Nikola Đuretić (born 24 July 1949 in Osijek, Croatia) is a Croatian writer, poet, translator, editor and publisher. He is known for his extensive body of prose, poetry, essays and feuilleton, as well as for his long career with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London.
Early life and education
Đuretić moved to Zagreb at age five. He studied English language and literature together with comparative literature at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, where he earned a degree that prepared him for work in translation and literary criticism.
Literary career
His first short stories appeared in the literary magazine Polet in 1968. From 1975 to 1978 he worked as an editor in publishing before going into exile in March 1978. Settling in London, Đuretić spent more than two decades at the BBC, where he served as a program assistant and later as senior producer. After retiring from the BBC in 1999 he returned to Croatia.
He has published over twenty books encompassing short stories, novels, poetry collections (including numerous haiku), essays and feuilleton. Notable works include the short‑story collections Vragolovi (1974) and Vrijeme bijelih dana (1978); the novel Lovac sjena (2010); and several poetry volumes such as Kao zvuk otoka (2006) and Ždral od papira (2014). His writings have been translated into multiple languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Bulgarian and Romanian.
Translation work
Đuretić has translated works by prominent contemporary Anglophone authors, among them Salman Rushdie, Penelope Lively, Julian Barnes, Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan, Beryl Bainbridge, Louis de Bernières and Hugo Williams.
Professional affiliations
He is a member of the Croatian Writers' Association and the cultural organization Matrix Croatica. Đuretić has also been involved with the Organizing Committee of the Zagreb Literary Talks, presiding over it from 2008 to 2011.
Awards and recognitions
Đuretić’s contributions to literature have earned him numerous honors, including:
- Order of Danica hrvatska with the likeness of Marko Marulić (1998) for cultural contribution.
- Josip and Ivan Kozarac Award (2017).
- Ksaver Šandor Gjalski Award for best prose book (2012).
- Multiple haiku competition commendations in Japan and Poland.
- Various literary prizes from Croatian institutions such as the Dubravko Horvatić Award and the Marko Marulić Award.
Selected bibliography
Short stories / novels
- Vragolovi (1974)
- Vrijeme bijelih dana (1978)
- Suze Martina Jesenskog (1997)
- Lovac sjena (2010)
- Almanah smrti i nestajanja (2011, English edition 2013)
- Posljednja predaja (2016)
Poetry (selected)
- Kao zvuk otoka (2006)
- Male smrti ptica (2008)
- Gdje počinju ceste (2009)
- Raspuko se nar (2011)
- Ždral od papira (2014)
Essays and feuilleton
- Kazališni putokazi i krajputaši (1996)
- Između dodira – Bilješke za kroniku jednog egzila (2005)
- Ka totalnom teatru (2015)
Legacy
Nikola Đuretić is regarded as a significant contemporary figure in Croatian literature, noted for his versatility across genres and his role in promoting cultural exchange through translation. His work continues to influence newer generations of writers in Croatia and abroad.