Kadare

Ismail Kadare is an Albanian novelist and poet born on 28 January 1936 in Gjirokastër. He is widely regarded as Albania’s most important writer of the 20th century and a prominent figure in world literature. Writing in Albanian, his works have been translated into numerous languages and earned him international recognition.

Kadare’s fiction often blends history, folklore, and political allegory to critique totalitarianism and power. His early novels, such as Chronicles in Stone and The General of the Dead Army, established him as a major voice beyond Albania. Over the decades he produced a steady stream of novels and stories that explore memory, state control, and national identity, including Broken April and The Palace of Dreams. His prose is noted for its restrained, emblematic style and its focus on moral and historical questions rather than overt political propaganda.

International recognition grew in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In 2005 Kadare won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize for his body of work in translation. His writing has influenced generations of writers and attracted sustained attention from readers worldwide. After the collapse of communism in Albania, Kadare spent extended periods in France and has resided there for many years, while remaining a central figure in Albanian literature. He continues to publish and engage with literary and public life, solidifying his status as one of the most celebrated Albanian authors of his era.