What do you think?
Rate this book
賰賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕賷丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳
In Enver Hoxha's Albania, news was closely guarded and speculation forever rife. When an engineer stepped on the foot of a visiting Chinese man, a Diplomatic incident resulted, and couriers between Tirana and Beijing carried back and forth annotated X-rays of The Foot. Was the sudden tension between the two allies connected with the punishment meted out to a group of Albanian tank officers? Were Comrades Enver and Mao still in step on the sovereign role of the Party?
The brittle nature of political realities is epitomised in a Gala Concert in Beijing. A hand-picked audience of diplomats and party officials see destiny for the fragile beast it is when, surveying the Politburo boxes, they notice to their horror an Empty Chair.
Kadare - the author of 'one of the most complete visions of totalitarianism ever committed to paper' (Vanity Fair) - has penned a glimpse inside a seething melting pot of rumour and reputation, as the morning's orthodoxies become heresies by dinner time and the Sino-Albanian axis finally comes adrift.
The brittle nature of political realities is epitomised in a Gala Concert in Beijing. A hand-picked audience of diplomats and party officials see destiny for the fragile beast it is when, surveying the Politburo boxes, they notice to their horror an Empty Chair.
Kadare - the author of 'one of the most complete visions of totalitarianism ever committed to paper' (Vanity Fair) - has penned a glimpse inside a seething melting pot of rumour and reputation, as the morning's orthodoxies become heresies by dinner time and the Sino-Albanian axis finally comes adrift.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
24 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Ismail Kadare
300听books1,666听followersIsmail Kadare (also spelled Kadar茅) was an Albanian novelist and poet. He has been a leading literary figure in Albania since the 1960s. He focused on short stories until the publication of his first novel, The General of the Dead Army. In 1996 he became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of France. In 1992, he was awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca; in 2005, he won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize, in 2009 the Prince of Asturias Award of Arts, and in 2015 the Jerusalem Prize. He has divided his time between Albania and France since 1990. Kadare has been mentioned as a possible recipient for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. His works have been published in about 30 languages.
Ismail Kadare was born in 1936 in Gjirokast毛r, in the south of Albania. His education included studies at the University of Tirana and then the Gorky Institute for World Literature in Moscow, a training school for writers and critics.
In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.
His first novel, The General of the Dead Army, sprang from a short story, and its success established his name in Albania and enabled Kadare to become a full-time writer.
Kadare's novels draw on Balkan history and legends. They are obliquely ironic as a result of trying to withstand political scrutiny. Among his best known books are Chronicle in Stone (1977), Broken April (1978), and The Concert (1988), considered the best novel of the year 1991 by the French literary magazine Lire.
In 1990, Kadare claimed political asylum in France, issuing statements in favour of democratisation. During the ordeal, he stated that "dictatorship and authentic literature are incompatible. The writer is the natural enemy of dictatorship."
Ismail Kadare was born in 1936 in Gjirokast毛r, in the south of Albania. His education included studies at the University of Tirana and then the Gorky Institute for World Literature in Moscow, a training school for writers and critics.
In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.
His first novel, The General of the Dead Army, sprang from a short story, and its success established his name in Albania and enabled Kadare to become a full-time writer.
Kadare's novels draw on Balkan history and legends. They are obliquely ironic as a result of trying to withstand political scrutiny. Among his best known books are Chronicle in Stone (1977), Broken April (1978), and The Concert (1988), considered the best novel of the year 1991 by the French literary magazine Lire.
In 1990, Kadare claimed political asylum in France, issuing statements in favour of democratisation. During the ordeal, he stated that "dictatorship and authentic literature are incompatible. The writer is the natural enemy of dictatorship."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 18, 2017
The author, Kadare, is the classic writer of Albanian times under communism. This historical novel focuses on the period, roughly 1972-1978, when Albania had allied itself with Red China rather than Russia. But the Albanian leader, Enver Hoxha (he needs a nickname so I鈥檒l give him one: Crazy Man) is splitting with Mao over Mao鈥檚 invitation to Nixon to visit China.
Mao is losing it too 鈥� he鈥檚 80 and 鈥渓iving in a cave鈥� (actually an underground house). His much younger ex-movie-star wife is running the show behind the scenes and after Mao鈥檚 death she will become infamous as part of the 鈥淕ang of Four.鈥� She is anti-art, anti-literature and anti-music. So the book is not just about Albania but also about simultaneous goings-on in China. Mao thought that his entr茅e into Albania would help spread his brand of communism throughout Europe.
The fictional story focuses on a young married woman with kids whose brother has just committed a crime against the state. The brother has been kicked out of the communist party which has tremendous implications for the entire extended family: it will impact their jobs, their ability to get housing, the ability of her daughter to get a colleges scholarship, and so on. Meanwhile she鈥檚 still recovering from the recent death of her sister and she鈥檚 worried that her husband is having an affair. While the families in the story are urban and educated, they are just one generation away from peasants divining the future from chicken entrails as portrayed in the author鈥檚 novel Chronicle in Stone. Instead they read coffee grounds around the table!
While all this is going on, the sub-stories focus on the impact of the impending China-Albania breakup. There鈥檚 a race to the bottom in delegations and exchanges between the two countries: fewer, and lower level people; the newspapers report gatherings of diplomats as cordial rather than warm and friendly, etc.
The main character鈥檚 husband has to travel to China and is overwhelmed by all the sayings and slogans: 鈥渢he two just and the three unjust things, the four chief recommendations, the seven faults, the five virtues and the ten evils, etc.鈥� Mao鈥檚 attitude was 鈥淧eople who remember too much are a danger to us.鈥�
A quote I liked: 鈥溾€esnik facing life鈥檚 ups and downs with such calm indifference, Silva had wondered whether this was because he had already had his full quota of happiness.鈥�
An Albanian word I liked: 鈥渟ybukura鈥� 鈥� a woman with beautiful eyes.
I much preferred this author鈥檚 novel "Chronicle in Stone" to Concert. This book seemed overly long and a bit of a chore to read at times. There are too many family names to absorb at first and a bit too much about politics in China, especially speculation related to the mysterious death in an air crash of a Chinese leader who might replace Mao - Lin Biao. The writing is literary but not exceptional.
top photo of Albania's capital, Tirana, from tirana.albania-car-rentals.com
bottom photo of Tirana from alamy.com
Mao is losing it too 鈥� he鈥檚 80 and 鈥渓iving in a cave鈥� (actually an underground house). His much younger ex-movie-star wife is running the show behind the scenes and after Mao鈥檚 death she will become infamous as part of the 鈥淕ang of Four.鈥� She is anti-art, anti-literature and anti-music. So the book is not just about Albania but also about simultaneous goings-on in China. Mao thought that his entr茅e into Albania would help spread his brand of communism throughout Europe.
The fictional story focuses on a young married woman with kids whose brother has just committed a crime against the state. The brother has been kicked out of the communist party which has tremendous implications for the entire extended family: it will impact their jobs, their ability to get housing, the ability of her daughter to get a colleges scholarship, and so on. Meanwhile she鈥檚 still recovering from the recent death of her sister and she鈥檚 worried that her husband is having an affair. While the families in the story are urban and educated, they are just one generation away from peasants divining the future from chicken entrails as portrayed in the author鈥檚 novel Chronicle in Stone. Instead they read coffee grounds around the table!
While all this is going on, the sub-stories focus on the impact of the impending China-Albania breakup. There鈥檚 a race to the bottom in delegations and exchanges between the two countries: fewer, and lower level people; the newspapers report gatherings of diplomats as cordial rather than warm and friendly, etc.
The main character鈥檚 husband has to travel to China and is overwhelmed by all the sayings and slogans: 鈥渢he two just and the three unjust things, the four chief recommendations, the seven faults, the five virtues and the ten evils, etc.鈥� Mao鈥檚 attitude was 鈥淧eople who remember too much are a danger to us.鈥�
A quote I liked: 鈥溾€esnik facing life鈥檚 ups and downs with such calm indifference, Silva had wondered whether this was because he had already had his full quota of happiness.鈥�
An Albanian word I liked: 鈥渟ybukura鈥� 鈥� a woman with beautiful eyes.
I much preferred this author鈥檚 novel "Chronicle in Stone" to Concert. This book seemed overly long and a bit of a chore to read at times. There are too many family names to absorb at first and a bit too much about politics in China, especially speculation related to the mysterious death in an air crash of a Chinese leader who might replace Mao - Lin Biao. The writing is literary but not exceptional.
top photo of Albania's capital, Tirana, from tirana.albania-car-rentals.com
bottom photo of Tirana from alamy.com
November 12, 2017
Koncert ne fund te dimrit: roman = Le concert = The Concert, Ismail Kadare
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 賲丕賴 丌賵乇蹖賱 爻丕賱 2012 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱 讴丕丿丕乇賴貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴蹖賳 賲蹖賱丕賳蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭貙 1375貨 丿乇 575 氐貨 卮丕亘讴: 9643051137貨
丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱 讴丕丿丕乇賴 (夭丕丿賴 28 跇丕賳賵蹖賴 爻丕賱 1936 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖) 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 卮丕毓乇 賵 乇賵夭賳丕賲賴 賳诏丕乇 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲. 丿乇 丿賴賴 1990 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 乇丕 鬲乇讴 賵 亘賴 賮乇丕賳爻賴 倬賳丕賴賳丿賴 卮丿. 丕賳鬲卮丕乇 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й屫� 賲丿鬲鈥屬囏� 丿乇 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 賲賲賳賵毓 亘賵丿貙 賵賱蹖 丿乇 賮乇丕賳爻賴 亘丕 丕爻鬲賯亘丕賱 乇賵亘乇賵 卮丿. 讴丕丿丕乇賴 丿乇 爻丕賱 1996 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 亘賴 毓囟賵蹖鬲 賮乇賴賳诏爻鬲丕賳 毓賱賵賲 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 賵 爻蹖丕爻蹖 賮乇丕賳爻賴 丿乇丌賲丿 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 賳蹖夭 亘賴 毓賳賵丕賳 丕賮爻乇 芦賱跇蹖賵賳 丿賵賳賵乇禄 賲毓乇賮蹖 卮丿. 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 丕蹖卮丕賳 芦跇賳乇丕賱 丕乇鬲卮 賲乇丿賴禄 丿乇 爻丕賱 1961 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賲賳鬲卮乇 卮丿貙 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 讴賲 賵 亘蹖卮 20 乇賲丕賳 賵 趩賳丿蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 卮毓乇 亘賴 趩丕倬 乇爻丕賳丿賴鈥� 丕爻鬲
丌孬丕乇: 跇賳乇丕賱 丕乇鬲卮 賲乇丿賴 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賲噩蹖丿 丨丕鬲賲 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賮讴乇 乇賵夭貨 丌賵乇蹖賱 卮讴爻鬲賴 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賯丕爻賲 氐賳毓賵蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭. 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 1001 讴鬲丕亘 丕爻鬲貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿賴丕蹖 卮賴乇 爻賳诏蹖 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 噩賱丕賱鈥屫з勜屬� 讴夭丕夭蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭. 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 乇賵夭賳丕賲賴 诏丕乇丿蹖賳 ( 1000 乇賲丕賳 讴賴 賴乇 卮禺氐 亘丕蹖丿 亘禺賵丕賳丿) 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿貨 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賲賴蹖賳 賲蹖賱丕賳蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭貙 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 1001 丕爻鬲
賳丨賵賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲乇丿賲 丌賱亘丕賳蹖貙 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 禺乇丕亘 卮丿賳 乇賵丕亘胤 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 賵 趩蹖賳貙 賵 賳丨賵賴 蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 噩賵丕賲毓 讴賲賵賳蹖爻鬲蹖 丕爻鬲. 芦爻蹖賱賵丕禄 讴丕乇賲賳丿 蹖讴 賵夭丕乇鬲禺丕賳賴 丕爻鬲貙 芦诏蹖乇诏蹖禄 賴賲爻乇卮 丨丕賲賱 賳丕賲賴 賴丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 趩蹖賳 賵 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲 賲蹖賮乇爻鬲賳丿. 亘乇丕丿乇卮 芦丌乇蹖丕賳禄 丿乇 丕乇鬲卮 丿趩丕乇 賲卮讴賱 卮丿賴貙 賵 禺賵丕賴乇卮 芦丌賳丕禄 讴賴 賮賵鬲 讴乇丿賴 賴賳賵夭 丿乇 匕賴賳 丌賳賴丕 噩丕乇蹖 爻鬲. 卮丕蹖毓丕鬲蹖 丿乇 亘丕乇賴 蹖 芦丌賳丕禄 賵 芦丕爻讴賳丿乇 亘乇賲賲丕禄 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲毓乇賵賮 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲賴貙 賵 诏賮鬲賴 賲蹖卮丿賴 讴賴 讴鬲丕亘 芦亘乇丕蹖 賮乇丕賲賵卮蹖 蹖讴 夭賳禄 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳丕 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴貙 夭賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 丌賳丕 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 胤賱丕賯 丿丕丿賴 卮賵賴乇卮 亘丨孬 乇丕 亘賴 丿丕丿诏丕賴 賲蹖讴卮丿 讴賴 丕爻讴賳丿乇 賲賵噩亘 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 丌賳丕 亘賵丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丌賳诏丕賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖卮賵賳丿貙 芦亘爻賳蹖讴禄 賯乇丕乇 丕爻鬲 亘丕 丌賳丕 丕夭丿賵丕噩 讴賳丿. 賱蹖賳丿丕 賴賲讴丕乇 爻蹖賱賵丕 賳蹖夭 毓丕卮賯 亘爻賳蹖讴 丕爻鬲. 丕爻讴賳丿乇 毓丕卮賯 丌賳丕爻鬲貙 丿乇禺鬲 賱蹖賲賵蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賵賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賴 丿乇賵賳 禺丕賳賴 賲蹖丌蹖丿 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 卮讴賵賮賴 賲蹖丿賴丿
賳賯賱 丕夭 讴鬲丕亘: 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳
賴乇亘丕乇 讴賴 夭賲爻鬲丕賳 亘乇 卮蹖卮賴 賴丕蹖 倬賳噩乇賴 賴丕 亘讴賵亘丿貙 鬲賵貙 賴乇趩賳丿 賴賲 讴賴 賳亘丕卮蹖貙 亘丕夭 亘乇賲蹖诏乇丿蹖. 丨鬲蹖 丕诏乇 亘賴 卮讴賱 賲賵爻蹖賯蹖貙 毓夭丕 賵 氐賱蹖亘 賴賲 丿乇丌蹖蹖貙 亘丕夭 鬲賵 乇丕 賲蹖卮賳丕爻賲 賵 亘賴 爻賵蹖鬲 倬乇 賲蹖讴卮賲. 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱. 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 蹖讴賲 賲丕賴 丌賵乇蹖賱 爻丕賱 2012 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱 讴丕丿丕乇賴貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲賴蹖賳 賲蹖賱丕賳蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭貙 1375貨 丿乇 575 氐貨 卮丕亘讴: 9643051137貨
丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱 讴丕丿丕乇賴 (夭丕丿賴 28 跇丕賳賵蹖賴 爻丕賱 1936 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖) 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴貙 卮丕毓乇 賵 乇賵夭賳丕賲賴 賳诏丕乇 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲. 丿乇 丿賴賴 1990 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 乇丕 鬲乇讴 賵 亘賴 賮乇丕賳爻賴 倬賳丕賴賳丿賴 卮丿. 丕賳鬲卮丕乇 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й屫� 賲丿鬲鈥屬囏� 丿乇 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 賲賲賳賵毓 亘賵丿貙 賵賱蹖 丿乇 賮乇丕賳爻賴 亘丕 丕爻鬲賯亘丕賱 乇賵亘乇賵 卮丿. 讴丕丿丕乇賴 丿乇 爻丕賱 1996 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 亘賴 毓囟賵蹖鬲 賮乇賴賳诏爻鬲丕賳 毓賱賵賲 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 賵 爻蹖丕爻蹖 賮乇丕賳爻賴 丿乇丌賲丿 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 賳蹖夭 亘賴 毓賳賵丕賳 丕賮爻乇 芦賱跇蹖賵賳 丿賵賳賵乇禄 賲毓乇賮蹖 卮丿. 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 丕蹖卮丕賳 芦跇賳乇丕賱 丕乇鬲卮 賲乇丿賴禄 丿乇 爻丕賱 1961 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖 賲賳鬲卮乇 卮丿貙 賵 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 讴賲 賵 亘蹖卮 20 乇賲丕賳 賵 趩賳丿蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 卮毓乇 亘賴 趩丕倬 乇爻丕賳丿賴鈥� 丕爻鬲
丌孬丕乇: 跇賳乇丕賱 丕乇鬲卮 賲乇丿賴 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賲噩蹖丿 丨丕鬲賲 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賮讴乇 乇賵夭貨 丌賵乇蹖賱 卮讴爻鬲賴 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賯丕爻賲 氐賳毓賵蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭. 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 1001 讴鬲丕亘 丕爻鬲貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿賴丕蹖 卮賴乇 爻賳诏蹖 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 噩賱丕賱鈥屫з勜屬� 讴夭丕夭蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭. 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 乇賵夭賳丕賲賴 诏丕乇丿蹖賳 ( 1000 乇賲丕賳 讴賴 賴乇 卮禺氐 亘丕蹖丿 亘禺賵丕賳丿) 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿貨 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳 - 鬲乇噩賲賴 賲賴蹖賳 賲蹖賱丕賳蹖貙 賳卮乇 賲乇讴夭貙 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 賮賴乇爻鬲 1001 丕爻鬲
賳丨賵賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲乇丿賲 丌賱亘丕賳蹖貙 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 禺乇丕亘 卮丿賳 乇賵丕亘胤 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 賵 趩蹖賳貙 賵 賳丨賵賴 蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 噩賵丕賲毓 讴賲賵賳蹖爻鬲蹖 丕爻鬲. 芦爻蹖賱賵丕禄 讴丕乇賲賳丿 蹖讴 賵夭丕乇鬲禺丕賳賴 丕爻鬲貙 芦诏蹖乇诏蹖禄 賴賲爻乇卮 丨丕賲賱 賳丕賲賴 賴丕蹖蹖 丕爻鬲 讴賴 趩蹖賳 賵 丌賱亘丕賳蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲 賲蹖賮乇爻鬲賳丿. 亘乇丕丿乇卮 芦丌乇蹖丕賳禄 丿乇 丕乇鬲卮 丿趩丕乇 賲卮讴賱 卮丿賴貙 賵 禺賵丕賴乇卮 芦丌賳丕禄 讴賴 賮賵鬲 讴乇丿賴 賴賳賵夭 丿乇 匕賴賳 丌賳賴丕 噩丕乇蹖 爻鬲. 卮丕蹖毓丕鬲蹖 丿乇 亘丕乇賴 蹖 芦丌賳丕禄 賵 芦丕爻讴賳丿乇 亘乇賲賲丕禄 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲毓乇賵賮 賵噩賵丿 丿丕卮鬲賴貙 賵 诏賮鬲賴 賲蹖卮丿賴 讴賴 讴鬲丕亘 芦亘乇丕蹖 賮乇丕賲賵卮蹖 蹖讴 夭賳禄 亘乇丕蹖 丌賳丕 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴貙 夭賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 丌賳丕 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 胤賱丕賯 丿丕丿賴 卮賵賴乇卮 亘丨孬 乇丕 亘賴 丿丕丿诏丕賴 賲蹖讴卮丿 讴賴 丕爻讴賳丿乇 賲賵噩亘 鬲賯丕囟丕蹖 丌賳丕 亘賵丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丌賳诏丕賴 賲鬲賵噩賴 賲蹖卮賵賳丿貙 芦亘爻賳蹖讴禄 賯乇丕乇 丕爻鬲 亘丕 丌賳丕 丕夭丿賵丕噩 讴賳丿. 賱蹖賳丿丕 賴賲讴丕乇 爻蹖賱賵丕 賳蹖夭 毓丕卮賯 亘爻賳蹖讴 丕爻鬲. 丕爻讴賳丿乇 毓丕卮賯 丌賳丕爻鬲貙 丿乇禺鬲 賱蹖賲賵蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賵賱 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘賴 丿乇賵賳 禺丕賳賴 賲蹖丌蹖丿 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 卮讴賵賮賴 賲蹖丿賴丿
賳賯賱 丕夭 讴鬲丕亘: 讴賳爻乇鬲 丿乇 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賲爻鬲丕賳
賴乇亘丕乇 讴賴 夭賲爻鬲丕賳 亘乇 卮蹖卮賴 賴丕蹖 倬賳噩乇賴 賴丕 亘讴賵亘丿貙 鬲賵貙 賴乇趩賳丿 賴賲 讴賴 賳亘丕卮蹖貙 亘丕夭 亘乇賲蹖诏乇丿蹖. 丨鬲蹖 丕诏乇 亘賴 卮讴賱 賲賵爻蹖賯蹖貙 毓夭丕 賵 氐賱蹖亘 賴賲 丿乇丌蹖蹖貙 亘丕夭 鬲賵 乇丕 賲蹖卮賳丕爻賲 賵 亘賴 爻賵蹖鬲 倬乇 賲蹖讴卮賲. 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱. 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
February 17, 2018
螝蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏蠈 胃苇渭伪 慰喂 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 螝委谓伪蟼-螒位尾伪谓委伪蟼 魏伪蟿维 蟿畏谓 未蔚魏伪蔚蟿委伪 蟿慰蠀 70. 螣 Kadare 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 蠀蟺蠈 魏伪胃蔚蟽蟿蠋蟼 魏慰渭渭慰蠀谓喂蟽渭慰蠉 魏伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈 蠁蠅谓维味蔚喂 蟽蟿慰 魏蔚委渭蔚谓蠈 蟿慰蠀. 螚 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺位伪喂蟽喂蠋谓蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟺蠈 蟺慰位位慰蠉蟼 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 伪魏蠈渭畏, 委蟽蠅蟼 渭维位喂蟽蟿伪 蟺维蟻伪 蟺慰位位慰蠉蟼 纬喂伪 谓伪 渭蟺慰蟻苇蟽蔚喂蟼 谓伪 蟽蠀纬魏蟻伪蟿萎蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿慰谓 蟻蠈位慰 蟿慰蠀 魏伪胃蔚谓蠈蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蟽蠉谓未蔚蟽萎 蟿慰蠀 渭蔚 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 蠀蟺蠈位慰喂蟺慰蠀蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 委未喂伪 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪. 螝蠀尾蔚蟻谓畏蟿喂魏慰委 蠀蟺维位位畏位慰喂, 慰喂魏慰纬蔚谓蔚喂伪魏维 未蟻维渭伪蟿伪, 蟺慰位喂蟿喂魏苇蟼 魏伪喂 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 伪谓伪蟿伪蟻伪蠂苇蟼 渭蟺位苇魏慰谓蟿伪喂 蟺蔚蟻委蔚蟻纬伪 蟽蔚 渭喂伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚 蠅蟽蟿蠈蟽慰 谓伪 渭蔚 蟽蠀谓蔚蟺维蟻蔚喂.
螇蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 伪蟻纬蠈 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪, 蟽蔚 蟺慰位位维 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 渭慰蠀 蠁维谓畏魏蔚 蟽伪谓 谓伪 蟺位伪蟿喂维味蔚喂 伪蟺位维 魏伪喂 渭蠈谓慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 纬蔚渭委蟽蔚喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蔚谓蠋 慰喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 苇渭慰喂伪味伪谓 魏维蟺蠅蟼 伪蟺慰蟽蟿蔚喂蟻蠅渭苇谓慰喂, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰 尾维胃慰蟼.
螚 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈蟿喂 味慰蟻委蟽蟿畏魏伪 谓伪 蟿慰 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋蟽蠅 苇蠂慰谓蟿伪蟼 苇谓伪 蟺蔚蟻委蔚蟻纬慰 渭喂魏蟿蠈 蟽蠀谓伪委蟽胃畏渭伪 蠈蟿喂 渭慰蠀 伪蟻苇蟽蔚喂 伪位位维 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 渭慰蠀 伪蟻苇蟽蔚喂 蟿伪蠀蟿蠈蠂蟻慰谓伪. 危委纬慰蠀蟻伪 渭蔚 渭喂伪 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏萎 喂未苇伪 蟺蔚蟻委 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蠂蠅蟻蠋谓 胃伪 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 渭蔚 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蠀谓伪蟻蟺维蟽蔚喂. 螝蟻委渭伪 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蟿伪 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚.
螇蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 伪蟻纬蠈 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪, 蟽蔚 蟺慰位位维 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 渭慰蠀 蠁维谓畏魏蔚 蟽伪谓 谓伪 蟺位伪蟿喂维味蔚喂 伪蟺位维 魏伪喂 渭蠈谓慰 纬喂伪 谓伪 纬蔚渭委蟽蔚喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 蟽蔚位委未蔚蟼 蔚谓蠋 慰喂 蠂伪蟻伪魏蟿萎蟻蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 苇渭慰喂伪味伪谓 魏维蟺蠅蟼 伪蟺慰蟽蟿蔚喂蟻蠅渭苇谓慰喂, 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻慰 尾维胃慰蟼.
螚 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈蟿喂 味慰蟻委蟽蟿畏魏伪 谓伪 蟿慰 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠋蟽蠅 苇蠂慰谓蟿伪蟼 苇谓伪 蟺蔚蟻委蔚蟻纬慰 渭喂魏蟿蠈 蟽蠀谓伪委蟽胃畏渭伪 蠈蟿喂 渭慰蠀 伪蟻苇蟽蔚喂 伪位位维 魏伪喂 未蔚谓 渭慰蠀 伪蟻苇蟽蔚喂 蟿伪蠀蟿蠈蠂蟻慰谓伪. 危委纬慰蠀蟻伪 渭蔚 渭喂伪 魏蔚谓蟿蟻喂魏萎 喂未苇伪 蟺蔚蟻委 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚蠅谓 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蠂蠅蟻蠋谓 胃伪 萎胃蔚位伪 谓伪 渭蔚 蔚委蠂蔚 蟽蠀谓伪蟻蟺维蟽蔚喂. 螝蟻委渭伪 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蟿伪 魏伪蟿维蠁蔚蟻蔚.
October 28, 2013
In 1978, China broke off its trade and other relations with Enver Hoxha's Albania. The 2 countries had been begun to be closely allied in the early 1960s, as was first reported in the West by the West German journalist in his book Albania first published in English in 1962.
The Concert by Ismail Kadar茅 is a long novel set both in his native land Albania and also in the People's Republic of China during the final months of the friendship between the 2 distantly separated nations. Not only were they distantly separated geographically, but also culturally as his novel illustrates very clearly.
The reader is plunged into the world and family life of the upper echelons of Albanian bureaucracy. Their attempts to lead 'normal', almost bourgeois lives, are constantly overshadowed by the secretive machinations of Enver Hoxha's repressive regime. Plots are hatched (by whom we can never be sure), people are arrested and then released, consciences are searched (both by their owners and also by the state), people are sent from Tirana to the provinces and also to China, & self-interests compete with state interests. Kadar茅's novel reveals both how normal and at the same time how abnormal life was in Albania. Friends visit each other, share meals and drink coffee together, but it only takes a telephone call or a rumour to cause turbulence in cosiness of the social setting.
I will not attempt to summarise the complex plot consisting of a number of sub-plots that gradually mesh together. However, as the story unfolds, so does the knot that had tied together the Chinese and Albanians. The effects that this unravelling has both on the Albanians and their soon-to-be former Chinese allies is beautifully conveyed in this book.
My only criticism of this long story, is that I found that the author's writing was less tight, less economical, and less concise, than in many of the other of his books that I have read. Apart from this, the book is a fascinating account of a peculiar episode in Balkan history written in Tirana (between 1977 & 1988, but first published in France) by someone who experienced it first hand.
Reviewed by the author of and other books about the Balkans
The Concert by Ismail Kadar茅 is a long novel set both in his native land Albania and also in the People's Republic of China during the final months of the friendship between the 2 distantly separated nations. Not only were they distantly separated geographically, but also culturally as his novel illustrates very clearly.
The reader is plunged into the world and family life of the upper echelons of Albanian bureaucracy. Their attempts to lead 'normal', almost bourgeois lives, are constantly overshadowed by the secretive machinations of Enver Hoxha's repressive regime. Plots are hatched (by whom we can never be sure), people are arrested and then released, consciences are searched (both by their owners and also by the state), people are sent from Tirana to the provinces and also to China, & self-interests compete with state interests. Kadar茅's novel reveals both how normal and at the same time how abnormal life was in Albania. Friends visit each other, share meals and drink coffee together, but it only takes a telephone call or a rumour to cause turbulence in cosiness of the social setting.
I will not attempt to summarise the complex plot consisting of a number of sub-plots that gradually mesh together. However, as the story unfolds, so does the knot that had tied together the Chinese and Albanians. The effects that this unravelling has both on the Albanians and their soon-to-be former Chinese allies is beautifully conveyed in this book.
My only criticism of this long story, is that I found that the author's writing was less tight, less economical, and less concise, than in many of the other of his books that I have read. Apart from this, the book is a fascinating account of a peculiar episode in Balkan history written in Tirana (between 1977 & 1988, but first published in France) by someone who experienced it first hand.
Reviewed by the author of and other books about the Balkans
February 26, 2024
Chiar m膬 卯ntrebam, oare de ce Kadare nu-葯i 卯ncearc膬 puterile pe curse mai lungi? Felul lui de a lega cuvintele 卯n istorii e superb, dar rezultatul e cel mai des o nuvel膬 sau un roman nu prea lung. 葮i poftim, dau de acesta, pe care scriitorul albanez l-a clasat printre cele trei romane "curajoase". ("Palatul viselor" 葯i "Firmanul orb" sunt celelalte dou膬.)
M膬 a葯teptam la ceva mai mult, dar chiar 葯i a葯a, o serie de teme sunt abordate cu cea mai pur膬 genialitate. Le remarc pe urm膬toarele patru:
1. Indiferent de coloratura ideologic膬, rela葲iile umane 卯ntotdeauna converg la "nun葲i, botezuri 葯i cum膬trii". F膬r膬 卯ndoial膬 socialismul l膬sa suficient spa葲iu pentru 卯ndr膬gostiri, ambi葲ii, solidaritate 葯i vrajb膬. Chiar 葯i 卯n Albania;
2. 脦n totalitarism liderul e o figur膬 aparte, un semi-zeu. Trebuie s膬 fii clarv膬z膬tor ca s膬-i deslu葯e葯ti natura tiranic膬. La moartea conduc膬torului se pl芒nge. 脦n葲elepciunea lui e indiscutabil膬. Nou膬 ne-a trebuit un liberal precum era Gorby ca s膬 deschidem ochii;
3. 脦n totalitarism realitatea nu apare niciodat膬 卯n negru sau alb. Nu exist膬 "a葯a a fost" p芒n膬 ce nu e demonstrat contrariul. Versiunea oficial膬 e aproape 卯ntotdeauna o minciun膬, dar adev膬rul se prezint膬 sub forma unei duzine de ipoteze. Poftim de pricepe.
4. Rela葲iile dintre state seam膬n膬 foarte mult cu cele umane. Prieteni la cataram膬, fratele mai mare, gelozie, dispre葲, ur膬. E drept c膬 de latura "sentimental膬" a geopoliticii se ocup膬 conducerea. Poporul suport膬 consecin葲ele 葯i duc t芒r芒葯-gr膬pi葯 "povara istoriei"
De ce patru stele 葯i nu cinci? Unele linii de subiect s-au r膬t膬cit. (Cum a murit Ana?) Metafora l膬m芒iului (c芒te se 卯nt芒mpl膬 卯n lume p芒n膬 rode葯te un l膬m芒i!) e prea tras膬. Per total un "happy end" pentru Enver Hodja. Dar m膬 rog, 卯n '81 葯i pentru asta era nevoie de curaj.
M膬 a葯teptam la ceva mai mult, dar chiar 葯i a葯a, o serie de teme sunt abordate cu cea mai pur膬 genialitate. Le remarc pe urm膬toarele patru:
1. Indiferent de coloratura ideologic膬, rela葲iile umane 卯ntotdeauna converg la "nun葲i, botezuri 葯i cum膬trii". F膬r膬 卯ndoial膬 socialismul l膬sa suficient spa葲iu pentru 卯ndr膬gostiri, ambi葲ii, solidaritate 葯i vrajb膬. Chiar 葯i 卯n Albania;
2. 脦n totalitarism liderul e o figur膬 aparte, un semi-zeu. Trebuie s膬 fii clarv膬z膬tor ca s膬-i deslu葯e葯ti natura tiranic膬. La moartea conduc膬torului se pl芒nge. 脦n葲elepciunea lui e indiscutabil膬. Nou膬 ne-a trebuit un liberal precum era Gorby ca s膬 deschidem ochii;
3. 脦n totalitarism realitatea nu apare niciodat膬 卯n negru sau alb. Nu exist膬 "a葯a a fost" p芒n膬 ce nu e demonstrat contrariul. Versiunea oficial膬 e aproape 卯ntotdeauna o minciun膬, dar adev膬rul se prezint膬 sub forma unei duzine de ipoteze. Poftim de pricepe.
4. Rela葲iile dintre state seam膬n膬 foarte mult cu cele umane. Prieteni la cataram膬, fratele mai mare, gelozie, dispre葲, ur膬. E drept c膬 de latura "sentimental膬" a geopoliticii se ocup膬 conducerea. Poporul suport膬 consecin葲ele 葯i duc t芒r芒葯-gr膬pi葯 "povara istoriei"
De ce patru stele 葯i nu cinci? Unele linii de subiect s-au r膬t膬cit. (Cum a murit Ana?) Metafora l膬m芒iului (c芒te se 卯nt芒mpl膬 卯n lume p芒n膬 rode葯te un l膬m芒i!) e prea tras膬. Per total un "happy end" pentru Enver Hodja. Dar m膬 rog, 卯n '81 葯i pentru asta era nevoie de curaj.
March 23, 2025
Una novela escalofriante y divertida a partes iguales, gracias tanto a su revelaci贸n minuciosa de la vida durante las dictaduras como por su estructura compleja donde todas las voces, hasta la de un Mao digno de una novela de dictadura latinoamericana, tienen su momento para brillar.
October 12, 2013
See more reviews at
Kadar茅 is an Albanian writer who splits his time between Tirana, Albania and Paris. The Concert was first published in 1989 in French and this new English edition was released by Arcade Publishing on October 8th.
The book involves the relations between China and Albania during the 1970s, near the end of Mao Zedong's life. It follows several protagonists with intertwined lives and who all have some investment in the politics between the two countries. The author grew up under Communism in Albania, and it's obvious in his writing. His depiction of Mao as a villain is almost cartoonish: the evil Chinaman plotting to use marijuana to soften the brains of mankind in order to take over the world. I almost gave up on the book after the first 70 or so pages, but kept going because of the good reviews it got and the fact that it won the Man Booker Prize in 2005.
I found it slow-moving and dull, to be perfectly honest. The bias I saw in the beginning of the book made me skeptical of the rest, and probably ruined it for me. It took me some time to finish it, and won't linger on this review as I don't want to spend any more time on the book.
Kadar茅 is an Albanian writer who splits his time between Tirana, Albania and Paris. The Concert was first published in 1989 in French and this new English edition was released by Arcade Publishing on October 8th.
The book involves the relations between China and Albania during the 1970s, near the end of Mao Zedong's life. It follows several protagonists with intertwined lives and who all have some investment in the politics between the two countries. The author grew up under Communism in Albania, and it's obvious in his writing. His depiction of Mao as a villain is almost cartoonish: the evil Chinaman plotting to use marijuana to soften the brains of mankind in order to take over the world. I almost gave up on the book after the first 70 or so pages, but kept going because of the good reviews it got and the fact that it won the Man Booker Prize in 2005.
I found it slow-moving and dull, to be perfectly honest. The bias I saw in the beginning of the book made me skeptical of the rest, and probably ruined it for me. It took me some time to finish it, and won't linger on this review as I don't want to spend any more time on the book.
December 17, 2024
Atmosfera c膬r葲ii lui Kadare pare ca am mai regasit-o 卯n memoriile unor rom芒ni care au tr膬it pe pielea lor comunismul. Mult mai asem膬n膬tor dec芒t m-am asteptat- acela葯i gri, aceea葯i dezumanizare, acelea葯i frici, acelea葯i suspiciuni printre care 卯葯i face loc viata uman膬 cu trivialitatile 葯i clipele sale de exaltare. Un malaxor al con葯tiin葲elor, al individualit膬葲or, prin care mai scap膬, sporadic, speran葲a. Realist, ironic, dar nu lipseit de fantezie si simboluri: asa cum m-am obi葯nuit 卯n toate c膬r葲ile lui Kadare.
Repetitiviatea dramelor istoriei, tendinta de a o uita, de a nu invata din ea pare sa ne arunce in absurd. "Chinezii?! Nu,nu,nu, chinezii au fost pe vremea mea. De o sut膬 de ani nu mai sunt. Nimeni nu-i mai 葲ine minte. Acum ne r膬zboim cu turcu'. Chinezi? Voi nu-i 葯ti葲i pe chinezi. Doar dac膬 nu i-o葲i fi v膬zut 卯n vis"
Repetitiviatea dramelor istoriei, tendinta de a o uita, de a nu invata din ea pare sa ne arunce in absurd. "Chinezii?! Nu,nu,nu, chinezii au fost pe vremea mea. De o sut膬 de ani nu mai sunt. Nimeni nu-i mai 葲ine minte. Acum ne r膬zboim cu turcu'. Chinezi? Voi nu-i 葯ti葲i pe chinezi. Doar dac膬 nu i-o葲i fi v膬zut 卯n vis"
November 22, 2019
I've read a couple of Ismail Kadare's books before -- see -- but the others were set in the time before Albania was ruled by Enver Hoxha, who famously made it, for 27 years, the world's only truly atheist county.
Albania was almost unique among communist countries in becoming increasingly isolated from the world, including other communist countries. It broke first from the USSR, but for a while maintained friendship with China, but eventually even that friendship dissolved, and during the 1970s Albania's ties with China loosened and Hoxha came to regard the Chinese, like the Soviets, as "revisionists".
This novel is set in that period, and shows the effects of the changing relationship with China on families that were mostly fairly close to the centres of power in Albania. Relations between the two countries cooled when Albania crtiticised the Chinese decision to invite US President Nixon to visit China in 1972, and by the time of Chairman Mao's death in 1976 the break was almost complete. And now, 40 years later, we see China treating African countries in the same way as it treated Albania in the 1970s.
The "concert" of the title took place towards the end of this period, where the audience was far more important than the performers, and Albania, like the rest of the world, was watching to see who was invited and who was not, who turned up and who did not.
At the centre of the story is Silva Dibra, a civil servant like her husband Gjergj (whose job takes him on visits to China), their schoolgirl daughter Brikena, Silva's brother Arian, an officer in a tank regiment who was expelled from the Party for disobeying an order, and her dead sister Ana. It also features several of her work colleagues and friends and associates of Ana. One of her sister's associates was a writer, who also visited China, The life and work of Albanian writers and artists was restricted. As Kadare puts it:
In China, however, the Writers and Artist's Union had been abolished altogether in the Great Cultural Revolutuon of 1966/67. According to the thought of Chairman Mao, the "new man" did not need art and literature, which were bourgeois by their very nature. Rather than painting autumnal themes, they should be planting and harvesting rice.
Nevertheless I'm in two minds about the book. Kadare's descriptions of the Albanian characters grabs me, perhaps because, having lived there for a month, I can picture the streets of Tirana, the beaches of Durres, and the steel factory at Elbasan, which he mentions. But I'm put off by the bits where he tries to describe the thoughts of Chairman Mao. They are racist thoughts, and I wonder if they are the thoughts of a white racist imagining the thoughts of a Chinese racist, or whether Chairman Mao ever did have any thoughts like that. But there is too much that suggests that they are what a white racist imagines a Chinese racist might think.
And in the book the Albanian characters express racist thoughts about the Chinese, as the Chinese do about the Albanians. Of course an author does not necessarily share the sentiments expressed by his characters. But when Kadare is describing the thoughts of Mao while alone in a cave, these are not mediated through a character in the story, but are descibed directly.
Albania was almost unique among communist countries in becoming increasingly isolated from the world, including other communist countries. It broke first from the USSR, but for a while maintained friendship with China, but eventually even that friendship dissolved, and during the 1970s Albania's ties with China loosened and Hoxha came to regard the Chinese, like the Soviets, as "revisionists".
This novel is set in that period, and shows the effects of the changing relationship with China on families that were mostly fairly close to the centres of power in Albania. Relations between the two countries cooled when Albania crtiticised the Chinese decision to invite US President Nixon to visit China in 1972, and by the time of Chairman Mao's death in 1976 the break was almost complete. And now, 40 years later, we see China treating African countries in the same way as it treated Albania in the 1970s.
... everyone talked of how work had slowed down on many big construction sites, especially those building hydro-electric plants in the north. This was because of hold-ups in supplies of equipment from China. Freighters now took and unconscionably long time to reach their destination, and when they did arrive they might be carrying the wrong cargo. On two occasions ships had turned back without even entering Durres harbour. All this was said to be part of China's famous "turn of the screw". Cafes in Tirana were full of stories about this tactic: no one realized that one day the whole country would be its victim.
The "concert" of the title took place towards the end of this period, where the audience was far more important than the performers, and Albania, like the rest of the world, was watching to see who was invited and who was not, who turned up and who did not.
At the centre of the story is Silva Dibra, a civil servant like her husband Gjergj (whose job takes him on visits to China), their schoolgirl daughter Brikena, Silva's brother Arian, an officer in a tank regiment who was expelled from the Party for disobeying an order, and her dead sister Ana. It also features several of her work colleagues and friends and associates of Ana. One of her sister's associates was a writer, who also visited China, The life and work of Albanian writers and artists was restricted. As Kadare puts it:
...people reconciled themselves to the idea that it was going to be a dry autumn. Meanwhile all the other seasonal changes took place as usual: the leaves turned colour, the temperature dropped, the birds migrated. As usual too, painters flocked to headquarters of the Writers' and Artists' Union to get their annual permits to concentrate on autumnal themes.
In China, however, the Writers and Artist's Union had been abolished altogether in the Great Cultural Revolutuon of 1966/67. According to the thought of Chairman Mao, the "new man" did not need art and literature, which were bourgeois by their very nature. Rather than painting autumnal themes, they should be planting and harvesting rice.
Nevertheless I'm in two minds about the book. Kadare's descriptions of the Albanian characters grabs me, perhaps because, having lived there for a month, I can picture the streets of Tirana, the beaches of Durres, and the steel factory at Elbasan, which he mentions. But I'm put off by the bits where he tries to describe the thoughts of Chairman Mao. They are racist thoughts, and I wonder if they are the thoughts of a white racist imagining the thoughts of a Chinese racist, or whether Chairman Mao ever did have any thoughts like that. But there is too much that suggests that they are what a white racist imagines a Chinese racist might think.
And in the book the Albanian characters express racist thoughts about the Chinese, as the Chinese do about the Albanians. Of course an author does not necessarily share the sentiments expressed by his characters. But when Kadare is describing the thoughts of Mao while alone in a cave, these are not mediated through a character in the story, but are descibed directly.
January 12, 2018
Novela de largo aliento, de largo recorrido, un recorrido de 522 p谩ginas fascinantes, El concierto tal vez sea la obra maestra de Kadar茅, por lo que nos cuenta (la ruptura de relaciones entre China y Albania en 1978, catorce a帽os despu茅s del traum谩tico cisma con la URSS), por c贸mo nos lo cuenta (con una estructura circular, plena de personajes, en clave coral, con varias novelas cortas intercaladas) y por quienes nos lo cuentan (los propios personajes hist贸ricos como Mao, Hoxha, Lin Biao, y los an贸nimos, quienes reflejan esa vida cotidiana durante el comunismo que ya era la columna vertebral de El gran invierno).
Quiz谩s, El concierto deba entenderse dentro del trabajo de Kadar茅 como una segunda parte o una continuaci贸n de El gran invierno. Algunos personajes son comunes a las dos novelas, y se retoman sus vidas tras los a帽os pasados entre la ruptura con la URSS y la quiebra con China. Ambos textos componen, as铆, un d铆ptico monumental sobre la intrahistoria que soportaron los albaneses, pero El concierto se muestra m谩s profunda, inquisitiva, observadora, cautivadora, que El gran invierno. Si aquella pod铆a considerarse como una capilla Sixtina del comunismo, esta ser铆a toda una Ciudad del Vaticano, hirviente de personajes, por centenas, y de tramas entrelazadas. Y juntas, ambas novelas, conforman uno de los documentos m谩s demoledores sobre los sufrimientos de los ciudadanos bajo las tiran铆as, as铆 como un estudio de la psicolog铆a de los dictadores y de toda esa maldad que parece inherente al ser humano y asociada al poder.
El concierto es una novela may煤scula. Repleta de simbolog铆a, las cosas no quieren decir lo que parecen. Un traje azul de funcionario, un tel茅fono, un limonero, un cartel de ne贸n, unos fuegos artificiales, sirven para que el autor ahonde, una y otra vez, en las ra铆ces y los sufrimientos de quienes se han visto obligados a soportar las conductas mesi谩nicas de sus gobernantes. En ese sentido, si por El gran invierno algunas voces se alzaron poniendo en duda, molestas, por los retratos humanos que de Hoxha o Jruschev elaboraba Kadar茅 (s贸lo hay que leer entre l铆neas para ser consciente de lo demoledores que resultan), en El concierto no existe ni un solo resquicio a la duda: Mao es un recital de iniquidades, y los ministros y adl谩teres, conmilitones y chupatintas, tanto chinos como albaneses, que acompa帽an a los tiranos, aparecen representados como unos miserables criminales, cuando no son asesinos.
Mucho hay que decir de esta novela que, como una corriente mar铆tima, gu铆a al lector con una lectura de seda por sucesos que muy bien podr铆an resultarle lejanos y poco atractivos (su localismo era, tal vez, un problema para el lector medio de El gran invierno). Sin embargo, Kadar茅 hace atractivas las reuniones de comit茅s, las sesiones de autocr铆tica y las reflexiones del propio Mao o de Hoxha. Se eleva de las p谩ginas un mundo fascinante que se contiene a s铆 mismo y que contiene otros muchos.
Parte de culpa de ello, de esos mundos que se contienen en el texto, la tienen las narraciones insertadas (hasta cinco) a modo de 鈥損arad贸jicamente- cajas chinas. Una de ellas aporta una nueva reflexi贸n de poder y el crimen con la reescritura de los sucesos de Macbeth y el asesinato del rey Duncan, otra es el prototexto de la futura novela Spiritus, un afortunad铆simo ensayo general de la misma鈥� y tambi茅n hay algo de El expediente H.
El concierto es, as铆, tambi茅n, cigoto de otros libros de Kadar茅, quiz谩s de algunos de los m谩s brillantes, como si esta novela fuera principio o big-bang literario, destinada a conformar toda una constelaci贸n de futuros textos.
A retazos, pero siempre siguiendo la l铆nea argumental general, con insertos de documentos oficiales, de conversaciones, de escuchas, de actas, de informes, de pensamientos de los propios l铆deres, se erige la estructura de El concierto, cuya lectura, una vez finalizada, provoca ganas de gritar la vieja consigna de Skanderbeg: la hora da Albania ha sonado.
En efecto, es la hora de la novela albanesa.
Quiz谩s, El concierto deba entenderse dentro del trabajo de Kadar茅 como una segunda parte o una continuaci贸n de El gran invierno. Algunos personajes son comunes a las dos novelas, y se retoman sus vidas tras los a帽os pasados entre la ruptura con la URSS y la quiebra con China. Ambos textos componen, as铆, un d铆ptico monumental sobre la intrahistoria que soportaron los albaneses, pero El concierto se muestra m谩s profunda, inquisitiva, observadora, cautivadora, que El gran invierno. Si aquella pod铆a considerarse como una capilla Sixtina del comunismo, esta ser铆a toda una Ciudad del Vaticano, hirviente de personajes, por centenas, y de tramas entrelazadas. Y juntas, ambas novelas, conforman uno de los documentos m谩s demoledores sobre los sufrimientos de los ciudadanos bajo las tiran铆as, as铆 como un estudio de la psicolog铆a de los dictadores y de toda esa maldad que parece inherente al ser humano y asociada al poder.
El concierto es una novela may煤scula. Repleta de simbolog铆a, las cosas no quieren decir lo que parecen. Un traje azul de funcionario, un tel茅fono, un limonero, un cartel de ne贸n, unos fuegos artificiales, sirven para que el autor ahonde, una y otra vez, en las ra铆ces y los sufrimientos de quienes se han visto obligados a soportar las conductas mesi谩nicas de sus gobernantes. En ese sentido, si por El gran invierno algunas voces se alzaron poniendo en duda, molestas, por los retratos humanos que de Hoxha o Jruschev elaboraba Kadar茅 (s贸lo hay que leer entre l铆neas para ser consciente de lo demoledores que resultan), en El concierto no existe ni un solo resquicio a la duda: Mao es un recital de iniquidades, y los ministros y adl谩teres, conmilitones y chupatintas, tanto chinos como albaneses, que acompa帽an a los tiranos, aparecen representados como unos miserables criminales, cuando no son asesinos.
Mucho hay que decir de esta novela que, como una corriente mar铆tima, gu铆a al lector con una lectura de seda por sucesos que muy bien podr铆an resultarle lejanos y poco atractivos (su localismo era, tal vez, un problema para el lector medio de El gran invierno). Sin embargo, Kadar茅 hace atractivas las reuniones de comit茅s, las sesiones de autocr铆tica y las reflexiones del propio Mao o de Hoxha. Se eleva de las p谩ginas un mundo fascinante que se contiene a s铆 mismo y que contiene otros muchos.
Parte de culpa de ello, de esos mundos que se contienen en el texto, la tienen las narraciones insertadas (hasta cinco) a modo de 鈥損arad贸jicamente- cajas chinas. Una de ellas aporta una nueva reflexi贸n de poder y el crimen con la reescritura de los sucesos de Macbeth y el asesinato del rey Duncan, otra es el prototexto de la futura novela Spiritus, un afortunad铆simo ensayo general de la misma鈥� y tambi茅n hay algo de El expediente H.
El concierto es, as铆, tambi茅n, cigoto de otros libros de Kadar茅, quiz谩s de algunos de los m谩s brillantes, como si esta novela fuera principio o big-bang literario, destinada a conformar toda una constelaci贸n de futuros textos.
A retazos, pero siempre siguiendo la l铆nea argumental general, con insertos de documentos oficiales, de conversaciones, de escuchas, de actas, de informes, de pensamientos de los propios l铆deres, se erige la estructura de El concierto, cuya lectura, una vez finalizada, provoca ganas de gritar la vieja consigna de Skanderbeg: la hora da Albania ha sonado.
En efecto, es la hora de la novela albanesa.
April 3, 2017
It is an unique and overall a disturbing book. The chapters from Mao's voice (Particularly the very first one) are pure stroke of genius and fills you with a kind of dread that is very hard to shrug off. The subtle sarcasm hidden in the book is delightful too.
There is this feeling of insignificance that pervades the book which I found particularly special. Superficially it can be defined as Kafkaesque but it is more than that. The self-created hells of Simon, Ekrem and Minister D for example are something more than getting lost in the gears of the state.
I found the translation I read it from very weak; most probably it is much stronger in Albanian or even in French. I found the part about Lin Biao assasination superfluous and the characters had some very sweeping views about Chinese which was also a bit annoying.
I bought the book I read in Tirana as my Albanian friends told me that Kadare is someone definitely was worth reading; it was interesting to see the building I bought the book in as a part of the book :) I will read more books of Kadare, that's for sure.
There is this feeling of insignificance that pervades the book which I found particularly special. Superficially it can be defined as Kafkaesque but it is more than that. The self-created hells of Simon, Ekrem and Minister D for example are something more than getting lost in the gears of the state.
I found the translation I read it from very weak; most probably it is much stronger in Albanian or even in French. I found the part about Lin Biao assasination superfluous and the characters had some very sweeping views about Chinese which was also a bit annoying.
I bought the book I read in Tirana as my Albanian friends told me that Kadare is someone definitely was worth reading; it was interesting to see the building I bought the book in as a part of the book :) I will read more books of Kadare, that's for sure.
November 19, 2009
Replete with the intricacies of the lives of ordinary Albanians and contrasting them with the dynamics of the political relations with China at a time when a breaking off of alliance is imminent, The Concert weaves the intimate aspects of personal relationships with those on a grander scale, signifying and invoking a metaphoric refrain in which the personal and the political necessarily incline upon each other for understanding and meaning. The wayward ineptness of political officials-both in China and Albania-is drawn against the backdrop of the personal fortunes of "ordinary people"; and the gaming and calculatingly maneuvers play directly into the mores (and lack thereof) of the protagonists and antagonists who inhabit the pages.
December 10, 2013
Magnificent... the triumph of a storyteller's craft as Mr Kadare evokes - in almost surrealistic terms - the inanities and absurdities of life and politics in communist states. Tells you more about Albania and China and their relations that any factual history can... Some characters are a delight - Krams for one, and the minister of course
March 2, 2024
Vond hem echt helemaal niets. Geen plot, niet te volgen karakters en zeer matig geschreven. Ik weet niet of het de vertaling was, maar het was allemaal gewoon lastig te volgen. De setting (Albani毛 in de jaren 70) zou interessant geweest kunnen zijn, maar ik heb niet het gevoel dat ik het ook maar een steek beter begrijp. Met heel veel moeite doorheen geploeterd, maar dat was absoluut niet voor herhaling vatbaar.
August 31, 2022
A fascinating book to read while in Tirana on the relationship between communist Albania and China. Symbolic and deep on communism, culture and history, while also providing personal portraits of everyday life. At times too detailed and slow.
August 19, 2023
Wie Albani毛 zegt denkt natuurlijk aan grootheden als Dua Lipa en moeder Theresa. Aan dit lijstje kan Ismael Kadare wat mij betreft prima worden toegevoegd!
October 30, 2013
I enjoyed this wonderful satire on Communism in Albania during the Chinese Cultural Revolution after Albania, spurned by the Soviet Union, had turned to support China. Mao and Zhou Enlai appear in cameo roles. For example from Mao: 'He'd come to believe that a head of state's most useful actions were those which remained incomprehensible not only to others but also to himself'.
When the central character Gjorgj is sent on a secret mission to China, he bears a locked briefcase with a letter from the Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha that has the temerity to ask Mao to cancel the coming secret visit of President Nixon. Mao, in the midst of the Cultural Revolution is furious and vows to take revenge on Albania by wrecking the trade and projects that the Chinese are engaged in there. Of his various plans, the drugging of Europe through increasing the marihuana trade is surpassed by his wife Jiang Qing who, inspired by the Cambodian revolution will defeminise European culture, thus controlling art, music and literature, starting with Albania. There the Communist Party secretary has already made the helpful suggestion that books be published without the writers鈥� names 鈥榖ecause the glory belongs to the masses rather than to us鈥�.
The reaction of the Albanians to the rejection by the Chinese encapsulates Kadare鈥檚 central opinion that for 600 years, Albanians have lived the delusion that their hour had come, a slogan much repeated and equally applicable to either triumph or disaster but mostly disaster. The satire is reinforced by the almost equal emphasis placed by diplomatic activity following an argument between Victor Hila, an Albanian translator and a minor Chinese diplomat which results in Hila losing his temper and deliberately stamping on the diplomat鈥檚 foot. I was reminded of the 19th century British War of Jenkins鈥� Ear.
Meanwhile in Tirana, the capital, Gjorgj鈥檚 wife Silva works in the department of construction where Kadare entertains me with the ludicrous attempts of the characters to interpret the strange gatherings of Chinese in the city, at the airport and best of all at what was to become the last exhibition of Chinese porcelain: did the positioning of the pots have significant meaning? These speculations and rumour mongering parallel the interpretations that the Albanian translators in Peking attempt to make of which Chinese leaders appear and in what order at various events and finally at the concert that brings the title to the novel. Zhou Enlai attends but looks like he is dying. Was Lin Bao murdered by a plane crash? If Mao is also dying, who will succeed him?
The novel commences with a Dickensian gathering of the wide range of characters at the birthday dinner for Gjorgj and Silva鈥檚 daughter and ends with a similar gathering for a funeral. Amid the political events, the domestic details and worries of the protagonists centre on Silva鈥檚 brother Arian, a tank commander who has been suspended and facing a disastrous expulsion from the party for disobeying an order. Here in the land of no curtains because 鈥榩rivacy is the beginning of trouble鈥�, the personal really is political. The unravelment of this other secret event provides much of the comedy as the relevant minister ducks and weaves and the politburo investigation gets hopelessly entangled with the China question. The self criticisms (translated as 鈥榓utocritiques鈥� here) are very funny and the spying through Mao鈥檚 ears (thousands of hidden microphones) are sadly very relevant to today. The events leading to the funeral ending bring the essential seriousness to the satire.
Apart from some overly long quotations from the novel that one of the translators is preparing, Kadare shows a Dickensian control of his numerous characters and the pace of his story telling. The novel, written in Albanian has been translated into French and again into English but it is the power of Kadare鈥檚 vision and the truth of his characters that impressed me. He truly is one of the great writers of our time.
When the central character Gjorgj is sent on a secret mission to China, he bears a locked briefcase with a letter from the Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha that has the temerity to ask Mao to cancel the coming secret visit of President Nixon. Mao, in the midst of the Cultural Revolution is furious and vows to take revenge on Albania by wrecking the trade and projects that the Chinese are engaged in there. Of his various plans, the drugging of Europe through increasing the marihuana trade is surpassed by his wife Jiang Qing who, inspired by the Cambodian revolution will defeminise European culture, thus controlling art, music and literature, starting with Albania. There the Communist Party secretary has already made the helpful suggestion that books be published without the writers鈥� names 鈥榖ecause the glory belongs to the masses rather than to us鈥�.
The reaction of the Albanians to the rejection by the Chinese encapsulates Kadare鈥檚 central opinion that for 600 years, Albanians have lived the delusion that their hour had come, a slogan much repeated and equally applicable to either triumph or disaster but mostly disaster. The satire is reinforced by the almost equal emphasis placed by diplomatic activity following an argument between Victor Hila, an Albanian translator and a minor Chinese diplomat which results in Hila losing his temper and deliberately stamping on the diplomat鈥檚 foot. I was reminded of the 19th century British War of Jenkins鈥� Ear.
Meanwhile in Tirana, the capital, Gjorgj鈥檚 wife Silva works in the department of construction where Kadare entertains me with the ludicrous attempts of the characters to interpret the strange gatherings of Chinese in the city, at the airport and best of all at what was to become the last exhibition of Chinese porcelain: did the positioning of the pots have significant meaning? These speculations and rumour mongering parallel the interpretations that the Albanian translators in Peking attempt to make of which Chinese leaders appear and in what order at various events and finally at the concert that brings the title to the novel. Zhou Enlai attends but looks like he is dying. Was Lin Bao murdered by a plane crash? If Mao is also dying, who will succeed him?
The novel commences with a Dickensian gathering of the wide range of characters at the birthday dinner for Gjorgj and Silva鈥檚 daughter and ends with a similar gathering for a funeral. Amid the political events, the domestic details and worries of the protagonists centre on Silva鈥檚 brother Arian, a tank commander who has been suspended and facing a disastrous expulsion from the party for disobeying an order. Here in the land of no curtains because 鈥榩rivacy is the beginning of trouble鈥�, the personal really is political. The unravelment of this other secret event provides much of the comedy as the relevant minister ducks and weaves and the politburo investigation gets hopelessly entangled with the China question. The self criticisms (translated as 鈥榓utocritiques鈥� here) are very funny and the spying through Mao鈥檚 ears (thousands of hidden microphones) are sadly very relevant to today. The events leading to the funeral ending bring the essential seriousness to the satire.
Apart from some overly long quotations from the novel that one of the translators is preparing, Kadare shows a Dickensian control of his numerous characters and the pace of his story telling. The novel, written in Albanian has been translated into French and again into English but it is the power of Kadare鈥檚 vision and the truth of his characters that impressed me. He truly is one of the great writers of our time.
September 3, 2023
Perhaps his novel is a little too discursive, even over-padded for many readers, but Kadare nevertheless manages to bring it together for a neat ending.
June 12, 2015
Written in the 1980s but set in the 1970s, Ismail Kadare's The Concert is a black comedy about the breakdown in Sino-Albanian relationships, especially following the death of Mao Zedong.
The concert, which provides the title of the novel, plays only a very small part of this book about political machinations in both China and Albania. But it does signify the critical point at which Mao's death first becomes known.
The parts of the book set in Albania deal mostly with the lives of ordinary people, although there are plenty of political and military connections.
The husband of Silva, a key character, is Gjergi, a diplomat of sorts, who travels frequently between Albania and China on various delegations.
There are numerous scenes set in the government office where Silva works, which provides some insights into the workings of the Albanian government. There are also numerous references to Silva's dead sister, Ana, and the complex network of relationships between some of the characters.
The parts of the novel set in China are mostly to do with the political activities of its senior officials, including Mao, Zhou Enlai and other members of the Politburo. There are plots aplenty amongst Mao's potential rivals, which leads ultimately to the death of Lin Biao in bizarre circumstances. But it is clear that Mao is losing his mind and his life.
Meanwhile, in Albania, encouraged by Zhou Enlai, an Albanian Minister orders a tank unit on manouvres to surround a Party Committee, but the order is refused by the tanks commanders, one of whom is Silva's brother.
This leads to a strange series of events, where initially the officers are expelled from the Party and jailed. They are soon released and an enquiry is held into the Minister's actions.
Following the death of Mao Zedong, there is significant political turmoil in China as rivals jostle for power, and the deterioration of the Sino-Chinese relationship is accelerated to total breakdown, just as the Albanian relationship with Russia was expunged several years earlier.
This is a complex but darkly humorous novel, about a series of event I had little previous knowledge of, but I found it just a little dull at times.
Perhaps only just 4 stars.
The concert, which provides the title of the novel, plays only a very small part of this book about political machinations in both China and Albania. But it does signify the critical point at which Mao's death first becomes known.
The parts of the book set in Albania deal mostly with the lives of ordinary people, although there are plenty of political and military connections.
The husband of Silva, a key character, is Gjergi, a diplomat of sorts, who travels frequently between Albania and China on various delegations.
There are numerous scenes set in the government office where Silva works, which provides some insights into the workings of the Albanian government. There are also numerous references to Silva's dead sister, Ana, and the complex network of relationships between some of the characters.
The parts of the novel set in China are mostly to do with the political activities of its senior officials, including Mao, Zhou Enlai and other members of the Politburo. There are plots aplenty amongst Mao's potential rivals, which leads ultimately to the death of Lin Biao in bizarre circumstances. But it is clear that Mao is losing his mind and his life.
Meanwhile, in Albania, encouraged by Zhou Enlai, an Albanian Minister orders a tank unit on manouvres to surround a Party Committee, but the order is refused by the tanks commanders, one of whom is Silva's brother.
This leads to a strange series of events, where initially the officers are expelled from the Party and jailed. They are soon released and an enquiry is held into the Minister's actions.
Following the death of Mao Zedong, there is significant political turmoil in China as rivals jostle for power, and the deterioration of the Sino-Chinese relationship is accelerated to total breakdown, just as the Albanian relationship with Russia was expunged several years earlier.
This is a complex but darkly humorous novel, about a series of event I had little previous knowledge of, but I found it just a little dull at times.
Perhaps only just 4 stars.
November 9, 2021
A very Kafkaesque tale of life in the very isolated country of Albania during the reign of the dictator Enver Hoxha. Albania's only friend in the world was Mao's China and that relationship was deteriorating. The book went back and forth between various happenings in Albania and China and, often, went into the thought processes of the participants who had to straddle a very fine line of what was currently acceptable and what was not. The pressure was especially greatest in the highest ministries of government where one deviation from the current acceptable dictates could be disastrous. Although the two countries were supposed to be friends it was very apparent that neither thought very highly of the other in their private conversations. It was an excellent expose of the bizarre period that the world was in at the time leading up to the death of Mao.
September 23, 2017
Opnieuw een aangrijpend en op historische feiten gebaseerde roman waarin Kadare het tragische lot van de Albanese bevolking beschrijft. April 1981: het Joegoslavische leger slaat in het autonome Kosovo een opstand van Albanese studenten neer. De autoriteiten doen onderzoek naar behandeling van slachtoffers in het ziekenhuis. Hoewel op de achtergrond, sprongen voor mij de onmogelijke liefde tussen een Albanese en een Servische student en de oude Slavische heldenepos dichtkunst eruit. Prachtig verwerkt in dit beklemmende verhaal over eeuwige haat op een klein stukje aarde.
July 20, 2020
As usual, Ismail Kadare writes about totalitarianism and its effects on people's lives. It isn't his usual translator, and it's a bit clunky, so you have to be alert to recognise some of the humour and the satire - but some passages are laugh-out-loud funny, and some are very sad. And always, in the background, but often not in the background, is the totalitarian machine (in this novel in China as well as in Albania), manipulating the thoughts and the actions of ordinary citizens.
February 22, 2021
Having now read nineteen of Kadare,s novels this is the best. Its main theme is the break up of Albanian and Chinese relations in the mid 1970,s but there are so many interesting characters and diversions and plots to always maintain interest. A long book but one where I am sure you will enjoy every page.
Has Kadare ever comented on Milan Kadare as are a number of similiarities?
Has Kadare ever comented on Milan Kadare as are a number of similiarities?
October 6, 2007
albania. a country i know nothing about. i thought it was a muslim country but people go to bars a lot in this book. the point of view shifts are nice so far. including one making mao zedong the narrator.
Read
March 29, 2016讴丕乇賴丕蹖 亘夭乇诏 賴蹖趩 诏丕賴 丕夭 賳夭丿蹖讴 禺賵亘 丿蹖丿賴 賳賲蹖 卮賵賳丿. 亘丕蹖丿 爻丕賱 賴丕 亘賴 毓賯亘 亘乇诏卮鬲貙 賵 丨鬲蹖 賯乇賳 賴丕 鬲丕 賵爻毓鬲 賵 毓賲賯 賲爻卅賱賴 乇丕 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲...!
... 賴趩 趩蹖夭 賳丕禺賵卮丕蹖賳丿鬲乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 丕賳爻丕賳 亘丕 丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 丿乇 禺蹖丕亘丕賳 亘乇禺賵乇丿 讴賳丿 讴賴 丕夭 乇賵亘賴 乇賵 賳賲蹖 丌蹖丿 貙 亘賱讴賴 丕夭 倬卮鬲 爻乇鬲丕賳 賲蹖 丌蹖丿 賵 賴賲丕賳 賲爻蹖乇 卮賲丕 乇丕 胤蹖 賲蹖 讴賳丿...!
... 賴趩 趩蹖夭 賳丕禺賵卮丕蹖賳丿鬲乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 丕賳爻丕賳 亘丕 丌卮賳丕蹖蹖 丿乇 禺蹖丕亘丕賳 亘乇禺賵乇丿 讴賳丿 讴賴 丕夭 乇賵亘賴 乇賵 賳賲蹖 丌蹖丿 貙 亘賱讴賴 丕夭 倬卮鬲 爻乇鬲丕賳 賲蹖 丌蹖丿 賵 賴賲丕賳 賲爻蹖乇 卮賲丕 乇丕 胤蹖 賲蹖 讴賳丿...!
April 25, 2007
baratoon pish oomade ke nevisandeyi bashe ke ziad az khodesh khoshetoon naiad ,vali injoor pish biad ke kolli az ketabasho bekhoonin.dastane mano kadare ham inoor shode.che mishe kard;)
August 26, 2012
Hard to know how to contextualize this rather alien book, but I am glad to have read it.
January 3, 2018
From Kadare's novels I have read so far, this book is the best one. A masterpiece! Dear
Stockholm guys, please give him that damn nobel prize!
Stockholm guys, please give him that damn nobel prize!
October 31, 2017
Cl谩sica novela de Ismail Kadare, en la que mezcla historia, sucesos reales y novela. La ambientaci贸n se sit煤a en la Albania comunista de Enver Hoxha y las relaciones pol铆ticas, culturales y econ贸micas con la China de Mao Zedong, en los 煤ltimos a帽os de la vida de este.
Kadare muestra c贸mo es la sociedad albanesa de esa 茅poca, c贸mo se relacionan con los chinos que est谩n en Albania como parte de la cooperaci贸n entre ambos pa铆ses socialistas y c贸mo se relacionan entre ellos. Pone de manifiesto las diferencias entre ellos, c贸mo ven los chinos a los albaneses cuando 茅stos tienen que ir a Beijing a asistir a reuniones, conferencias o eventos. Adem谩s, los rumores de la tensi贸n y ruptura entre China y Albania hacen de hilo conductor y mantiene esa incertidumbre en toda la obra.
Todo ello aderezado con las tramas particulares de los personajes que inventa Kadare, casi siempre personajes solitarios, mundanos y atormentados, pero nunca cayendo en t贸picos ni en tramas amorosas previsibles, sino con el retrato de la sociedad albanesa de fondo, sus usos y costumbres. El tri谩ngulo entre el escritor Sk毛nder Bermema, Besnik Struga y la fallecida Ana, su hermana Silva, atormentada por los problemas de su hermano Arian y los viajes de su marido Gjergj.
Muy bueno el relato de c贸mo Mao Zedong se entera de que Albania le manda una carta en la que se molestan de que este vaya a recibir al presidente de Estados Unidos y c贸mo se indigna y piensa en urdir un plan para castigar a ese peque帽o y atrevido estado europeo. El pasaje en el que aparece un relato sobre Macbeth se hace extra帽o y no comprendo muy bien su inclusi贸n. Por lo dem谩s, una interesante novela hist贸rica del siempre grande Kadare.
Kadare muestra c贸mo es la sociedad albanesa de esa 茅poca, c贸mo se relacionan con los chinos que est谩n en Albania como parte de la cooperaci贸n entre ambos pa铆ses socialistas y c贸mo se relacionan entre ellos. Pone de manifiesto las diferencias entre ellos, c贸mo ven los chinos a los albaneses cuando 茅stos tienen que ir a Beijing a asistir a reuniones, conferencias o eventos. Adem谩s, los rumores de la tensi贸n y ruptura entre China y Albania hacen de hilo conductor y mantiene esa incertidumbre en toda la obra.
Todo ello aderezado con las tramas particulares de los personajes que inventa Kadare, casi siempre personajes solitarios, mundanos y atormentados, pero nunca cayendo en t贸picos ni en tramas amorosas previsibles, sino con el retrato de la sociedad albanesa de fondo, sus usos y costumbres. El tri谩ngulo entre el escritor Sk毛nder Bermema, Besnik Struga y la fallecida Ana, su hermana Silva, atormentada por los problemas de su hermano Arian y los viajes de su marido Gjergj.
Muy bueno el relato de c贸mo Mao Zedong se entera de que Albania le manda una carta en la que se molestan de que este vaya a recibir al presidente de Estados Unidos y c贸mo se indigna y piensa en urdir un plan para castigar a ese peque帽o y atrevido estado europeo. El pasaje en el que aparece un relato sobre Macbeth se hace extra帽o y no comprendo muy bien su inclusi贸n. Por lo dem谩s, una interesante novela hist贸rica del siempre grande Kadare.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2020
The Concert is the first novel I've read by Kadare that I didn't completely like. The novel is set about 1978, when relations between Albania and China were essentially broken off. The novel alternates between Albania and China. The scenes set in Albania were as excellent as in his other books, but the scenes set in China, and especially the sections in which we see Mao's own private thoughts, were totally bizarre. The novel is satiric rather than strictly realistic, but the Albanian parts merely exaggerate actual tendencies, and cast real light on the situation and the attitudes and economic consequences of the cooling of relations, while the Chinese sections are too lacking in connection to reality to be credible. I realized part of the way through what he was doing; he is essentially transposing the fantasy Ottoman Empire of The Palace of Dreams into the Chinese regime, but where this works with an unidentified Sultan in a vague timeframe, Mao's politics, as "byzantine" as they were, are too well known for this to work. By not satirizing the real fauits of the Maoist regime, he misses his target. To be fair, some sections taken in isolation are very good, such as the rewriting of MacBeth to comment on the fate of Lin Biao, and these make the book worth reading despite its problems.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.