MANASCHI
BY Hamid Ismailov / TRanslated from uzbek BY Donald Rayfield
Finalist, Prix Jan Michalski de Littérature 2023
Shortlisted, EBRD Literature Prize 2022
In his latest tragicomedy Hamid Ismailov interrogates the interaction between tradition and modernity, myth and reality.
A radio presenter interprets one of his dreams as an initiation by the world of spirits into the role of a Manaschi, a Kyrgyz bard and shaman who recites and performs the epic poem, Manas, and is revered as someone connected with supernatural forces. Travelling to his native mountainous village, populated by Tajiks and Kyrgyz, and unravelling his personal and national history, our hero Bekesh instead witnesses a full re-enactment of the epic’s wrath.
Following on from the award winning The Devils' Dance and Of Strangers and Bees, this is the third and final book in Ismailov's informal Central Asia trilogy.
Praise
PRAISE for Of Strangers and Bees
‘Learned, strange and charming, Of Strangers and Bees enriched my understanding of history.’ — Marcel Theroux, The Guardian (Book of the Day)
‘Any reader might find themselves with a pen and paper handy, ready to take down tokens of wisdom. (…) For all its depth and complexity, Of Strangers and Bees remains a page-turner, driven by Sheikhov’s captivating inner monologue.’ — Hannah Weber, Calvert Journal
‘This is a magnificent epic (…) should be a must-read for anyone who likes reading diverse literature.’ — Rabeea Saleem, BookRiot
‘Many of the episodes are beguiling. One could characterize the overall effect as Master and Margarita comes to the Uzbek Cultural Center of Queens, NY.’ — David Chaffetz, Asian Review of Books
PRAISE for The Devils’ Dance
‘A mesmerising — and terrifying — novel of tremendous range, energy and potency. This brilliant translation establishes Ismailov as a major literary figure on the international scene’ — William Boyd
‘A beguiling tale of khans, commissars, spies and poet-queens... feature in a rare English translation of modern Uzbek fiction’ — Economist
'Captivating... A rare example of Uzbek literature translated into the English language – in this case admirably so by Donald Rayfield.' — Times Literary Supplement
'Ismailov shows that even under extreme duress, a writer's mind will still swim with ideas and inspiration... Rebellious, ironic, witty and lyrical... A work that both honours and renews that rich tradition [of Central Asian literature]' — Financial Times
‘[Ismailov is] a writer of immense poetic power.’ — Guardian
MORE INFORMATION
Publication date: 29 July 2021
Format: B-format paperback (198mm × 129mm)
Extent: 257pp
ISBNs: 978-1-911284-57-4 (paperback) / 978-1-911284-56-7 (ebook)
Rights held: World English
