A. J. Greimo vaikystės atspindys K. R. Kašponio knygoje "Greimas arti ir toli"
ENProf. Dr. Karolis Rimtautas Kašponis’ book „Greimas Close and Far“ („Greimas arti ir toli“) is a significant work about the childhood of one of the founders of semiotics, a linguist and researcher of Lithuanian mythology Algirdas Julius Greimas (1917-1992). The book, written in English and Lithuanian and abundant with illustrations, is based on the exposition “The Childhood of Algirdas Greimas“. The book is reviewed by Kaunas Technology University Prof. Dr. Darius Kučinskas and Vytautas Magnus University Assoc. Prof. Romaldas Misiukevičius who were the co-workers and curators of the exhibition. The idea of the book belongs to President of International Association for Semiotic Studies Prof. Eero Tarasti. He suggested K. R. Kašponis writing a work about Lithuanian period of A. J. Greimas’ life. K. R. Kašponis decided to concentrate on A. J. Greimas’ childhood in Kupiškis where the author of the book spent his schooling years. Thus, lots of facts about A. J. Greimas were already known to K. R. Kašponis. The sources for the book were A. J. Greimas’ utterances about childhood, state and private archives, mass media of that time, and words of his contemporaries. The book contains A. J. Greimas’ biography which reflects the crucial moments in his life including the establishing of Paris or Greimas School of Semiotics. It is pointed out that A. J. Greimas is a world-famous linguist and researcher of mythology. A. J. Greimas is one of the best known Lithuanian scientists in the world who can be in some aspects compared to Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. A. J. Greimas’ works are translated to many languages and have a very high citation index, i.e. 1911 times in the period from 1966 to 1990 compared to the citation index of the Nobel prize winners with average citation index of 900.The book “Greimas Far and Close” gives the guidelines for development of semiotics the founder of which he was. The book also overviews exposition “The Childhood of Algirdas Greimas”, presents the list of the most important for Lithuania names “100 Most Prominent Lithuania's People” and the monument “The Tree of Unity” in Vilnius. The book masterly comprises several genres: a biographic essay, the catalogue of exhibitions, a historical-informational publication, a photo album, the collection of aphorisms, the collection of important documents. A. J. Greimas’ desire to learn things was evident quite early in his life. In 1924, he entered Kupiškis Elementary School. Kupiškis customs, rich art traditions, natural beauty of the surroundings left permanent taces in the child. A. J. Greimas considers his early life as quite favourable. In such panorama of live, the days of the childhood are illuminated with a bliss, with emphasis on their value in providing an impulse to go an with the grand show of life. K. R. Kašponis’ book “Greimas Close and Far” is an excellent example of immortalization of Algirdas Julius Greimas’ name. [From the publication]
