the editions in the USA?
- Naturally, everything depends on sales and royalty. We make an advance payment first and then make several payments a year according to the sales. The bigger edition is, the bigger percentage we pay.
- Have you thought about opening a “magic” shop where one could buy books from your publishing house?
- We dream not only about the shop but also about an art gallery because everything you see on the wall is original works. (In particular, there are originals of illustrations to a fairy tale named “Snow Queen”) We are already offered 28 thousand for the cover of “Snow Queen”.
We dream about a fairy tale gallery! It should be somewhere in the centre of Kyiv and exhibit the works of modern illustrators of children’s books – there is no such thing in any city of the world. At least I do not know about it.
Every country tries to show something of its own, something original in the cultural plane. We have a really good school of illustrators. It would be a gallery telling something special about our nation, something really unique and talented.
Apart from books one would also be able to buy the prints of favorite illustrations there.
We have many ideas and it could be extremely interesting. However, the Ukrainian government now thinks only about quick money. They are only into doing what they are interested in and they do not care about culture, which is very sad.
We can only hope that at least children of these politicians will be wiser; they will have real higher education and will possibly be more similar to cultural and civilized people, because a person cannot be of full value without culture and art.
- So there are no practical steps towards establishing such gallery? By the way, you talked about it with the President’s wife Kateryna Yushchenko, with whom you have even negotiated.
- We talked about it… But she doesn’t have direct power. I don’t like to be annoying. Of course, such people as Kateryna Yushchenko are rare among those in power because her understanding of culture is real and deep… It wouldn’t be right to address her so that she could provide some premises. The city has to take care of that.
- But you told Mrs. Yushchenko about it?
- Lina Kostenko brought up this idea at our last year’s exhibition which was also visited by Kateryna Mykhaylivna: “I dream about a fairy tale gallery in the city centre.” And when Lina Kostenko herself is saying it you sometimes believe it will come true some day.
- Have you sent a Harry Potter translation to Yushchenko’s kids before the book was published?
- It’s an illusion that I am close to Yushchenko family. As a Ukrainian citizen, I respect the President and his family but there is a fixed date of September 25 when the book sales start. It wouldn’t even be right.
- Therefore, nobody except your sons knows the contents of the last Harry Potter book?
- I think that the people who worked with the book – artist, translator and their families – know. There are also those who read the book in English…
But Ukrainian translation is put on sale on September 25. I think that probably on September 27 or even 26 ardent readers will already know everything.
The book is read in one breath. I envy all the readers because I read the book in portions. When you are translating you can’t go further before you solve some riddles you encounter on every page.
I envy the readers who will read the book in one breath. So many events and different impressions are waiting for them! I think they won’t be disappointed.
By the way, J.K. Rowling wrote a really nice dedication: “The dedication of this book is split seven ways: to Neil, to Jessica, to David, to Kenzie, to Di, to Anne, and to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end.” It is really nice! It means each reader has a portion of this book’s dedication.
- Have you seen at least one Harry Potter film?
- I saw the last film. It didn’t meet my expectations and didn’t impress me. I was hugely disappointed in the actors speaking for children. One could hear that they don’t speak Ukrainian in everyday life. And the director himself probably had no ear for Ukrainian and didn’t understand how false and unnatural it sounded.
Translation is a fine art. For example, The Simpsons were translated and sounded in a great way. Why didn’t they turn to people who have experience in such things?
After the film I was even scared that people may think that this translation is somehow associated with the Ukrainian book.
- Do you feel sad that Harry Potter’s adventures are over?
- Of course, I feel sad. I would like to turn attention of your readers to the fact that we use a hologram for the first time in this book. You can see “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA” sign in it and in the background you will see the illustrations from our books if you use a magnifying glass.
This is how we protect ourselves from the pirates who are pestering us. These businessmen could sell meat or underpants and now they are selling books. They want to reap revenues from forging books and thereby gravely violate international laws.
And what is the most regrettable is that our authorities cannot or don’t want to catch these primitive guys red-handed. There is always someone at the last stage who messes up the whole thing.
- Is the 150,000 copy edition the biggest primary one?
- Yes, it is the biggest edition, we have gathered all our courage to decide on this number. And we worry if the Ukrainian reader supports us.
By the way, the previous edition together with additional printed copies amounted to about the same number. Besides, we don’t know how many copies the pirates sold. But the total edition is reaching a million and even more with pirate copies. Even though it is not a very big edition…
In general, more books must be sold in Ukraine. About five times more in comparison with the leading countries. I think that together with the Russian translations about 300 thousand books of each Harry Potter volume are sold in Ukraine.
- I heard that you wanted to start a joint project with Andriy Shevchenko?
- It is a “Shevchenko presents Shevchenko” project. I want to choose the best poems of Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko for children – there will be few of them but they will be refined and beautiful.
The book needs to have perfect illustrations. And I want Shevchenko to give these books to kids. It is a difficult and very expensive project. But I want to show that Shevchenko is an exceptional and eternally modern poet. It is one of my dreams which I haven’t realized.
- Are you going to organize joint projects with other celebrities?
- We are going to record an audio version of “100 Fairy Tales”. In particular, Vitaliy Klitschko agreed to speak for one of the characters. He only asked for a nice one. So I have found a really good character for him!
I am not going to spill the beans. Actually, it will be good for Vitaliy that this character doesn’t say much. The fairy tale is named after the character but there is not much direct speech.
I think that it is a very good project. And I want it to travel throughout the country. I love all the readers the same – in the east, in the west and in central Ukraine, they are all dear to me. I would like for this book to evoke trust in everyone. And only something that you have done with love and in a professional way can be trusted.
- Are you friends with Klitschko and Shevchenko?
- No, we’re not friends, we’re just acquaintances. The year before the last me and Vitaliy had a common episode in our biographies – we were involved in politics with Pora. I was the tenth on the list and he was the first. By the way, I really regret the time wasted.
- There is rumor that your name was on the general list of Our Ukraine in 2006 but disappeared after their session.
- I wasn’t on the list of Our Ukraine. At least I didn’t know about it. I was only in Pora. Politics is not interesting. It is not my cup of tea. I knew it wasn’t but got down to it immersed in post-Maydan feelings. I don’t want to go into details.
- Which politicians do you know well?
- I don’t think that I am a close acquaintance of any of the political celebrities. As for the people in the literature field we all come from the same cradle.
I am friends with Viktor Neborak, Oksana Zabuzhko, Yuriy Andrukhovych, Vasyl Herasimyuk. Bohdan Benyuk is a godfather of my son and my first neighbor.
As for the other celebrities (including politicians), we have civil relations but we do not talk that often.
The thing is that I don’t really like public gatherings, I am not a person that likes to be in public. I like reading books, working on PC and spending time with my family.
You know, I have many friends who are in power. But in real life… The state never bought books for libraries from me. I never had the courage to ask. If friends offered me to do it I would happily agree. But I don’t like going around with personal requests – as a rule, it spoils friendly relationships.
- What are you dreams?
- God, I have such primitive dreams. I dream to finish building the house and have my own study at last. Because both in the publishing house and at home I have many people living, coming and staying.
I dream to write more poems. I would like to make some more good books. I want for all of my closest family to be healthy. I want Ukraine to become Ukrainian and for the kids to like reading. As you can see, half of Ukraine dreams about it.
- How do you see Ukraine ideally?
- Sadly, I see that I won’t live to see the ideal country. It seems that everything is gloomy. I understand how little I do and my work is just a drop in the ocean.
How many books do we have? Just several million… And the reality is empty and cold. There are so many oligarchs who do not care that our main river is called Dnipro. For them it is only water or a river…
These people are primitive for me, they sometimes read “glam” magazines, which are actually vulgar, they don’t read books, they think that money decides everything and that they are almighty.
Just try to imagine a Russian politician who despises Russian language and says it is bad – it is impossible to imagine it. Russian government allocates about 500 million dollars annually to buy books for libraries and to conduct other book projects.
Our government allocated only about 4 million and didn’t give even that sum. The agreements with publishing houses were signed. We printed the books and keep them in stock; we pay for them because they are not bought. Is this normal?
However, I talked to Russian writers at the Forum of Publishers in Lviv. I was saying that we are fed up with these political games. Everyone promises something, you believe no one and it’s a shame to even listen to all this.
But this writer said: “You should be happy! You’ve got real life, and in our place it is quiet as if you were at the cemetery. We are going towards totalitarianism. Putin’s cat or dog may be appointed prime minister and everyone will vote for it. You should be happy with what you have.”
If one is to find advantages they can always be found but we all see that there are far more disadvantages. Why announce a referendum on the Ukrainian language if census was carried out three or four years ago?
This census had a question of the language one considers native. Almost 70 per cent of Ukrainians replied that Ukrainian language is native for them, and it was documented! If the answer was like this then 70 per cent of magazines and newspapers should be published in Ukrainian, they should be financed and provided some tax benefits.
We do not need 500 million dollars – our population is smaller by about a third. But imagine if the state gave us 170 million to buy books for the libraries.
If the state wanted to carry out Ukrainization and attract kids to reading then it might have announced that Harry Potter was coming out and in 10 days it could be read in all libraries.
It may be an only book which might have attracted the kids, they would have found out where the library in their village, city or district was. It is simple and rather cheap to do it. It is such a great occasion to attract children to voluntary reading in Ukrainian. But do the authorities care about it?
If some books are bought in the libraries, these are books by officials which nobody would have bought in the shop and nobody would have opened, especially in the library. But the fact of “book-buying” is documented and somebody put money in his pocket.
How can one speak about the development of Ukrainian language and the city speaking Ukrainian if we have such attitude, if nothing is done for it? These are such simple steps.
You know that our country is 27th in the world by purchasing capacity. We see what kinds of cars are driven; we see that people’s welfare is growing. I see it in books, editions increase and people want to read.
We have great prospects, what we need is wise administration. Then we could move mountains and raise happy children.
