Pajtim Statovci

In 1980s Yugoslavia, a young Muslim girl is married off to a man she hardly knows, but what was meant to be a happy match soon goes shockingly wrong. Soon thereafter her country is torn apart by war and she and her family flee. Years later, her son, Bekim, grows up a social outcast in present-day Finland, not just an immigrant in a country suspicious of foreigners, but a gay man in an unaccepting society. Aside from casual hookups, his only friend is a boa constrictor whom, improbably - he is terrified of snakes - he lets roam his apartment. Then, during a visit to a gay bar, Bekim meets a talking cat who moves in with him and his snake. It is this witty, charming, manipulative creature who starts Bekim on a journey back to Kosovo to confront his demons and make sense of the magical, cruel, incredible history of his family. And it is this that, in turn, enables him finally, to open himself to true love - which he will find in the most unexpected place.

A love story set in two countries in two radically different moments in time, bringing together a young man, his mother, a boa constrictor, and one capricious cat.In 1980s Yugoslavia, a young Muslim girl is married off to a man she hardly knows, but what was meant to be a happy match goes quickly wrong. Soon thereafter her country is torn apart by war and she and her family flee. Years later, her son, Bekim, grows up a social outcast in present-day Finland, not just an immigrant in a country suspicious of foreigners, but a gay man in an unaccepting society. Aside from casual hookups, his only friend is a boa constrictor whom, improbablyhe is terrified of snakeshe lets roam his apartment. Then, during a visit to a gay bar, Bekim meets a talking cat who moves in with him and his snake. It is this witty, charming, manipulative creature who starts Bekim on a journey back to Kosovo to confront his demons and make sense of the magical, cruel, incredible history of his family. And it is this that, in turn, enables him finally, to open himself to true lovewhich he will find in the most unexpected place

Tras la muerte de Enver Hoxha y la pérdida de su padre, Bujar crece en las ruinas de la Albania comunista y de su propia familia. Mientras Albania se sume en el caos, Bujar, adolescente solitario, decide seguir a su amigo, el audaz Agim, en la ruta del exilio. Es el comienzo de un largo viaje, de Tirana a Helsinki, pasando por Roma, Madrid, Berlin y Nueva York, pero tambien de una odisea interior, una fuga en busca de una identidad esquiva. ¿Como sentirse a gusto, tanto en el extranjero como en el propio cuerpo?Bujar se inventa continuamente a si mismo, a veces es hombre y a veces mujer. Se construye como un puzle a partir de los fragmentos que roba a los demas, del pasado de las personas a las que ha amado y de sus nombres, porque puede elegir quien quiere ser, su genero y su ciudad de nacimiento simplemente con abrir la boca, convencido de que nadie esta obligado a ser la persona que ha nacido siendo.Pajtim Statovci, doctorando en Literatura Comparada en la Universidad de Helsinki, es un joven novelista fines de origen kosovar que ha sido galardonado con los premios literarios mas prestigiosos de su pais. Sus novelas han sido traducidas a mas de quince lenguas.

Yugoslavia, años ochenta: Mientras el matrimonio concertado de Emine se desmorona, el país se desangra en una cruenta guerra. Décadas más tarde, su hijo Bekim es doblemente marginado en Finlandia, como inmigrante, y como homosexual. Su unica compañia es una boa constrictor a la que deja deambular libremente por su apartamento, a pesar de su fobia a las serpientes. Una noche, en un bar gay, Bekim conoce a un gato que habla. Esta criatura ocurrente, veleidosa y manipuladora llevara a Bekim de vuelta a Kosovo para hacer frente a sus demonios y comprender su historia familiar -e, incluso, encontrar el amor. Pajtim Statovci, doctorando en Literatura Comparada en la Universidad de Helsinki, es un joven novelista fines de origen kosovar que ha sido galardonado con los premios literarios mas prestigiosos de su pais: el Finlandia, el Toisinkoinen y el Helsingin Sanomat. Su primera novela, "Mi gato Yugoslavia", ha sido publicada en diecisiete paises.

Devastating in the most beautiful ways . . . you are in the hands of an absolute artist.' TORREY PETERS, author of DETRANSITION, BABYIt is April, 1995.Kosovo is a country on the cusp of a dreadful war. Arsim is twenty-two, newly married, cautious - an Albanian trying to keep his head down and finish his studies in an atmosphere of creeping threat. Until he encounters Milos, a Serb, and begins a life in secret.

An internationally acclaimed debut novel about war, family, love and belonging - and a talking catYugoslavia, 1980s: a 16-year-old Muslim girl named Emine is married off to a man she hardly knows. But what was meant to be a happy match soon goes terribly wrong. Her country is torn apart by war and she flees with her family.Decades later Emines son, Bekim, has grown up a social outcast in Finland; both an immigrant in a country suspicious of foreigners, and a gay man in an unaccepting society. Aside from casual hookups, his only friend is a boa constrictor whom he lets roam his apartment - even though he is terrified of snakes.But one night in a gay bar, Bekim meets a talking cat who moves in with him and his snake. This witty, charming, manipulative creature starts Bekim on a journey back to Kosovo to confront his demons and make sense of the remarkable, cruel history of his family. It is a journey that will eventually lead him to love.Pajtim Statovci was born in 1990 and moved from Kosovo to Finland with his family when he was two years old. Published in Finland in 2014, his debut novel, My Cat Yugoslavia, received widespread acclaim among critics and readers alike, and won the Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize in the category Best Debut. The novel has so far been translated into eleven languages. At present, Pajtim Statovci is undertaking masters degrees in comparative literature at the University of Helsinki and in screenwriting at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

The critically acclaimed novel about two young men on a fearless journey across cities, borders and identitiesImagine . . . we can do anything now, we can be anyone, we can go anywhereBujars world is collapsing. His father is dying and his homeland, Albania, bristles with hunger and unrest. When his fearless friend Agim is discovered wearing his mothers red dress and beaten with his fathers belt, he persuades Bujar that there is no place for them in their country. Desperate for a chance to shape their own lives, they flee.This is the beginning of a journey across cities, borders and identities, from the bazaars of Tirana to the monuments of Rome and the drag bars of New York. It is also a search through shifting gender and social personae, for acceptance and love.But faced with marginalization at home and only precarious means of escape and survival, what chance do the young pair have of forging a new life? Pursued by memories of home and echoes of folk tales, they risk losing themselves in the struggle to leave their pasts behind.Pajtim Statovci (b. 1990) is a Finnish-Kosovan novelist. He moved from Kosovo to Finland with his family when he was two years old. He is currently a Ph.D candidate at the University of Helsinki. His first novel, My Cat Yugoslavia, also published by Pushkin Press, won the prestigious Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize. Crossing won the Toisinkoinen Literature Prize in 2016 and, Statovci also won the 2018 Helsinki Writer of the Year Award.

It is April, 1995.Kosovo is a country on the cusp of a dreadful war. Arsim is twenty-two, newly married, cautious - an Albanian trying to keep his head down and finish his studies in an atmosphere of creeping threat. Until he encounters Milos, a Serb, and begins a life in secret.Bolla is the story of what happens when passion and history collide - when a relationship, already forbidden and laced with danger, is ripped apart by war and migration, separated by nations and fate.What happens when you are forced to live a life that is not yours, so far from your desires?Can the human remain?

A strange,haunting, and utterly original exploration of displacement and desire' -- TeaObreht, author of The Tiger's Wife, New York TimesBook Review'Fearless, delicate, beautiful, sad,haunting and wonderful. A brilliant novel that mesmerizes with both itshumanity and its utter uniqueness' -- JeffVanderMeerIn 1980s Yugoslavia, a young girl namedEmine is married off to a man she hardly knows. But soon her country is torn apartby war, and she is forced to flee with her family.Decadeslater Emine's son, Bekim, has grown up a social outcast in a country suspiciousof foreigners. Aside from casual hook-ups, his only companion is a pet boaconstrictor - until one night in a gay bar, Bekim meets a talking cat. It isthis witty, charming, manipulative creature that starts him on a journey backto Kosovo to confront his demons and make sense of the remarkable, cruelhistory of his family.And soon he learns that love can be found in the mostunexpected places.

Abril, 1995. Arsim es un estudiante de veinticuatro años en la Universidad de Pristina, en Kosovo, que trata de obtener un título universitario a pesar de la hostilidad del lugar hacia los albaneses. En un cafe conoce a un joven serbio llamado Milos y se enamora. Todo cambia entonces para ambos, la esposa de Arsim anuncia su primer embarazo y el comienza una vida paralela. El improbable romance se descarrila por el estallido de la guerra, que envia a la familia de Arsim al extranjero. Años mas tarde, deportado a Pristina, solo y sin esperanza, Arsim rememora su pasado, y se pregunta cuanto dolor puede un hombre soportar y perdonar.Pajtim Statovci nacio en Kosovo, de padres albaneses, en 1990. Su familia huyo de las guerras yugoslavas y se mudo a Finlandia cuando el tenia dos años. Curso un master en literatura comparada y actualmente es doctorando en la Universidad de Helsinki. Su primer libro,Mi gato Yugoslavia,gano el Premio de Literatura Helsingin Sanomat a la mejor novela debut; El corazon de Tirana fue finalista del Premio Nacional del Libro. Su ultima novela,Bolla, una historia deslumbrante llena de furia, ternura, anhelo y lujuria, recibio el premio finlandes de literatura mas importante, el Premio Finlandia. Las tres novelas esta publicadas en Alianza Editorial.