Yuriy Vynnychuk

Yuriy Pavlovych Vynnychuk (Юрій Павлович Винничук; born 18 March 1952) is a Ukrainian journalist, writer and editor.

Educated in the Vasyl Stefanyk Subcarpathian National University (formerly Ivano-Frankivsk Pedagogical Institute), Faculty of Philology (1969–1973 years), a teacher of Ukrainian language and literature.

In 1974 he moved to the city and worked as a loader, graphic designers.

1987–1991 — director of Lviv Theatre of Variety "Do not worry!".

He was the author of the script for the play "Do not worry!"

and song lyrics.

In 1990 he had to leave the theater and together with Stefka Orobets created "Cabarete Yurtsya and Steftsya".

1991–1994 — editor of mysticism and sensational newspaper "Post-Postup".

1995–1998 — chief editor of "Gulvіsa", Lviv.

Member of the Association of Ukrainian Writers (1997).

1998–1999 — editor of the newspaper "Postup".

He won the inaugural award in 2005 for his novel Spring Games in Autumn Gardens.

Since 2006 — chief editor of "Post-Postup" (restored).

Vynnychuk's novel Tango of Death was awarded the BBC Ukrainian Book of the Year for 2012.

The novel is set in Lviv, in the interwar period.

The novel is marked with Vynnychuk's trademark fusion of tragedy and humor.

The award was Vynnychuk's second BBC Ukrainian Book of the Year.

On 23 January 2012, two police officers came to Vynnychuk's house and asked him to explain in writing about a poem he had recited a few months ago at the "A Night of Erotic Poetry" festival held in Kyiv.

A complaint had been lodged with the Prosecutor General by Leonid Hrach, a communist People's Deputy of Ukraine who accused the writer of reciting a pornographic poem and inciting revolt against the Ukrainian government.