Of strangers and bees: a hayy ibn yaqzan tale

BY Hamid ismailov / TRanslated from uzbek BY shelley fairweather-vega

The intricate new novel from the winner of the EBRD Literature Prize

‘Life in exile! May it be cursed. Once you have become a stranger, a stranger you shall remain; you may endeavour to make friends, but the task is a difficult one, full end to end with uncertainty.‘

In the latest thrilling multi-stranded epic from the award-winning author of The Devils’ Dance, an Uzbek writer in exile traces the fate of the medieval polymath Avicenna, who shaped Islamic thought and science for centuries.

Waking from a portentous dream, Uzbek writer Sheikhov is convinced that the medieval polymath Avicenna lives on, condemned to roam the world. The novel follows Avicenna in various incarnations across the ages from Ottoman Turkey to medieval Germany and Renaissance Italy. Sheikhov plies the same route, though his troubles are distinctly modern as he endures the petty humiliations of exile.

Following the award-winning The Devils' Dance, Hamid Ismailov has crafted another masterpiece, combining traditional oral storytelling with contemporary global fiction to create a modern Sufi parable about the search for truth and wisdom.

Contributors’ details

Hamid Ismailov is an Uzbek writer who was forced to flee Uzbekistan in 1992 due to what the state dubbed ‘unacceptable democratic tendencies’. He came to the United Kingdom, where he took a job with the BBC World Service. His works are banned in Uzbekistan. Several of his Russian-original novels have been published in English translation, including The Railway (Vintage, 2007) ,The Dead Lake, which was long listed for the 2015 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and The Underground (both Restless Books). The Devils’ Dance was the first of his Uzbek language novels to appear in English, and won the EBRD Prize in 2019.

Shelley Fairweather-Vega is a professional Russian to English translator and an enthusiastic Uzbek to English translator in Seattle, Washington. She holds degrees in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and in Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington. That background in international politics, plus a passion for puzzles, led her naturally to a career in translation, where she earns a living examining the puzzling intersections between culture and politics. Shelley runs FairVegaTranslations and FairVega Russian Library Services and is president of the Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society. Since 2006, she has worked as a freelance translator for attorneys, academics, authors and activists around the world.

PRAISE

‘Learned, strange and charming, Of Strangers and Bees enriched my understanding of history.’ — Marcel Theroux, The Guardian (Book of the Day)

‘Of Strangers and Bees is an alluring, disjointed novel of parables and allegories (...) In many ways, Of Strangers and Bees feels like the culmination of all of Ismailov’s works, experiences, and philosophies.’ — Will Harris, Books and Bao

‘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

‘It is Ismailov’s skill to keep us fascinated by the story or, rather, the stories, which are both deadly serious but, in some cases, very funny, as well as to educate us about his culture, his faith and the very real problems of exiles, particularly those coming from a culture that threatens them, their family and their well-being.’ — The Modern Novel

‘I am extremely excited to see this “modern Sufi parable” being published in the UK. 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

MORE INFORMATION

• Publication date: 24 October 2019

• Format: B-format paperback (198mm × 127mm)

• Extent: 446 pp

• ISBNs: 9781911284369 (print) / 9781911284352 (ebook)

• Rights held: World