The genius of Albanian letters, Ismail Kadare, celebrated his 88th birthday. Kadare was born on January 28, 1936, in the Palorto neighborhood of Gjirokastra. His vocation for literature began at an early age.

He stayed in his hometown until the end of secondary education when he prepared for publication his first cycle of poems, “Boyish Inspirations” (1954). Then, he settled in Tirana, where he completed his higher studies in the Language-Literature branch and graduated as a “Teacher.”

In the span of 1958-1960, Kadare deepened his studies at the “Maxim Gorky” Institute in Moscow. In 1960, forced to abandon his studies due to the severance of relations between Albania and the former Soviet Union, he returned to his homeland and started working in journalism.

In 1963, he published his novel “The General of the Dead Army,” which resonated even beyond the country. The theme of the freedom-loving nature of the Albanians observed in this work would be the main theme of the novel “Castle,” published in 1970. In this vein, the author was also inspired to write the novel “Krushqit janë të ngrirë,” which speaks on the 1981 demonstrations of Kosovo Albanians.

Another acclaimed novel was “Chronicle in Stone” (1970). In the series of uninterrupted publications, the allegorical novel “The Clerk of the Palace of Dreams” (1981) stands out as the most intricate in the entirety of Kadare’s work. In the fall of 1990, Kadare left for France and returned to his homeland after the first democratic developments.

Since 1996, the Albanian writer has been an associate member (for life) of the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. He has been awarded a number of international prizes (such as the “Man Booker Prize,” “Prince of Asturias,” etc.), placing him among world-renowned writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Günter Grass, and Milan Kundera. Until now, his works have been translated into about 45 languages worldwide.

Specifically, Kadare has been decorated by the President of the Republic of Albania with the “Honour of the Nation” Order, by the French state with the “Cross of the Legion of Honor” and “Officer of the Legion of Honor” orders, and by the King of Spain with the “Prince of Asturias” award.

/m.ll/