Albanian writer Ismail Kadare, the author of a major work under the communist regime of Enver Hoxha, passed away today, Monday, at the age of 88, as reported by the publishing house of his works and a hospital to the AFP agency. The management of Tirana Hospital announced that Kadare died of a heart attack, explaining that he arrived at the hospital "without any signs of life," and although doctors attempted to revive his heart, he "died around 6:40 AM GMT" (8:40 AM local time).
Ismail Kadare explored the myths and history of his country to challenge the mechanisms of totalitarianism as a global evil. Enver Hoxha ruled Albania for decades under a dictatorship considered one of the most isolated regimes in the world. In one of his recent interviews with AFP last October, the writer stated, "The communist hell, like any other hell, is suffocating. But in literature, it transforms into a life force, a force that helps you endure and overcome while holding your head high against dictatorship." Kadare, speaking from his home in Tirana at a time when his health was deteriorating, said, "Literature has given me everything I have today, it has given meaning to my life, the courage to resist, as well as happiness and hope to overcome hardships."
