Description
Book SynopsisDespite being located on the extreme eastern boundary of Europe, and having been frequently conquered by invading people from Asia, including Arabs, Turks, Persians, Mongols, and more recently Russians, Georgians still regard themselves very much as Europeans and it is to becoming a future member state of the EU that the majority of the people now aspire. As for the traditional folk-tales from the region, one of their main characteristics is that they are packed with action: Whilst a written, 'literary' novel or short story might devote paragraphs to descriptions of people or places, these tales usually settle for an adjective or two; 'a thick impassable forest', 'a handsome stately man', or a formula such as 'not-seen-beneath-the-sun beauty'. Many of the heroes and heroines do not even have names (Hunt, 1999, p.8). Safely cocooned, or so we like to kid ourselves, in our sanitised western urban environment, we tend to take the elements for granted. However, tales from a time when the Earth was new help to jolt us out of our daily lethargy, as do the stories in this collection - a number of which have never been translated from Georgian direct into English before.
Trade ReviewMichael Berman has produced a fine collection of stories from a part of the world that deserves to be better known for its rich culture. The stories cover a wide range of topics, and make an important contribution to our understanding in the West of this treasure store of European culture. (Professor David Hunt, formerly of London Southbank University - author and translator) 'Georgia through Earth, Fire, Air and Water' presents a wonderful way of getting acquainted with the country's rich culture and traditions. This book is for those who are keen to discover a rich diversity of myths and legends interwoven with history, and are eager to explore and reflect on the powerful messages each myth carries. (Neli Kukhaleishvili, teacher trainer and Head of the Batumi branch of ETAG (English Teachers' Association of Georgia))
