BOOK PROMOTION
Foto: Saša Jungić
On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in the crowded Hoću knjigu Megastore in Zagreb, we presented Velimir's book 'Personal Lexicon', published by Profil.
"Personal Lexicon" is a lyrical autobiography woven from 29 stories in which the author honestly and openly writes about his childhood and growing up on the asphalt of Trešnjevka, personal ups and downs, love and political experiences, and many travels.
A truly unusual book for a scientistnone or not at all, because as one of the promoters said, Ph.D. Nikša Sviličić, university professor, film director, writer, musician and long-time friend of Srića, it is precisely the fact that Velimir Srića is a prominent scientist that presupposes a good book.
"Doubt is the basis of knowledge. And it was this doubt that was the starting point, the catapult that, under the given circumstances, helped Srića to write a work that can be read in one's breath. All the stories are recognizable because they are hidden in the lives of each of us. These are not only Velimir's stories , these are our stories, only Velimir told them," Nikša Sviličić said.
The author himself said that his late aunt encouraged him to write this personal book, and he was most inspired by writers such as Nora Ephron and Miljenko Jergović, then Salinger, whose books he adores, and finally the contemporary fairy tale "The Little Prince".
"For 'The Little Prince' it was important that he had a rose and that he had a sheep. This is also important in my autobiography. It deals with roses and sheep. It deals with what I loved and what I experienced and what it left on a clue to me," he said.
Diana Pečkaj, writer, journalist and television screenwriter, and prof. Dr. Božo Skoko, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Zagreb and expert in public relations. Pečkaj pointed out that the book deeply impressed her, and she was especially moved by the story that Srića dedicated to his wife Ana, which, she said, is a real love manifesto and restores faith in love.
Paraphrasing Coelho, who once said that a people who have klapa like Dalmatians shows that they have a soul, Skoko pointed out that an author who writes in this way and presents his view on life and the world definitely has a broad soul and cares about people.
"We all know Prof. Srić as omaspiring professor, scientist, idealist in politics. By engaging in politics, he showed that it can be done, but he also showed that this squeamish politics drives the real people out of politics, because you need to have a thick face to succeed in politics," said Skoko, describing Srica as a great dreamer, but also a great lover. to Croatia.
"Srića in this book not only talks and writes about his life, he writes about the transience of life, about the meaning of human existence, about the moments that made it worth living," said Skoko.
At the promotion, the author himself read several passages from the book, and at the end he sang along with the guitar.
The surprise of the evening was his daughter Lana, who danced tap dance and delighted the large audience with her performance.
