An autobiography of war-time Bitola

Thanks to my dear friend Jim Hlavac from Australia I have recently receieved the English edition of Akchilnica (which literaly translates in little restaurant) by Vera Buzarovska. The English translation done by Paul Filev is titled The Last Summer in the Old Bazaar. The English translation is published by Saguaro Books, Arizona in 2015.

This semi-autobiografical novel talks about live in Bitola, right before and during the Second World War, under German and Bulgarian occupation. It describes the ethnic diversity of the town before the deportation of the large Jewish community to Treblinka. We see all these event through the eyes of an eleven years old girl. She works at a small restaurant in the Old Bazaar together with Sami, who is Albanian and Leon, who is Jewish.

Listen to Jim and Paul talking at the Melburn promotion of the book here.