03 March 2011, 16:42
On Thursday, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, visited the Literary-Memorial Estate of Taras Shevchenko to present the republished book "Life and Works of Taras Shevchenko" by Mykhailo Chalyi. It is one of the first biographies of the Kobzar written by his friend Mykhailo Chalyi. For the last time, it was republished in 1882. Publication of the book was supported by M.Tomenko´s Fund "Ridna Kraina" and Oleksii Davydenko, Secretary of the Standing Commission of Kyiv Council in charge of Education and Science.
Dwelling upon the author of the book, M.Tomenko stated that Mykhailo Chalyi was personally acquainted with the poet, which is especially important. Mykhailo Chalyi got acquainted with Taras Shevchenko in the year 1859, and he met him and was in correspondence with him ever since. M. Chalyi helped T. Shevchenko during this life, and then assisted his reburial in Ukraine.
The Deputy Chairman stressed that the book is especially interesting, because the life and works of T.Shevchenko are assessed by his contemporary and friend, although he does not give a full account of all the stages of poet´s activity, especially the period of the Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius. However, it is one of the best biographies of the Kobzar of the 19th century. It was taken as a basis for other biographies of the poet afterwards.
The Deputy Chairman called on the attendants to re-read the works of T. Shevchenko in the year of the 150th anniversary of the poet´s return to Ukraine.