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School of Welsh

Albanian Writer to Visit Bangor

As part of his British tour, the eminent Albanian novelist, Fatos Kongoli, is coming to Bangor University to discuss and read from his novel 'I Humburi' ('The Loser'), newly translated into English by Robert Elsie and Janice Mathie-Heck. ‘This is a rare chance to listen to a writer from a lesser known literature in Europe,’ said Dr Angharad Price, who is co-organising the event with the ‘Welsh Literature Abroad’ agency.

Born in 1944, and brought up in Tirana, Kongoli chose not to publish any major literary works during the oppressive dictatorship in his country. Instead, he devoted his energies to an apolitical career as a mathematician. His narrative talent and
individual style only emerged in the 1990s, after the fall of the communist regime.

Published to great public acclaim in 1992, 'I humburi' takes the reader back to a real event in1991 when thousands of impoverished Albanians fled from Stalinist oppression on a boat set for Italy; the vast majority of them, after fifty years of total
isolation, had no idea what awaited them in the fabled West.  It has been described as the most important Albanian novel to emerge from the post-communist era.

The event will take place on Tuesday, October 30 at 5pm, at the School of Welsh.

A warm welcome is extended to all.