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The Time of the Goats
The Time of the Goats | Luan Starova, Christina E. Kramer
2 posts | 2 read | 1 to read
Its the late 1940s in Skopje, Yugoslavia, in the critical year leading to Titos break with Stalin. Pushed to leave mountain villages to become the new proletariat in urban factories, a flood of peasants crowds into Skopjeand with them, all of their goats. Suffering from hunger, Skopjes citizens welcome the newcomers. But municipal leaders are faced with a dilemma when the central government issues an order calling for the slaughter of the countrys goat population. With food so scarce, will they hide the outlawed animals? Or will they comply with the edict and endure the bite of hunger? The Time of the Goats is the second novel in Luan Starovas acclaimed multivolume Balkan saga. It follows the main characters from My Fathers Books and the tragicomic events of their lives in Skopje as the narrators intellectual father and the head goatherd become friends. As local officials clumsily carry out absurd policies, Starova conveys the bonds of understanding and mutual support that form in Skopjes poorest neighborhoods. At once historical and allegorical, folkloric and fantastic, The Time of the Goats draws lyrically on Starovas own childhood.
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rockpools
The Time of the Goats | Luan Starova, Christina E. Kramer
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Where to begin? I‘m not sure what this was - political allegory perhaps?* - but I really enjoyed it!

#Macedonia, early Tito-era Yugoslavia. The goatherds are sent to town to form the new working class. Of course, they take their 🐐. A directive is issued, which no-one wishes to carry out (life is better with 🐐). How long can the powers-that-be ignore the 🐐 question?

📚, 🐐, Stalinism, friendship & inept officials. 💙

#readaroundtheworld

rockpools *Nothing about this book reminded me in any way of the current B****t situation. Just so we‘re clear. (This may not be entirely true 😬) 5y
Currey 😂 Thank you for the laugh on this gloomy weather day where I am... 5y
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KellyHunsakerReads
The Time of the Goats | Luan Starova, Christina E. Kramer
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I visited #Macedonia in the time just after WW2 when the Communists were just taking control of what was then Yugoslavia. This little book is quite vivid and lyrical.

#Reading1001 #1001books #backpackEurope

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