NEW RELEASE

Educational Council publishes new textbook "Ukrainian Culture"

NEW YORK - Educational Council of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America announced the release of a new textbook - the work of Prof. Ihor Mirchuk, titled "Ukrainian Culture" (New York: Educational Council, 2004, 258 pp., 18 color plates).

This work is the first volume of the planned textbook for upper classes of Schools of Ukrainian Studies. It covers ethnography, (pages 1-125) and architecture (pages 126-249) for the first two levels of the study of Ukrainian culture. The first part has 20 lessons, and the second part 18 lessons. After each part there is a review with a dictionary, English translations and a bibliography. The textbook has many illustrations, with eight pages of color plates.

In the first part of the textbook the author gives information about the ethnographic regions of Ukraine, traditional occupations, customs and rituals, village life, housing, food and clothing. Pre-Chistian beliefs and folk customs are described according to cycles, along with Easter eggs, ceramics, embroidery and woodcarving. After each lesson there are explanations, exercises and creative projects. There are crosswords and other puzzles as well as graphs, which give the textbook a contemporary feel.

The second part begins with the definition of culture and early architecture in Ukraine. The author concentrates on the Kyivan; Renaissance, Romanesque and Gothic styles follow. The Baroque Era is covered in several chapters, along with the Rococo and Classical styles and the 19th-20th centuries. Wooden architecture also has its own chapter.

There are three chapters devoted to woodcarving and an interesting discussion about the importance of Alexander Archipenko to world sculpture. A separate word list of architectural and sculptural terms is added for the students' convenience. There is also a general glossary.

The author, Prof. Mirchuk, teaches college-level art courses and has taught culture courses at the Ukrainian Studies School in Philadelphia. Hopefully, the second volume of the series, covering music, theater and painting, will appear in 2005.

Orders may be sent to the UCCA Educational Council, P.O. Box 391 - Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276; (212) 477-1200. Price: $16.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 23, 2005, No. 4, Vol. LXXIII

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