Prodigal Daughter : A Journey to Byzantium

by Kostash, Myrna

• ISBN13: 9780888645340
• ISBN10: 0888645341
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-09-01
• Publisher: Wayne State Univ Pr

Summary

A deep-seeded questioning of her inherited religion resurfaces when Myrna Kostash chances upon the icon of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. A spiritual and historical odyssey that begins in Edmonton, ranges around the Balkans, and plunges into a renewed vision of Byzantium in search of the Great Saint of the East delivers the author to an unexpected place - the threshold of her childhood church. An epic work of travel memoir, Prodigal Daughter sings with immediacy and depth, rewarding readers with a profound sense of an adventure they have lived. This book will appeal to readers interested in Ukrainian-Canadian culture and the Greek Orthodox religion and history, as well as to the fans of Kostash's bold creative nonfiction.

Author Biography

Myrna Kostash's creative nonfiction continues to define and push the limits of the genre. Since the publication of All of Baba's Children in 1977, she has been a strong voice in depicting the Ukrainian-Canadian experience and its roots in European history. Her award-winning memoirs, essays, and other writing, along with her avid participation in the literary community, have garnered Kostash popular and critical acclaim at home and aboard. She lives in Edmonton.

Table of Contents

Demetrius among the Slavs	p. 1
Map	p. 2
Prologue	p. 3
Byzantium on the Prairies	p. 22
Hiking for Demetrius	p. 30
Mother Thessaloniki	p. 37
Miracles on the Ramparts	p. 47
History is the Dogma of Scars	p. 52
Demetrius among the Macedonians	p. 62
Demetrius among the Serbs	p. 81
Demetrius among the Bulgarians	p. 94
Who is He Killing?	p. 107
Letting Go	p. 124
Lord, have Mercy	p. 134
Return to Canada	p. 137
Demetrius in Byzantium	p. 141
Interlude	p. 142
Opening: The Mad Professor of Sirmium	p. 151
Slavs in Byzantium	p. 158
The Byzantine Saint	p. 182
The Guardian Saint	p. 212
The Passion of Demetrius	p. 240
The Life and Death of St. Demetrius, a Young Man of Thessalonica, April 304(Two Versions)	p. 262
Epilogue	p. 275
Acknowledgements	p. 277
Notes	p. 281
Bibliography and Recommended Reading	p. 299
Index	p. 315
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