On April 23, the presentation of Eldar Ahadov’s book “Xarıbülbül” (“Xary-bulbul”), written in poems in the form of a dastan in the Azerbaijani and Russian languages, took place at the Russian House in Baku. The publication of the book is dedicated to the centenary of the national leader of Azerbaijan – Heydar Aliyev. The book tells about the 1500-year history of the formation of the Azerbaijani people, about the most prominent rulers, poets, architects, doctors, scientists, musicians and composers, artists, and defenders of the great Land of Fire, as Azerbaijan was called in ancient times. The book is a reminder to readers of those people, thanks to whom the country gained the respect of the whole world. The book was published by the Azerbaijani publishing house “Şərg – Qərb”, the author is an honorary member of the Writers’ Union of Azerbaijan and a member of the Writers’ Union of Russia Eldar Ahadov. The book was illustrated by the paintings of prominent Azerbaijani artists: Hussein Aliyev, Eldar Babazade, Sattar Bahlulzade, Togrul Narimanbekov, and Tahir Salahov. The translation into Azerbaijani was carried out by the poet-translator Alviz Aliyev. The main sponsors of the publication were the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner Bakhtiyar Sirajov and VTB-Azerbaijan Bank. The event was preceded by Marina Mursalova’s interview with Eldar Ahadov “The country of my love is Azerbaijan!” in the magazine “Baku is”. And right on the day of the presentation, in about an hour and a half, a video recording of the 67th edition of the “Editor’s Column” was held with the professor and editor of the journal “Russian Language and Literature in Azerbaijan” Flora Naji, dedicated to the work of Eldar Ahadov…
There were no empty seats in the hall. Among those present were the organizer of the youth poetry project Lala Hasanova, poets Saida Subkhi, Sahib Mammadov, Rufina Abdullayeva, writer and poetess Lala Umud, Siddig Ashimli, and dozens of Baku lovers of literature. The participants of the event were shown music videos dedicated to dance compositions based on Eldar Ahadov’s poems performed by the Azerbaijani folk ensemble “Odlar Yurdu”, founded in the Krasnoyarsk Territory more than a decade and a half ago. Then young artists of the children’s theater “Gunay” performed in front of the audience with a literary and musical composition based on the verses of the dastan “Xarıbülbül”.
Eldar Babazade, the author of some of the paintings published in the publication, shared his impressions about the book and its author with those present. Sevil Ismailova, director of the publishing house “Şərg – Qərb”, who had just returned from the London Book Fair, spoke. The author of the translation of the dastan into Azerbaijani poet-translator Alviz Aliyev, head of the children’s theater “Gunay” Larisa Tarusova, representative of the news agency www.bakuinform.az Larisa Jevanshir, psychotherapist Afag Babayeva, a childhood friend of the author and one of the sponsors of the book addressed the audience with warm words about the book. Gleb Falaleev. Flora Naji, professor of the Baku Slavic University, and editor-in-chief of the journal RYALA – “Russian Language and Literature in Azerbaijan” made a small but very sincere speech. The event ended with an autograph session of the author of the book.
“Xarıbülbül. Azərbaycan dastanı”/”Xary-bulbul. Azerbaijani dastan”. Poetry. Bilingual – Azerbaijani and Russian / author – Eldar Ahadov; designer Nurlan Nakhmetov; Azeri translator. Alviz Aliyev, artists: Huseyn Aliyev, Eldar Babazade, Sattar Bahlulzade, Togrul Narimanbekov, Tahir Salahov, Baku: “Şərg – Qərb” publishing house, 2023. – 100 pages, hardcover, color illustrations. – 500 copies. ISBN 978-9952-567-33-5
P.S.
Simultaneously with the publication in Azerbaijan, the book was published in Russia. In Krasnoyarsk, the book was published by the Offset publishing house, which had just been declared the winner of the Krasnoyarsk Territory competition “Book of the Year – 2022” for publishing another book by Eldar Akhadov – “The Same Nansen!” Dedicated to Siberia and the Far North. The Krasnoyarsk edition was sponsored by the local construction company Intrinity Group.
