Tales of the Mountains and Steppes

Chinghiz Aitmatov (b. 1928) gained fame after the appearance of Jamila, his first major work. "Jamila is like one's first love, it cannot be experienced twice," Aitmatov wrote. The author's voice rings passionately in the story of a young teacher, the founder of the first school in a Kirghiz village (Duishen), it is gentle and sad as a young couple recall their lost love (To Have and to Lose), it is bold and powerful in telling the story of Tanabai Bakasov, a sheperd (Farewell, Gyulsary!). An inherent poetic quality unites all of Aitmatov's work. Thus does he speak of Kirghizia, with its boundless steppes, majestic mountain ranges and its people, who are so deeply attached to their native land.