(c) Pavol Grznár

Balla

8. 5. 1967
Nové Zámky
Pseudonym:
Balla
Genre:
general fiction, other, translation activity
Own name:
Vladimír Balla

Curriculum vitae

One of the most original writers on the Slovak literary scene, Balla is famous for his absurd stories about lonely, alienated and strange individuals incapable of relationships with other human beings. Although his outlook could be labeled pessimistic, his fiction is not devoid of humor. In 1996 he won the Ivan Krasko Prize for his first collection of short stories, Leptokaria. In 2011 he published V mene otca (In the Name of the Father), a novella with autobiographical elements that was awarded the prestigious Anasoft Litera Prize the following year. In 2015 he published another novella, Veľká láska (Big Love). Je mŕtvy  is a collection of shorter, provocative stories entitledDespite being the recipient of several important literary prizes, Balla lives outside the limelight in the small town of Nové Zámky, where, like Franz Kafka, he works as a public official at the local Labor Office. His most recent book, Between the Ruins (2021), is a fragmentary novel set in a small town full of bizarre characters.