{"id":2771,"date":"2026-06-04T15:03:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T15:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anyksciuvb.lt\/?p=2771"},"modified":"2026-11-05T07:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T07:15:05","slug":"two-book-clubs-meet-at-the-bookstore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anyksciuvb.lt\/en\/klube-knyginycia-dvieju-knygu-sutiktuves\/","title":{"rendered":"Two book signings at the Knyginy\u010dia club"},"content":{"rendered":"

On November 12, members of the book lovers' club "Knyginy\u010dia" gathered at the Anyk\u0161\u010diai Liudvika and Stanislovas Did\u017eiuliai Public Library. Two books were presented at the Regional Documents and Local History Department of Anyk\u0161\u010diai VB: "One among Ones: For the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevi\u010dius of the Holy Roman Catholic Church: Publication of Sources" (2020) and "A Journey in Time: Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis in Photographs (1973\u20131979) and in the Works of Creators of the Sacred and Poetic Word of this Region in the 19th\u201321st Centuries" (2023). Both of these books were prepared by Evaldas Timukas, a senior librarian at the Bir\u017eai Jurgis Bielinis Public Library, a local historian, an employee of the Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis Museum, and a guide, and Irena Andrukaitien\u0117, a native of Anyk\u0161t\u0117, a teacher, a local historian, a social activist, and a signatory of the March 11 Act of Independence.<\/p>\n

The authors who came to the meeting of the club \u201eKnyginy\u010dia\u201c talked about the work they had done and shared their impressions of preparing books. E. Timukas said that he met Irena several years ago when she came to Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis, wanting to learn more and prepare publications about the signatory of the Lithuanian Act of Independence, public figure Jok\u016bbas \u0160ernas, and his brother, the priest of the Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church, Adamas \u0160ernas. The unexpected acquaintance encouraged the signatory and the librarian of the Bir\u017eai region to undertake joint work. Cardinal Vincentas Sladkevi\u010dius (1920\u20132000) was removed from his position as bishop by the Soviet authorities and exiled to Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis (Bir\u017eai district) in 1959\u20131976, and in 1976\u20131982. lived in Pabir\u017e\u0117. As the 100th anniversary of the cardinal's birth approached, E. Timukas addressed the then Speaker of the Seimas, Viktoras Pranckietis, requesting that the Seimas declare 2020 the year of the famous clergyman. When it was not possible to honor the cardinal's memory at the state level, E. Timukas and I. Andrukaitien\u0117 collected the memoirs of 66 authors who knew V. Sladkevi\u010dius, surviving photographs of the cardinal, and published a book about him, "Oneself Among Ones." E. Timukas spoke about the then bishop's contribution to distributing the chronicle of the Lithuanian Catholic Church and about the close communication of his relatives with V. Sladkevi\u010dius.<\/p>\n

I. Andrukaitien\u0117 was fascinated by people's memories of Cardinal V. Sladkevi\u010dius. The residents of Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis greatly respected and loved him, calling him Bishop. V. Sladkevi\u010dius greeted every student and took off his hat in front of each child. "He was a gift from God to the village children," said I. Andrukaitien\u0117 about the clergyman's respectful behavior. After reading numerous memories of V. Sladkevi\u010dius, the signatory feels as if she had known the Cardinal herself.<\/p>\n

The book \u201eJourney in Time\u201c is completely different. I. Andrukaitien\u0117 said that the book-album contains photographs by Radvili\u0161kis photographer Petras Deglis Jr. Some of the photographs were taken when the author was 14 years old. In 1973\u20131979, P. Deglis photographed absolutely all the buildings of Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis, signs on buildings, the bridge, the military cemetery, and all the objects of the town. Each photograph is accompanied by comments from more than one person about the buildings and their owners. The book is unique in that it presents the creators of the sacred and poetic word of the 19th-21st centuries. After the first edition of the book \u201eJourney in Time\u201c, some people from the local community admitted to the signatory that they cry while reading the book. \u201eI was shocked that the book reads like a prayer book. If the book leaves such an impression, then it does not regret the work put in at all,\u201c said I. Andrukaitien\u0117.<\/p>\n

The club members had many questions about the Cardinal's personality and the Nemun\u0117lis Radvili\u0161kis region. Everyone was delighted by the fact that the photographer, club member Alfredas Motiej\u016bnas, took a picture of V. Sladkevi\u010dius's church vestments and thus the name of the Anyk\u0161t\u0117 photographer was included in the book "One Among Ones".<\/p>\n

After the meeting, E. Timukas and I. Andrukaitien\u0117 visited the 16th century oven and the memorial room of the Press photographer Izidorius Girtis located in the premises of the Public Library. The authors of the publications presented the book "Journey in Time" with the inscription: "To the Book Lovers Club "Knyginy\u010dia" for the fostering of culture, the preservation and creation of local history traditions. The authors of the book are Irena Andrukaitien\u0117 Evaldas Timukas. Anyk\u0161\u010diai, 2024. November 12".<\/p>\n

The book club "Knyginy\u010dia" has been joined by two new members: Regina Buterlevi\u010dien\u0117 and Vilija Gudmonien\u0117. It is gratifying that the club "Knyginy\u010dia" is becoming increasingly popular and its membership is growing.<\/p>\n

Birute Venteraitiene<\/em>
\nLibrarian of the Regional Documents and Local History Department of Anyk\u0161\u010diai Regional Library<\/em><\/p>\n