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"REDISCOVERING ALBANIA"
A new book about Albania
by Adam Yamey
Albanian
people live all over the Balkans and in the Middle East, not to mention those
who have migrated to Western Europe and the USA in the last two centuries.
Subjects to a series of foreign rulers over the millennia, some of them now
live in independent countries, which are governed by Albanians: the recently
formed Republic of Kosova (‘established’ 2008), and the longer-established
Republic of Albania (‘established’ 1912). Adam Yamey’s book, “Rediscovering Albania”, is about the
latter, although some references are made to the former.
Adam,
who has been interested in the Balkans – especially Albania – for many decades,
first visited Albania in 1984, when the country was governed by a repressive
regime headed by Joseph Stalin’s fervent admirer, the dictator Enver Hoxha
(1908-1985). The country was then ‘hermetically’ sealed off from the rest of
the world, even more so than North Korea is today. The only way for a tourist
to visit Albania in 1984 was on a closely supervised guided tour during which
the Albanian authorities did their best to ensure that the visitor only saw
what they wanted. Their aim was to send tourists home with the impression that
Albania was a ‘paradise’, which other countries ought to envy and emulate. In
order to create that impression, the foreign visitor was not allowed to talk
to, or otherwise communicate with, Albanian citizens; not allowed to stray from
the tour group; not permitted to eat in the presence of Albanians; not allowed
to take photographs of whatever interested him or her; not permitted to carry
certain reading matter including religious works; and so on. Despite these
restrictions, Adam came away having had an interesting view of the most
beautiful country in the Balkans.
Enver
Hoxha died in 1985, and was replaced by Ramiz Alia. Five years later, two years
after the Berlin Wall was officially breached, Albania’s Stalinist dictatorship
ended. For the first time since independence in 1912, Albanians began
experiencing the closest they ever had to true democracy. In the beginning, it
was not easy. During the early years of Albania’s post-Communist existence,
there were many problems to be faced. For example: complex internal politics;
the break-up of its neighbour, the former Yugoslavia; a civil war in 1997;
Kosova’s struggle for independence.
In
May 2016, Adam paid another visit to Albania. He and his wife hired a car and
toured the country extensively – from the high mountains in the north to the
Greek border in the south and the Macedonian border in the south-east. On this trip, Adam and his wife could: talk
with any Albanian whom they met; travel wherever they wished; eat and drink
with Albanians; take photographs without restrictions; carry whatever reading
material they wished; and so on. They came away from the country with
favourable impressions and happy memories.
During
his latest trip, Adam kept a detailed travel journal. This formed the basis for
writing “Rediscovering Albania”. The
book charts Adam’s trip through Albania, providing personal anecdotes and
observations that give the reader an idea of what to expect when visiting the
country. But, there is much more. Wherever
Adam went, he heard things from people, and saw sights that aroused his
curiosity. On his return to London, he investigated what he experienced in
detail. “Rediscovering Albania”
describes Adam’s trip in the context of: Albania’s troubled history and vibrant
present; the reports of earlier travellers (Francois Pouqueville, Lord Byron,
Edward Lear, Edith Durham, and many others); and the opinions of Albanians,
whom the author met during his journey. Also, the book includes comparisons of
how the author found Albania in 1984 with what it is like today in 2016. The
resulting text is an informative and entertaining introduction to one of
Europe’s most fascinating, but undeservedly lesser-known, countries.
The
book, which is available as a paperback and an e-book (Kindle format), contains
two maps and many photographs.
As
Adam took far too many pictures to be included in one book, he is posting them
gradually on a Facebook page (which can be accessed and viewed by those who
have no Facebook account). Visit:
To buy a copy of the paperback: click HERE
To buy the Kindle: click HERE
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