Mikhail Gigolashvili
Genres
Contemporary Fiction
Biography
Mikhail Gigolashvili studied Russian Philology at Tbilisi University, and later in Leningrad, Russia, before obtaining his doctorate in 1984. In 1991 he published a study titled Dostoevsky Storytellers and a number of articles relating to foreign influences in Russian literature.
In 1991 he moved to Saarbriicken, Germany, where he teaches Russian at the University of the Saarland.
Gigolashvili is widely published in Russian and international periodicals. In addition to a collection of his writings published as Cryptography in 2007, he is the author of two novels, The Interpreter (2003) and The Devil’s Wheel (2009).
The Interpreter is both a black comedy about a European liberal in a state of marasmus and a masterfully written affirmation of heroes, the former Soviet people. Gigolashvili utilizes an interpreter as the narrator of the novel, who tells the stories of these new 'dead souls' trying to gain asylum in Germany. His brave asylum seekers swap stories with each other, stories that are either scary or funny, but where it is impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood. The background to each story is a broader, scatological picture of the collapse of the empire that existed under the name 'The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics'.
The Devil’s Wheel, the author’s second novel, is a requiem for the Soviet Union. It is an expertly constructed novel densely populated with perestroika-era characters, focusing on heroin addicts and corrupt cops in Tbilisi, Georgia. Though the action takes place over a relatively short period in 1987, Gigolashvili fills his book with so many storylines and vivid details that it becomes a voyeuristic epic about drug addiction as a way of life. The Devil’s Wheel is an exceptionally readable novel that combines suspense, social commentary and lifelike characters in the Russian literary tradition.
The Devil's Wheel was shortlisted for the Big Book Prize in 2010 and was amongst the winning titiles of the Readers' Vote of the award.
Gigolashvili’s prose is both expressive and flexible. Its distinctive features are a discerning eye, a sharpness of plot, and a masterly ability to create lively characters. Calling on his vast life experience, the author both loves and pities his characters. He is able to depict life not only as it is lived today, but also during different ages and in different nations. His work possesses compassion and humanity and is firmly rooted in the basic values of the Russian classics.
Prizes and awards
| 2010 | Shortlisted for the Big Book Prize (The Devil's Wheel / Чертово Колесо) |
| 2010 | Prize Winner of the Big Book Readers' Vote (The Devil's Wheel / Чертово Колесо) |
Books
- The Devil's Wheel, 2009
- Cryptography, 2007
- The Interpreter, 2003
- Judea, 1978