Tone Partljič releases second volume of novel about Prežihov Voranc

Writer Tone Partljič has released the second part of a literary diptych focused on the life of Lovro Kuhar, better known by his pseudonym Prežihov Voranc. The extensive work, totaling 1,300 pages, serves as a tribute to the Carinthian writer, whom Partljič refers to as the ‘messenger of Carinthia’.

The first volume began with Voranc’s funeral in 1950. The second volume details Voranc’s life in exile, covering his time in Vienna, Berlin, and Paris. During this period, Voranc lived clandestinely due to his active involvement in the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, which led to his imprisonment. It was also during this era that he wrote his notable novels, including Doberdob, Požganica, and Jamnica.

Partljič noted that while the project was initially suggested by Beletrina publishing house, he was initially hesitant because he is from Styria and felt Carinthia had its own writers. The second volume also explores the personal relationship between Voranc and his wife, describing it as a story of a woman waiting and a man believing in a utopia.