The prestigious British newspaper "The Guardian" has praised the work of "The Doll" by Albanian author Ismail Kadare, describing it as an elegant, nostalgic memory of a long-lost homeland. The work translated into English will be published on January 23.
According to ATSH, at first glance, Ismail Kadare's autobiographical novel can be read as an elegant memoir, a bit bitter for adults, touched with nostalgia for a long-lost place.
The doll is full of compelling details of life in a changing Albania. One of the most startling stories is that of the day, in 1953, when condoms first arrived at the pharmacy: â??There were contradictory instructions that allowed and prohibited them. It was suspected that they could be evidence to identify any weakening of the class struggle after Stalin's death. "
And after some reluctance from the Party Committee to advise the Communists to avoid pharmacy and leaving those rubber pieces for the increasingly devastated bourgeoisie, everything calmed down.
"Dolls" is full of such touches, despite Kadare's many family concerns with the folklore roots of modern life, say, or the absurdity of Albanian politics. However, the touching observation, the bitter irony, and the overwhelming fear that permeate his relationship with his mother, a terrified woman who felt "unworthy" when her son achieved the fame she wished for, are what dominate this fascinating study of a difficult love.
