Unlocking the Door (Cezanne, 2017)

For centuries Georgia has stood at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Russia and the Middle East, often invaded but retaining a proud independence and its unique language. A fiercely passionate nation, Georgia’s distinctive culture is reflected in its writing and its theatre (as well as its architecture and increasingly well-known cuisine).

This book contains short stories and plays from the last sixty years, which we hope will unlock the door to modern Georgian literature and provide a glimpse of the treasures within. All are printed in the original Georgian and in English translations by students at the University of Oxford. The pieces will be value to those in Georgia studying English and those elsewhere learning Georgian, as well as lovers of fine writing everywhere.

Erlom Akhvlediani – translated by Ollie Matthews and Clifford Marcus

Guram Rcheulishvili – translated by Alex MacFarlane, Ollie Matthews, and Walker Thomson

Lasha Tabukashvili – translated by Emily Tamkin

Aka Morchiladze – translated by Geoffrey Gosby and Walker Thompson 

Available both in Georgia (via Prosperos Books) and in the UK, at branches of Blackwell’s, Waterstones, Foyles, and Daunts, and on Amazon.