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Ali and Nino

Kurban Said

Finish date: October 1, 2011

Discussion: Azerbaijan

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Azerbaijan

Discussion of September book(s) Ali and Nino and The Orientalist starts here
By Elizabeth · 8 posts · 23 views

last updated Sep 25, 2011 04:11AM

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Apr 20, 2024 Sue Kozlowski rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: religion, politics, murder, 196-countries, historical-fiction, z-196-read-azerbaijan, to-read-196-countries, made-into-movie, war-refugees, poetry

I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from each of the 196 countries in the world. Though the origin of this book is surrounded by mysterious circumstances, it is generally agreed that it was written by Kurban Said. Said was a Jewish writer who reinvented himself as a Muslim under the pseudonyms Essad Bey and Kurban Said. This novel was originally published in German in 1937.

This book was rather difficult for me to understand. Being a Catholic American, I am ve I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from each of the 196 countries in the world. Though the origin of this book is surrounded by mysterious circumstances, it is generally agreed that it was written by Kurban Said. Said was a Jewish writer who reinvented himself as a Muslim under the pseudonyms Essad Bey and Kurban Said. This novel was originally published in German in 1937.

This book was rather difficult for me to understand. Being a Catholic American, I am very unfamiliar with this area of the world and its history and politics. I found myself constantly researching the geography and history of the region. John Wain, an English writer, provides an introduction to the book. Here he writes,

"Ali and Nino... takes us, as Western readers, into a world in which it is very good for us to be. It allows us, for a few hours, to see life through the eyes of a Mohammedan. This, by itself, would be a reason for reading the book, since Mohammedan beliefs and attitudes are usually opaque to the Westerner, and this story helps us to see how natural and right they seem in their own setting."

Again, I needed to look up the definition of "Mohammedan". Mohammedan is a term for a follower of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet. This makes them a follower of the religion of Islam; a Muslim.

I do agree with Wain - reading this has helped me to understand (somewhat) the life and views of a Muslim. I wish it had been easier to understand. The book takes place from 1914 to 1920. Nino is a young, educated man from a highly respected family. He is a Muslim from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. This city sits on the shores of the Caspian Sea, at the eastern tip of the country. He falls in love with Nino, a Christian girl from Georgia. Obviously, their very different religions make it difficult for them to be together.

The main theme of the story is the struggle for power and influence between the East and the West. Azerbaijan is said to sit as the gateway between the East and the West. It is separated from Russia to the North by the Caucasus Mountains. Its eastern and southern borders are Georgia, Armenia, and Iran. What is very confusing to me is that Russia, Georgia, and Armenia are considered "western" nations, an extension of Europe. When the story begins, Azerbaijan is part of the Russian empire.

The love story of Nino and Ali mirrors the struggle going on in this region. Nino loves the verdant, green countryside of Georgia, while Ali has grown to love living in the desert. Nino chafes against the restrictions put upon women by Eastern beliefs while Ali does not have trouble accepting the belief that women "have no souls" and just have a purpose to bear children. As the leadership of the country shifts back and forth between the East and the West, so do the desires and lives of Ali and Nino.

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Mar 07, 2012 Sue rated it it was amazing

More than a love story - comprimises are made. A wonderful book. Covers about 4 years in Azerbaijan from just before ww1 but with descriptions of the rich history through Ali's ancestry. Covers Russia and Persia - religious and cultural differences as well as Azerbaijan. Much of what is written resonates today in a book first published in 1937. ...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Maggie marked it as to-read