Breaking with Tradition introduces short prose by nearly fifty young Belarusian writers in six thematic chapters, of which three are on topics of universal interest: Love, sex and loneliness; the world and its inhabitants: humans, fish, animals and birds; and religion, superstition, philosophy and fantasy. The other three have particular relevance to Belarus: Leadership, Miensk and the provinces, and squalor; writing about the Belarusian language and the nature of its use; and finally the history of the country.

The stories, by beginners and experienced writers alike, are illustrated by quotations with English translations, They share an unwillingness to follow the traditions of Soviet times, and venture to paint humorous and fantastic pictures even of tragic events like the Chernobyl disaster, or present frivolously Belarus’s national writers, as well as describing previously taboo subjects such as Belarus under German occupation, sexuality, including venereal disease and gay relationships, abuse of women by men, and the squalor of rampant alcoholism.

Writing about and in the Belarusian language is of cardinal importance for maintaining national awareness, and these young writers present a varied and eminently readable picture of a still relatively unknown culture, reflecting life that is as turbulent and fascinating as anywhere else