The Traitor’s Niche
Original title: Kamarja e turpit
by Ismail Kadare
Translated from the Albanian by John Hodgson
- Publication
- First published 1984
- ISBN
- 9781448191512, 9783423122139, 9782213013572
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Sign inLONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE At the heart of the Ottoman Empire, in the main square of Constantinople, a niche is carved into ancient stone. Here, the sultan displays the severed heads of his adversaries. Tundj Hata, the imperial courier, is charged with transporting heads to the capital – a task he relishes and performs with fervour. But as he travels through obscure and impoverished territories, he makes money from illicit side-shows, offering villagers the spectacle of death. The head of the rebellious Albanian governor would fetch a very high price. A surreal tale of rebellion and tyranny from the master of European literature.
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