Alisa Ganieva

The literary debut of a promising young Russian author from an unknown country, a tale of politics and religion colliding

The Mountain and the Wall

Salam tebe, Dalgat

"Never before has Russian literature produced such an honest and complete picture of today's Caucasus."—Kommersant Weekend (Russia) "The Mountain and the Wall is a major event in contemporary Russian literature."—Ulrich M. Schmid, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Germany) This remarkable debut novel by a unique young Russian voice portrays the influence of political intolerance and religious violence in the lives of people forced to choose between evils. The Mountain and the Wall focuses on Shamil, a young local reporter in Makhachkala, and his reactions, or lack thereof, to rumors that the Russian government is building a wall to cut off the Muslim provinces of the Caucasus from the rest of Russia. As unrest spreads and the tension builds, Shamil's life is turned upside down, and he can no longer afford to ignore the violence surrounding him. With a fine sense for mounting catastrophe, Alisa Ganieva tells the story of the decline of a society torn apart by its inherent extremes. Alisa Ganieva, born in 1985, grew up in Makhachkala, Dagestan. Her literary debut, the novella Salaam, Dalgat!, won the prestigious Debut Prize in 2009. Shortlisted for all of Russia's major literary awards, The Mountain and the Wall is her first novel, and has already been translated into several languages. Ganieva lives in Moscow, where she works as a journalist and literary critic. Carol Apollonio, PhD, is a professor of Slavic and Eurasian studies at Duke University. Her most recent translations include German Sadulaev's The Maya Pill (Dalkey Archive, 2014). In addition to being an accomplished translator, Dr. Apollonio is also a scholar specializing in the works of Dostoevsky and Chekhov and on problems of translation.

Newest from political fictionalist Alisa Ganieva, the picture of a broken legal system in which everything is broken and no one is innocent. Offended Sensibilities chronicles a series of sudden deaths that occur among officials of a provincial Russian town. The events in the plot relate to the notorious recent law banning forms of expression that "offend the sensibilities" of religious believers. With this novel, Ganieva moves beyond the Dagestani setting and themes of her previous writing to address contemporary themes such as nationalism, Orthodox religiosity, sexuality, and political corruption. She addresses these weighty issues with a light touch and at times rollicking sense of humor that will keep the reader turning the pages. This timely, entertaining and thought-provoking novel can be read as an allegory for the current political, social, religious, and cultural climate in Russia today.

Offended Sensibilities

From political fictionalist Alisa Ganieva: a neo-noir portrait of a legal system in which everything is broken and no one is innocent. Offended Sensibilities chronicles a series of sudden deaths that occur among officials of a provincial Russian town. The events follow a notorious blasphemy law banning forms of expression that offend the sensibilities of religious believers – a law passed after Pussy Riot’s infamous 2013 church-side protest that resulted in their arrest. With this novel, Ganieva moves beyond the Dagestani setting of her previous award-winning books, published in English by Deep Vellum: The Mountain and the Wall and Bride and Groom. In Offended Sensibilities, Ganieva seeks to address nationalism, Orthodox religiosity, sexuality, and political corruption. Suffused with a light touch and at times rollicking sense of humor, this timely, entertaining and thought-provoking novel can be read as an allegory for the current political, social, religious, and cultural climate in Russia today.

Runner-up for 2015 Russian Booker Prize. From one of the most exciting voices in modern Russian literature, Alisa Ganieva, comes Bride and Groom, the tumultuous love story of two young city-dwellers who meet when they return home to their families in rural Dagestan. When traditional family expectations and increasing religious and cultural tension threaten to shatter their bond, Marat and Patya struggle to overcome obstacles determined to keep them apart, while fate seems destined to keep them together—until the very end. Alisa Ganieva (b. 1985) grew up in Makhachkala, Dagestan. Her literary debut, the novella Salam, Dalgat!, published under a male pseudonym, won the prestigious Debut Prize in 2009. Her debut novel, The Mountain and the Wall (Deep Vellum, 2015) was shortlisted for all of Russia's major literary awards and has been translated into seven languages. Bride and Groom is her second novel, and was shortlisted for the 2015 Russian Booker Prize upon its publication in Russia. Ganieva currently lives in Moscow, where she works as a journalist and literary critic. Dr. Carol Apollonio is Professor of the Practice of Russian at Duke University. Her most recent literary translations include Alisa Ganieva's debut novel, The Mountain and the Wall (Deep Vellum, 2015). She was awarded the Russian Ministry of Culture's Chekhov Medal in 2010, and she currently serves as President of the North American Dostoevsky Society.

Alisa Ganieva

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