Usred leda

In the form of letters to his wife, because as an atheist he could not confide in God, Smul records everyday impressions: stormy waves, encounters with whales and penguins, the life of sailors and scientists, and romantic moments in the middle of endless ice.

The prose exudes poetry – simple, ironic and humorous, without acting. Smul, a great poet of the sea and love, captures the breath of the expedition: the small joys of the crew, the fears of storms, the charms of the starry sky and the silence of the ice. It is not just a geographical journey; it is an introspective pilgrimage to oneself and others, where the writer builds a bridge to readers at a time when writers are of little interest to them. Estonia, a small country, gave birth to this great storyteller, whose lyricism makes it usually miraculous.