By David Keyworth
I do not have any immediate plans to travel to Mongolia, but if I did, I would not refer to this fictional guide/novella.
This is not a criticism of Svetislav Basara’s book. It does not set out to be a conventional volume of any kind. Instead, its 117 pages are concerned with the metaphysical ramblings and the “reality-dream dichotomy” of the punningly-named narrator, Ulan-Bator.
‘The Mongolian Travel Guide’ was first published in 1998 and it is dedicated to the victims of Sarajevo. Its absurdist style must in part be a response to the chaos of the breakup of Yugoslavia and the carnage of the Balkan Wars (1991 – 1999).
Despite its theological and philosophical preoccupations, the prose style is enjoyable. I cannot vouch for how it reads in the original Serbian, but in Randall A. Major’s translation, the sentences are short and sharp.
Humour comes in the form of bathos. A matter-of-fact pay off always undercuts the existential agonising. “Cupidity and video recorders have completely ruined the world,” comments Luke, a priest, in conversation with our narrator.
Despite the economy of the prose style, my attention often wandered. The intellectual ramblings are stimulating, but intriguing characters tend to come and go before we get to know them. In this sense, the book is perhaps too faithful to the transitory experience of being a tourist.
Overall, I was happy to follow the intoxicated narrator (“I mercilessly destroy myself with alcohol”), down the literary route he chose. But sometimes his lengthy detours tested my patience.
Feature Image: Press “It’s important to find your people. Don’t feel like you have to find this incredible producer or person who’s going to give you loads of money and change your life” says Lauerence Tratalos, one-half of the Northern duo responsible for Misper; a feature debut for director Harry Sheriff and script writer Tratalos….
Featured image and gallery: Lucy Elson-Whittaker Fuel Café Bar in Withington hosts the fifth stop of six-piece band Ignoring Izzy’s ‘Motorway Musk’ tour, following the release of their debut single. The room buzzes with the promise of chaos, and possibly a few flying vegetables. Opening the night is Manchester-based Leucotome, a witch-folk trio blending soft,…
Featured image and gallery: Sub Khan Opening the night, Gabrielle eases the Co-op Live crowd into the spectacular night ahead. There’s no need for spectacle, her presence alone is enough with her deep vocals echoing around the arena. A performance rooted in control and feeling, each song reveals a different shade of her understated command. Operating…
Featured image and gallery: Sam Holmes Formed in Belfast in 2019, Chalk have already made a name for themselves. From support slots for Fontaines D.C., IDLES and Sprints, to taking to the stage at SXSW earlier this year, the band’s growth has been rapid and shows no signs of stopping. Touring their debut album Crystalpunk,…
Leave a reply