Poet, translator.

 

He majored in Lithuanian linguistics and literature at Vilnius University. He has worked on the editing staff with “Vaga” Publishers, and has been hosting a cultural programme with Baltic TV. His literary debut was a book of poems: “Year as the Thrush” published in 1977. In 1978, it received the Zigmas G&l& award for the best debut of the year. He has published eleven other books of poetry and has written a play “Circus is Circus”, staged at “L&l&” Theatre (Puppet Theatre in Vilnius). A.A. Jonynas is a member of the Lithuanian Writers’ Union and Lithuanian PEN Club. Since 2000 he has been directing a regular poetry event in Druskininkai. The volume “Ship of Memory” (1980) was recognized the best book of the year by a young author. “A Night Train” (1990) received the Award of the Lithuanian Writers’ Union as the best book of the year 1991. Another book, “Waterfall under Ice” (1997), was granted the Jotvingian Award (1997).He received the Poetry Spring Laureate in 2002, and the National State Award of Culture and Art (2003).

 

A.A. Jonynas translates poetry from German, Latvian, Russian, Belorussian, and Ukrainian. His work has been translated into Armenian, Belorussian, Bulgarian, Croatian, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian etc. Since 2011 – the Chairman of Lithuanian Writer’s Union.