Ismail Kadare and me: six memories of ‘the greatest writer of the age’
From walks on the beach to dinner with celebrities, these snapshots from Kadare’s translator David Bellos offer a personal glimpse of the man behind the giant reputation
Ismail Kadare
Ismail Kadare, born in 1936 in Albania, was the country’s best-known poet and novelist
Translations of his novels have appeared in more than 40 countries. He was awarded the inaugural Man Booker International Prize in 2005, and was described by the judges as ‘a universal writer in the tradition of storytelling that goes back to Homer’. On accepting the prize, Kadare said: ‘My firm hope is that European and world opinion may henceforth realise that this region, to which my country, Albania, belongs, can also give rise to other kinds of news and be the home of other kinds of achievement, in the field of the arts, literature and civilisation.’
Kadare insisted that David Bellos, who had translated many of his works into English, share the prize with him – a decision which gave rise to the prize in its current form, which rewards authors and translators equally.
Since the appearance of The General of the Dead Army in 1965, Kadare has published scores of stories and novels that make up a panorama of Albanian history linked by a constant meditation on the nature and human consequences of dictatorship. His works, particularly The Monster and The Palace of Dreams, brought him into frequent conflict with the authorities, and in 1990 he sought political asylum in France.
He was longlisted for the International Booker Prize on two further occasions, in 2017 and 2024. He also won the Jerusalem Prize in 2015, the Park Kyong-ni Prize in 2019 and the Neustadt Prize in 2020.
At the Booker Prize 2022 ceremony, the singer-songwriter Dua Lipa delivered a keynote speech in which she singled out Kadare’s work and influence. ‘When I was 11, my family decided to return to Kosovo. Reading books such as Ismail Kadare’s Keshtjella, or The Castle, tested my language skills while also helping me connect with my family’s heritage and identity as Kosovan Albanians,’ she said.
‘Through Kadare, I learnt about the Albanian spirit of resistance, that same stubborn determination that keeps Kosovans fighting for international recognition of our independence today. I often wonder if authors realise just how many gifts they give us.’
Ismail Kadare died on 1 July 2024, aged 88.
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All nominated books
A fascinating meditation on Soviet Russia, authoritarianism, power structures and a period of great writers. Translated from Albanian by John Hodgson.
Ismail Kadare conjures up a surreal tale of tyranny and rebellion, in a Kafkaesque land where languages are banned and memories extinguished. Translated by John Hodgson.
