Catching an Elusive Bird : The Life of Hryhorii Skovoroda

Based on a rich collection of primary and secondary sources, Leonid Ushkalov presents his biography of the famous Ukrainian philosopher and theologian Hryhorii (Gregorius) Skovoroda (1722-1794).

However, this book not only a biography of a prominent person, but also a vivid presentation of the life and culture of eighteenth-century Ukraine.

The eleven chapters of the book describing Skovoroda's development are framed by two separate stories, a Prelude and a Finale.

They are intended to give Skovoroda's biography as much depth as possible and to show his paramount role in the Ukrainian spiritual tradition.