be born in Albania - it's not good prognosis. Born in Albania, girl - it's a disaster. May be even worse if they grow at an attractive woman. Or is the father of a political prisoner. Or a belief inconsistent with the current line of Our Party. Yeah, in Albania is not easy to live.
This is the land where it never happened does not die. Body reinforced by the endless hours spent at the table, watered brandy, disinfected sharp paprika added to the thick oil are becoming extraordinary power, allowing to pass all tests. The spine is made of iron. You can use it as you like. If something fails, it always possible to fix this. Heart, for example, can grow, make inefficient, it can happen to a heart attack, embolism, and I do not know what else, but still proudly continues at his post. We are in Albania, there are no jokes. [p. 7]
Vorpsi story is woven of loose childhood memories. Here, an episode about finding treasure in the garden, where a teacher sadystce elsewhere about the mysterious disappearance of neighbors. Imperceptibly with the splinter emerges family history and picture of life in a totalitarian Albania. Would likely be depressing if it was not entirely ironic tone suitable bitter aftertaste. The book has a nostalgia for the old homeland, it is rather a relief because sad to leave the country and its troublesome residents.
Vorpsi novel is not in my opinion, an outstanding and particularly inspiring, is also interesting because of the nationality of the author, and so otherness, which is able to captivate. Albanian literature so rarely score in Polish bookstores, that we sometimes indulge in a trip in such a little-known areas, such as "Country, where we never die."
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Ornela Vorpsi "Country, where we never die" crowd. Joanna Ugniewska, Publisher Black WoĊowiec, 2008
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