I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my family and friends who are joining me for my Books and Bottles event. A special thank you goes to City News Cafe for their incredibly warm hospitality.

Your support truly means the world to me as I strive to help my friends in Ukraine during these challenging times. Sharing my stories is more than just a passion; it’s a way to connect and support those in my hometown who have loved ones courageously defending my homeland.

I sincerely hope you...

One of the legends from 400 years ago tells of a ghost in Lviv City Hall. The ghost appeared in the form of a black coffin that flew through the halls and rooms with a terrifying moan. No one could explain the appearance of the black coffin until one of the judges, known as "lavnyks" in ancient Lviv, who handled criminal cases, unraveled this mystery.

One day, the commission of judges, having not thoroughly examined the criminal case, sentenced an innocent man to death. After some time, the...

Here is another urban legend from the 20th century, this one about a mansion in Pohulianka. Around 1910, a young lawyer from Lviv fell madly in love with a woman, the owner of the villa "Pivonia," located in Pohulianka, and for two years, he lived with her in the villa.

The lawyer's friend, who was a well-known psychiatrist in Lviv, noticed severe mental disorders in his friend's behavior. During a friendly conversation, the lawyer complained to his doctor friend about a fatal, pathological...