Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare, widely regarded as a Nobel Literature Prize contender, passed away at the age of 88 in Tirana after being rushed to the hospital. Kadare’s editor, Bujar Hudhri, confirmed that the author died on Monday morning following a cardiac arrest.
Kadare gained international recognition with his novel “The General of the Dead Army” in 1963 during Enver Hoxha’s communist regime in Albania. He later fled to France in 1990 before the fall of the regime. In recognition of his literary achievements, French President Emmanuel Macron awarded him the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor title during a visit to Tirana.
Kadare’s works spanned over 80 novels, plays, screenplays, poetry, essays and story collections and were translated into 45 languages earning him numerous international accolades. His passing marks an end to an era for Albanian literature and leaves a significant void in modern literature.