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Ag Apolloni

アグ・アポロニ

Ag Apolloni

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1982-06-13 （Kaçanik, Kosovo）
Nationality
Kosovar, Albanian
Languages
Albanian
Residence History
Kaçanik (birthplace) → Pristina (education and professional activity) → Vienna (creative residence) → Debrecen (writing residency) → Bucharest (writing residency) → Prague (visiting lectures) → Cambridge, MA (visiting scholar)

Career

Occupations
novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, scholar, professor, journalist, editor
Active Years
2003-
Influenced By
Ismail Kadare, Rexhep Qosja

Education

University of Prishtina
Humanities (Dramaturgy and Literature) / Dramaturgy and Literature
Degree: 学士
Period: 2001–2005
Year of Graduation: 2005
Country: Kosovo
Completed undergraduate studies in Dramaturgy and Literature
University of Prishtina
Humanities (Philological Sciences) / Philology
Degree: 修士（フィロロジー）
Period: 2006–2008
Year of Graduation: 2008
Country: Kosovo
Master of Philological Sciences
University of Prishtina
Humanities (Philological Sciences) / Philology
Degree: 博士（フィロロジー）
Period: 2009–2012
Year of Graduation: 2012
Country: Kosovo
Doctor of Philological Sciences

Awards

Katarina Josipi Drama Award
2017
Work: Hamlet according to Horatio
Organization: unknown
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Howl of the Wolf

2013 Novel (modern/experimental)

A multilayered narrative exploring relations between the living and the dead, blending despair, fury and moments of humor, with references to music, painting, film and theatre across several countries.

life and deathmemoryhistory
Translations
  • Macedonian, Czech, Montenegrin

Zazen

2014 Novel (social/philosophical)

Based on a young Kosovar's real-life experience returning after philosophy studies abroad, it deals with social rejection, alienation and the clash between idealism and reality.

alienationidealismpolitical and social issues

Glimmer of Hope, Glimmer of Flame

2020 Documentary-style novel

A documentary-style narrative centered on two women from Gjakova affected by the aftermath of the 1999 war, exploring motherhood, loss and the consequences of conflict.

war memorymotherhoodloss
Translations
  • Translated into Dutch

Red Riding Hood: Fairytale for Grown Ups

2022 Semi-documentary novel

A semi-documentary reimagining of Red Riding Hood that blends prose, poetry and drama with documentary materials and intermedia elements.

reinterpretation of fairy talesmemory and historysocial critique

If I Were a Devil

2024 Autofiction

An autofiction centered on a love story and the author's connections to Vienna and Bucharest, intertextually referencing classical works and blues music.

autobiographical elementsliterary intertextualitylove

Zomb

2009 Poetry collection

A diary-like collection of 100 poems exploring erotic themes and drawing on musical, cinematic and religious references.

eroticismreligious referencescross-cultural motifs

Bibliography

  • The Howl of the Wolf (2013)
  • Zazen (2014)
  • Glimmer of Hope, Glimmer of Flame (2020)
  • Red Riding Hood: Fairytale for Grown Ups (2022)
  • If I Were a Devil (2024)
  • Zomb (2009)
  • The Sandals of Seneca (2020)
  • The Rhetoric of Silence (2021)
  • Notes from the Cave (2023)
  • The Story of an Eyes Collector, Halloween, Judith, Mat (2010, plays)
  • Hamlet according to Horatio (2017)
  • Skanderbeg: Marlowe's Manuscript (2018)
  • Postmodern Parable (2010)
  • The Paradigm of Proteus (2012)
  • Konitza's Suitcase (2016)
  • Commentum (2019)
  • My Middle Age(s) (2019)
  • Prague Preachings: Ten Lectures on World Literature (2025)

Translations of Works

  • The Howl of the Wolf: translated into Macedonian, Czech, Montenegrin
  • Glimmer of Hope, Glimmer of Flame: translated into Dutch

Style & Themes

Literary Style
philosophical and speculative styleexperimental and hybrid (mixing prose, poetry and drama)critical and historically probing
Recurring Motifs
examination of history and memorycritical view of politics and societymotherhood and lossreferences to classical works

Legacy

Ag Apolloni is regarded as one of the notable contemporary writers from the Kosovar Albanian sphere, recognized for dramatic intensity, philosophical inquiry and critical engagement with history and politics; his works have gained international translations and recognition.

Trivia

  • Granted Albanian citizenship in 2020.
  • Reactivated the oldest Kosovar literary journal Jeta e Re in 2010 and served as its director for several years.
  • Founded the cultural journal Symbol in 2013 and led it from 2013 to 2023.
  • Founded and ran publishing houses OM (2012–2019) and Bard Books (2019–2024).