Description
A shadowy research expedition in the Albanian highlands becomes a labyrinth of rumor, ritual, and competing loyalties in this novel steeped in the kanun, the region’s code of honor. Framed around the famous “Homeric Question,” the story follows American scholars who arrive to study living oral epic traditions—only to find that the past is never merely academic, and that every inquiry carries personal and political consequences. As their work collides with local customs and the unsettling persistence of unsolved mysteries, the book probes how culture is preserved, distorted, and weaponized through storytelling. With Kadare’s signature blend of historical fiction and psychological acuity, the novel opens “peepholes” into what it means to be Albanian while asking whether truth can survive the pressures of nationalism, scholarship, and desire.
Available Editions
paperback
Harvill Press
Published Jan 1, 1997
169 pages
ISBN: 9781860462573
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Details
First Published
1989
Language
eng
Translation
From: alb
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for The File on H. by Ismail Kadare.