“Escaping History Prisons”

Albanian historical identity has been frequently debated among personalities ranging from Ismail Kadare to Rexhep Qosja. This is a trend even Piro Misha couldn’t resist. In his latest book, published by Toena, Misha discusses Albanian identity over the centuries as well as the current state of social, and especially intellectual, development in the Albanian world.
This book includes a number of essays in which the author comments and analyses some of the basic aspects of the Albanian identity and problems of post communist transition. The long essay, “Escaping History Prisons,” focuses on a deep and provocative analysis of the whole process of the formation and evolution of Albanian identity. The historic approach, on the one hand, and the problematic approach on the other enable the author to raise difficult questions and also to provide some courageous answers. These are questions most of us hesitate to ask, such as: what does it mean to be an Albanian; how the last decade’s traumatic events affected myths, symbols and values of the Albanian nation; why among all other ex-communist countries, transition for Albania is so harsh; and other questions. The author tries to answer these and more questions by introducing the reader to many facts, opinions, and quotations even though he often risks appearing “politically incorrect,” but always realistic and courageous.
The polemic attitude and western orientation of Misha can be sensed throughout the essays in the book. The author sees Albanian identity issues not only in a historic point of view but also on an actual one. “Escaping History Prisons” is a book of inevitable questions and hard answers.