Vinko Vrbanić

Vinko Vrbanić (born 12 May 1951, died 7 January 2024) is a Croatian writer who lived in Vinkovci, Croatia. He is best known for his published short stories, novellas Furmani (Carters) and Sokolov let (Flight of the Falcon), and coming-of-age novel Glasovi u šumi (Voices in the Forest). He graduated from the School of Agriculture in Požega, worked in construction, and fought in the Croatian War of Independence.

Genre
Novellas Furmani [Carters] and Sokolov let [Flight of the Falcon] are collections of diverse tales connected by loose narratives about the tragic lives of common folk. Whereas, the coming-of-age novel Glasovi u šumi [Voices in the Forest] traces the life of a mischievous boy growing up in a Croatian village during times of socio-political upheaval. “At last, we received a storyteller who stepped away from traditional themes and turned towards the urban setting, telling stories that avoid romantic or melodramatic content,” says Zlatko Virc in Vinkovacki list [Vinkovci Newspaper].

Themes
The short stories in Sokolov let [Flight of the Falcon] trace the struggles and destinies of the ordinary people caught between the great military powers during the decline of the Ottoman Empire. In Furmani [Carters], the author examined fate in short stories about people from the bottom of the social ladder who turn to alcohol as a way to cope with their broken lives. His coming-of-age novel Glasovi u šumi [Voices in the Forest] captures the persistent struggle for a better life and brutality of those in power.

Style
Vrbanić wrote short, inter-connected narratives with a discernible beginning, climax, and resolution encapsulated within self-contained chapters that demonstrate the author's skill as storyteller from an oral tradition.

Awards

 * 2nd shared prize [pohvalnica] for a drama "Dvadeseto pjevanje" at 36th HSK National Literary Competition 2017
 * 1st prize for a short story "Cvija" at the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2016
 * Short story "Rakija" selected for publication in the journal Dar Domovine, as part of the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2014