Gazmend Kapllani
Best known for his novels exploring totalitarianism, immigration and borders, Gazi Kapllani is a po It has been adapted for the stage in Greece.
Best known for his novels exploring totalitarianism, immigration, borders, and Balkan history, Gazmend Kapllani is a polyglot Albanian writer living in the US. His three first novels, published originally in Greek, include A Short Border Handbook (2009), My Name is Europe (2010), and The Last Page (2012), and have been translated and published into Danish, English, French, Italian, German, Polish,
07/12/2023
Happy Hanukkah and Chag Sameach to all my Jewish friends. May the light overcome and defeat always the darkness.
07/12/2023
Coming soon.
Egret Fiction Publisher.
14/11/2023
What do we mean when we speak about classics. Listen (in Italian) to our answers.
I classici esistono e sono riconoscibili: da "Don Chisciotte" a "Orgoglio e pregiudizio", da "Ulisse" alla "Commedia", grandi libri del passato sui quali la civiltà occidentale ha edificato la propria letteratura. Ma oggi stiamo ancora scrivendo dei classici, libri in grado di parlare non solo a noi, ma anche alle generazioni future?
⚠❓ Nella nuova puntata di "Che domande" a questo interrogativo rispondono Mircea Cărtărescu, Gazmend Kapllani, Igiaba Scego e Walter Siti.
👉 La trovate già disponibile sulle principali piattaforme di podcast (🔗 nel primo commento).
04/11/2023
Un caffè con Gazmend Kapllani Venerdì 8 settembre 2023 Mantova – Festival Letteratura Sono arrivata in bicicletta davanti alla hall dell’hotel in cui soggiorna Gazmend Kapllani, sarà colpa del caldo o forse dell’emo…
29/10/2023
For those who live in Heidelberg, Germany a very interesting event on November 9 - The anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall - where my first novel about borders, freedom, and migration will be discussed by the translator Nina Bungarten (it was translated from Greek) among novels of world-renowned authors.
The event is titled "Freedom in World Literature".
The details regarding the event are in the link and an English synopsis of the event here below:
"The question of the (im)possibilities of being free as an individual or society has always been at the center of world literature. The answers - even those that remain open - are not only immensely multifaceted in world literature but also show how difficult, fragile, desirable, and overwhelming freedom always is in private and political life. The multi-voiced life stories between freedom and borders are a special treasure of world literature. From Alice Walker's famous novel "The Color Purple" to current works by Edna O'Brian, Elif Shafak, Gazmend Kapllani, Patrick Deville, and Eve Langley: there are award-winning translators from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region who have produced many of these important works of world literature accessible to German readers. The translators Nina Bungarten, Juliane Gräbener-Müller, Kathrin Razum, Sabine Müller, and Ilka Schlüchtermann will provide insights into the works translated by them and local colleagues related to “freedom”, but also into the linguistic and personal freedoms that make a career in literary translation possible. An exciting journey through world literature and stories about freedom".
»Freiheit« in der Welt-Literatur Die Frage nach den (Un-)Möglichkeiten, als Individuum oder Gesellschaft frei zu sein, steht seit jeher im Zentrum der Welt-Literatur. Die Antworten – auch d
I spent the evening yesterday reading a Greek student thesis, studying at Oxford, regarding my novels (the text is written in Greek). I enjoyed the reading and I believe it's fun that the writer defines me as an "Albanian-born Greek writer". It will be interesting to see how I’ll be defined after publishing my next novel in English:)
Critics and researchers have their own criteria to define writers – the language in which the book is written playing a primary role of course – but personally, I define myself as a polyglot Albanian author who writes books in different languages. Lately, as I'm writing my new novel in English I like to define myself as an Albanian-American author. That doesn’t mean that I exclude writing in Greek again in the future. My relationship with the Greek language was exceptionally creative!
Another important note/thing that struck me: the researcher based on the elements of my writing style has crafted a creative writing piece as an epilogue to the thesis.
For those who know Greek and are interested you can download the essay at the end of the link attached.
I'm publishing here also the preface of the thesis in English.
"In this thesis, we discuss how the work of Gazmend Kapllani, an Albanian-born Greek writer, is connected to modern migrant literature. For this reason, we focus on three of his novels (A Short Border Handbook, My name is Europe, Wrongland) and attempt an interpretive approach that utilises elements of postcolonial theory, cultural studies and narratology.
On the thematic level, the findings are grouped in the following categories: ambivalence-hybridity, language, and borders. Specifically, we notice that complex characterization is driven by ambivalence, the simultaneous experience of conflicting thoughts and feelings, whereas a hybrid identity of Balkan cosmopolitan emerges by negotiating historical memory. Furthermore, language is a recurrent theme in all novels and is associated with a new personal narrative, away from the traumatic memories of the past. Also, we notice that border representations are present in all three novels and they gradually become more complex: geography, social exclusion, historical and personal trauma.
Finally, all novels show elements of stylistic hybridity, such as non-linear narrative, multiple points of view, mixing of fiction and non-fiction, and use of language with journalistic elements. These characteristics demonstrate the fragmentation of identity and the disorienting experience of the immigrant.
These findings highlight a body of work that takes into consideration the current social and cultural setting and is connected to modern migrant literature.
The creative part of the thesis consists of the first three chapters of a novel that deals with uprooting and the sense of belonging in the modern era".
https://apothesis.eap.gr/archive/item/183939?lang=el&fbclid=IwAR1p2hUSIiosY6wbZTpwQurJUI3VjJtUcGd3lxxsKH-zQ6JzbseWo0mMm3o
24/09/2023
01/09/2023
After the event at the Italian Institute of Culture in Tirana on September 4, flying to Mantua for two literary meetings on September 7 & 8 and much more at the Mantua Literary Festival. For friends who might be around hope to see you there.
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«Sul mio cammino di uomo e di scrittore ho incontrato sempre la sofferenza delle frontiere. La prima frontiera invisibile è la lingua, ed è per questo che scrivo, per abbattere le frontiere». Poeta, narratore e giornalista – nato Lushnjë, in Albania, nel 1967 -, Gazmend Kapllani si è laureato in lettere all'Università Statale "Giovanni Capodistria" di Atene e ha svolto la tesi di dottorato presso l'Università Panteion della capitale greca, dove ha insegnato Storia e Cultura dell'Albania moderna. È stato editorialista del quotidiano ateniese Ta Nea e, nel 2012, Fellow del Radcliffe Institute dell'Università di Harvard. Tra il 2013 e il 2018 è stato ricercatore all'Emerson College di Boston. Attualmente vive tra l'Europa e gli Stati Uniti, dove insegna Lingua e Letteratura albanese alla DePaul University di Chicago. Nella sua poetica è riuscito a sviscerare il modo in cui il crollo dei totalitarismi e le migrazioni transnazionali abbiano modellato e continuino a modellare le storie personali di molti esseri umani. Egli stesso migrante, dopo la caduta del regime comunista albanese, nel 1991, ha raggiunto a piedi la Grecia. Il vissuto di quei giorni è raccontato lucidamente, con tutto il suo carico di aspettative, frustrazioni e situazioni quotidiane a metà tra la farsa e la catastrofe, nel bellissimo Breve diario di frontiera, un libro «scritto con mano leggera e cuore pesante» (Internazionale). Nel 2022 è uscita la sua ultima opera, La terra sbagliata, romanzo in cui il protagonista, alter ego dello scrittore, racconta di esilio e ritorno alla terra d'origine.
(foto: © Giliola Chistè)
https://www.festivaletteratura.it/it/2023/autori/gazmend-kapllani?fbclid=IwAR2CK8ZIeXCNCaBOUTEV5_NvT_P6m0TaoW37mCtN7bsDIFsF4C0guQaFrsY
Gazmend Kapllani «Sul mio cammino di uomo e di scrittore ho incontrato sempre la sofferenza delle frontiere. La prima frontiera invisibile è la lingua, ed è per questo che scrivo, per abbattere le frontiere». Poeta, narratore e giornalista – nato Lushnjë, in Albania, nel 1967 -, Gazmend Kapllani si è laureat...
28/08/2023
I'm happy to be the guest of the Italian Institute of Culture in Tirana for a conversation with Fabio Rocchi on my books, the art of writing and traveling, and subjects like departure and return, diaspora and exile, totalitarianism and memory.
Monday, September 4, 2023, 6pm
EU House - Rruga Papa Gjon Pali II, Tirana, Albania.
The conversation will be in Italian and Albanian.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
21/06/2023
Sono stati resi pubblici tutti i nomi degli ospiti del prossimo Festivaletteratura di Mantova.
Siamo felici di condividere con tutti voi la notizia che tra i tanti nomi c'è anche quello di Gazmend Kapllani e non potremmo esserne più felici!
Ringraziamo l'organizzazione del Festival perché offre a noi e ai lettori italiani la possibilità di incontrare ancora una volta uno scrittore così prezioso tanto dal punto di vista letterario quanto da quello umano.
20/06/2023
For my Italian readers: I'll be in Mantova at the Mantova Book Festival from 6-10 September.
This is my second time at the Mantova Literature Festival - one of the most prestigious in Europe - and I'm looking forward to it.
Happy and honored to be among a long list of wonderful authors from around the world.
Details of meetings and book readings coming soon.
Arrivederci!
Festivaletteratura 2023, tutti i nomi dei partecipanti | la Voce Di Mantova MANTOVA Ecco tutti i nomi degli autori presenti a Festivaletteratura 2023. A Roberto Abbiati, Fabrizio Acanfora, Gianumberto Accinelli, Niccolò Agliardi,
19/05/2023
Thank you to my DePaul colleague Dr. Katie Kelaidis for the invitation and to the Chicago Greek American book club of the Hellenic National Museum for selecting my first novel, A Short Border Handbook, as their month's novel.
Please join for free the virtual discussion by registering at the link below. I will also join to discuss with readers and I'm looking forward to it.
Next Thursday, May 25th, 7-8 PM Chicago time via Zoom.
See y'all there!
NHM Virtual Book Club - A Short Border Handbook On Thursday, May 25th at 7 PM we will be discussing A Short Border Handbook: A Journey Through the Immigrant’s Labyrinth Virtually via Zoom
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim delivered the 2023 Guest of Honor Public Lecture of the Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies. She answered with frankness the questions from the audience in the fascinating Q&A session moderated by Gazmend Kapllani, Chair of the DePaul Albanian Studies. We are grateful particularly for her touching and honoring words regarding the donor of the DePaul Albanian Studies, Hidai “Eddie” Bregu.
Ambassador Kim is the first Korean-American woman to represent the United States as an Ambassador and the first U.S. ambassador from Guam. We put those facts on our flyer to highlight some of the ways that Ambassador Kim is making history.
She attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to earn her college degree. She also earned a Master's in Philosophy from Cambridge University.
Ambassador Kim is a career diplomat. She has worked on foreign policy and national security challenges in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Early in her career, she was a Special Assistant to Secretary Colin Powell, as well as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Her overseas assignments have included Turkey, Iraq, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and China. In addition to English, she speaks Korean, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, and Turkish.
She has served as the U.S. Ambassador to Albania since January 2020. Her social media on Twitter and Facebook shows a person engaged in the daily lives and daily living of Albania and Albanians. With her distinguished career in global diplomacy combined with 3 years of serving in Albania, she has a unique perspective on Albania and the larger region.
Thank you to all the participants in this event. We received a number of emails during and after the event that the "Join" button on Eventbrite seemed to have a glitch that was not letting everyone who was trying to dial in, so we can remedy this by circulating the video.
The Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Program in Albanian Studies will continue stimulating creative thought and debates about Albania and Albanians wherever they are. We believe in the amazing intellectual and cultural potential of our community and country.
Watch the video and enjoy this beautiful and unique event with Ambassador Yuri Kim.
Mirupafshim ne evente te tjera!
29/04/2023
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim at DePaul Albanian Studies Program (via Webinar Zoom). Register for free now at the provided Eventbrite link below.
Ambassador Kim will deliver the Guest of Honor Public Lecture of the 2022-2023 Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Discussion and Q&A moderated by Dr. Gazmend Kapllani, Chair of the Albanian Studies Program.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
11 AM Central Time (6 PM Tirana)
via Zoom Webinar
Participation in the Webinar event is possible only through individual registration on Eventbrite. Registrants will receive the join link through their registration confirmation email 12 hours before the event.
The Ambassador's address will include several topics, among them her experiences as an ambassador and why she feels the relationship between the U.S. and Albania is so important, as well as some personal insights. Ambassador Kim has served in Albania since January 2020. She is the first Korean-American woman to represent the United States as an Ambassador and the first U.S. ambassador from Guam.
Her remarks will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by Dr. Gazmend Kapllani, Chair of the Albanian Studies Program. This promises to be an invigorating and memorable session.
For the Q&A session, attendees can send their questions (preferably in English) to: [email protected]
The DePaul Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies bring to DePaul each academic year distinguished politicians, artists, and scholars of the literature, language, history, thought, and culture of Modern Albania and Southeastern Europe.
Special thanks to the planning group of the event Elizabeth Cakrani-Vrato and Nazo Islamaj.
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim at DePaul Albanian Studies Program Ambassador Kim will deliver the Guest of Honor Public Lecture of the 2022-2023 Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies at DePaulU.
27/04/2023
Join us at The Art Institute of Chicago for an evening of Albanian poetry dedicated to the Albanian Kosovar poet Xhevdet Bajraj.
May 4th, 6:00-6:30 pm, Gallery 396
18/04/2023
01/04/2023
Join us for a fascinating discussion on Albanian and Balkan literature after the fall of the Berlin Wall with two distinguished scholars:
Belfjore Qose (University of Tirana, Albania)
&
Christian Voss (Humboldt University Berlin, Germany).
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
5-7 PM
Levan Center Room 100
2322 N Kenmore Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Book your ticket online for free now.
The DePaul Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies series brings to the DePaul campus each academic year distinguished artists and scholars of the literature, language, history, thought, and culture of Modern Albania and Southeastern Europe.
Ulysses 2.0? The Return to the Balkans in today’s transnational literature with Professor Belfjore Qose (University of Tirana, Albania) & Professor Dr. Christian Voss (Humboldt University, Germany)
26/02/2023
A fantastic event last night at in the screening of and the Q&A with the starring actress . An art-loving audience and many young people among them welcomed Gashi and her superb performance with a well-deserved ovation. Yllka Gashi was terrific in the discussion with the audience that followed the screening.
The will continue to create a cultural, intellectual, and educational public space for our community in order to stimulate creative and thought-provoking dialogue about Albanian culture and history. We bring at the best of Albanian creativity, culture, and scholarship.
Thank you all for your support and looking forward to seeing you again soon.
07/02/2023
01/01/2023
A unique Happy and bookish 2023 to all my readers wherever they are.
It's such a privilege to be an author of books translated and read into different languages. I felt it again a few weeks ago in Italy when I met with many readers for my newly translated novel La Terra Sbagliata (Del Vecchio Editore). It was like the novel took a new life and existence.
This year we'll meet around the US: WRONGLAND is on its way to American bookstores.
Egret Imprint.
Cover image by Biba Kayewich.
Cover design by Maxine Mills.
Gezuar dhe Mirupafshim!
25/12/2022
The Holidays are here and the end of this year is nearing.
Looking back, we are proud to say that 2022 was a particularly successful year for the Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Program in Albanian Studies.
Last year we inaugurated the Undergraduate Certificate in Albanian and Southeastern European Studies. ALB classes are offered now every quarter and DePaul students’ response has been wonderful.
The Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Lectures in Albanian Studies featured and will continue to feature some of the most original and brilliant scholars in Albanian and Southeastern European Studies.
The Hidai “Eddie” Bregu Scholarships in Albanian and Southeastern European Studies have been already established and starting next year it will also be offered to incoming DePaul students of Albanian ancestry.
Other projects and ideas are still in the making and soon we’ll share them with you.
We want to express our gratitude to our DePaul students of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, to our wonderful Albanian American community, and to all of you!
We are looking forward to meeting and working together.
We wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy 2023!
Gezuar Festat dhe Vitin e Ri 2023!
Respectfully,
Gazmend Kapllani
Chair, Hidai (Eddie) Bregu Program of Albanian Studies
Director, Albanian and Southeastern European Studies Undergraduate Certificate
DePaul University, Office: 320/Modern Languages
22/12/2022
“ Sul canale YouTube di Insula Europea è disponibile il video della presentazione di La terra sbagliata di Gazmend Kapllani, tenutasi presso la Biblioteca San Matteo degli Armeni di Perugia.
Ancora un grande grazie a Gabriele De Veris per l'accoglienza e l'ospitalità, a Carlo Pulsoni e Emanuela Costantini per aver reso il dialogo così ricco e interessante e ovviamente all'autore per avere condiviso con tanta generosità la sua opera e la sua esperienza.
Non potremmo davvero essere più felici e più grati per questa occasione di incontro.
Buona visione e buona lettura!
”
- Del Vechio Editore
Gazmend Kapllani Presentazione del libro "La terra sbagliata"Conversazione tra l'autore ed Emanuela Costantini e Carlo Pulsoni6 dicembre 2022Biblioteca di San Matteo degli Ar...
21/12/2022
The Italian leading newspaper La Repubblica dedicates its weekly special edition Le Guide to the historical etno-linguistic group of Arbëreshë: The Albanians of Italy who settled in different italian regions, especially Basilicata, Sicily, and Calabria starting from the 14th Century.
11/12/2022
𝑨𝑹𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨 𝑰𝑳 𝑷𝑶𝑫𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑻 𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑰 𝑬 𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑶𝑹𝑰 𝑭𝑼𝑶𝑹𝑰 𝑶𝑹𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑶
🍾Era da un po' di tempo che ci stavamo lavorando e finalmente è pronto!
Il podcast del Cappuccino delle Cinque ti aspetta con storie di libri e lettori, naturalmente fuori orario. La prima storia che raccontiamo è quella della biblioteca fantasma.
📖 Giovanni Belfiori ha incontrato in Albania, a Scutari, lo scrittore Gazmend Kapllani, voce della letteratura della diaspora del paese delle aquile (vive e insegna all'università di Chicago), e con lui ha parlato di questa surreale biblioteca, piena di nomi di autori, eppure senza libri.
📕 Kapplani, tra l'altro, ha pubblicato per Del Vecchio Editore il romanzo "La terra sbagliata", uscito in libreria pochi giorni fa e presentato a Roma a Più libri più liberi e anche di questo parla nella puntata del podcast.
Il podcast del Cappuccino delle Cinque al momento è disponibile su
🎤 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0iSyGAZPWBYEMwc7HOgpfb
🎤 Amazon: https://music.amazon.it/podcasts/be1fcecd-f5c5-43e5-bc4e-180c4323a05b/il-cappuccino-delle-cinque
🎤 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/
🎤 Sito Web: https://www.ilcappuccinodellecinque.it/podcast-per-libri-e-lettori-fuori-orario/
11/12/2022
09/12/2022
Domani a Bracciano incontrero gli studenti del Liceo Scentifico "I. Vian" per un cafe e per parlare di letteratura e del'arte (non facile) di viaggiare e ritorno. Hanno gia letto La Terra Sbagliata e sono molto curioso di sentire impressioni e domande.
Nesër me nxënësit e Liceut ne qytezën e Bracciano-s prane Romes do flasim për libra dhe artin (jo te lehtë) te udhëtimit dhe rikthimit. Kane lexuar I Keqi i Vetes (La Terra Sbagliata) me shume vëmendje dhe jam shumë kureshtar te degjoj mbresat dhe pyetjet e tyre.
Liceo Scientifico Statale "I. Vian" - Aperitivo con l'autore. Sabato 10 dicembre incontro con Gazmend Kapllani Aperitivo con l'autore. Sabato 10 dicembre incontro con Gazmend Kapllani 08 Dicembre 2022 Stampa Email SCARICA LA LOCANDINA IN FORMATO PDF
08/12/2022
“Karl e Frederik hanno fatto scelte opposte e noi siamo le scelte che facciamo. Mi sono chiesto: perché ognuno di noi fa una scelta diversa, perché c’è chi fa scelte conformiste e così avalla il potere di chi ha il potere?
La letteratura è qui per questo, per farci interrogare su quanta complessità, quanta bellezza c'è nella vita umana. Dal punto di vista filosofico ci sono due mondi opposti, un personaggio che fa la scelta e ha la fissazione delle radici, l’altro che ha la tentazione di cercare una terra diversa, ma trova sempre la terra sbagliata.”
Gazmend Kapllani e Gabriele Santoro a PLPL parlano di letteratura, scrittura e pensiero del mondo.
08/12/2022
07/12/2022
Looking forward to meeting readers and discussing tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 8th) at Rome’s Book Fair - piu libri, piu liberi - with the Italian writer and journalist Gabriele Santoro.
Our Story
Best known for his novels exploring totalitarianism, immigration, borders, and Balkan history, Gazmend Kapllani is an Albanian-born polyglot writer living between Europe and the US. His novels include A Short Border Handbook (2009), My Name is Europe (2010), The Last Page (2012), and Wrongland and have been translated and published so far into French, English, Albanian, Greek, Italian, German and Polish.
He teaches and lives in Chicago, IL.
Photo: by Linda Vukaj. At the bookstore Diari di Bordo Parma-Italy, with the most wonderful and funny librarians in the whole world, Alice & Antonello.
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