Albanian Authors

Teodor LAÇO

Teodor Laço (b. 1936) from the village of Dardha near Korça established his reputation as a major prose writer of the socialist period with his novel Tokë e ashpër, Tirana 1971 (Rough land), which dealt with the collectivization of agriculture in mountain regions. The author was head of the 'New Albania' film studios and, after the fall of the dictatorship, became chairman of the Social-Democratic parliamentary group. He has since published about a dozen collections of short stories, five other novels and numerous plays. Laço's short stories, which are in general more effective than his novels, have appeared in: Portat e dashurisë, Tirana 1980 (The gates of love); Një ditë dhe një jetë, Tirana 1983 (A day and a life); Zemërimi i një njeriu të urtë, Tirana 1990 (The wrath of a sage man); Mozaik dashurish, Tirana 1998 (Mosaic of loves); and in English in A lyrical tale in winter, Tirana 1988.