It is the life confession of a man who, like so many millions of Yugoslavs, lost his homeland with the war and the disintegration of the country. Through telling his own life, he tries to give his own destiny some framework and some meaning. On the one hand, the story is concrete and unique, but on the other, it seems to me, easy for empathetic identification.
This is how the writer, translator and publicist describes his book "A tin coffin for Zejna Zaimović" at the beginning of the interview for "Vijesti". Muharem Bazdulj. He presented the new book as part of the Regional Festival of Books and Writers BOOKA 2024. Bazdulj believes that literary meetings, such as BOOKA, are useful. Bazdul's book "The Tin Coffin for Zejna Zaimović" was shortlisted for the 71st Nino Award for Novel of the Year.
"All manifestations that organize this form of event where the writer meets the readers have their own useful function," he explains.
The book he presented deals with a topic that the Balkans understand. That peninsula is a place where history and fiction often intertwine. Nevertheless, Bazdulj finds this phenomenon inspiring and in the literary sense it does not frustrate him at all.
"The Balkans is like a godsend for literature. If some things, which are pejoratively described as "Balkan" sometimes annoy me, it is more in everyday life than in the context of literature", says the writer.
Bazdulj reveals where he gets his inspiration for writing, talks about public engagement through journalism, the themes that pervade his work, the regional literary scene...
"I like reasoned criticism. Unfortunately, in our region there is too often much more ad hominem criticism"
Your literary oeuvre is diverse and includes novels, essays, stories and columns. How do you choose the topics to cover? Are they more the result of momentary inspiration or a deeper reflection on current social and cultural issues?
Both, with the fact that what you call immediate inspiration is probably also the result of careful subconscious consideration of a phenomenon that then, seemingly suddenly, emerges before consciousness. As in that joke of the young man Hemingway: all topics appear first gradually and then all at once.
Many of your texts touch on issues of identity and borders, both personal and geographical. Do these motives still fascinate you or do you see your interests changing?
Some topics remain constantly present, some change, some have a changing perspective.
Have the audience's reactions to your texts, whether literary or journalistic, ever changed your view of the topic you were dealing with?
I don't think so. I can't remember, at least at the moment.
Your writing style is often described as a blend of elegance and simplicity. Which authors had the most influence on your formation as a writer?
There are many of them: Andrić, Kiš, Oster, Encensberger, Emanuel Karer, Ismail Kadare...
Your characters often carry universal messages through local stories. Do you think that the literature from this area is still insufficiently recognized in that universal sense?
It's hard to be realistic here. Compared to cultures with an approximate number of speakers of the same language, we are neither the best nor the worst, so to speak. It is somewhat paradoxical, but in today's generation there are probably more translations into major foreign languages than in the time of Yugoslavia. It sounds cynical, but it's more of a state, so each can "push" some of "its" writers, and some still "break through" on their own. So there is certainly room for even greater affirmation, but one should not necessarily lament too much.
What do you think about the literary scene in the region? Do you see moves towards greater mutual cooperation and affirmation of regional authors on a global level?
It seems to me that, unfortunately, it is too often some kind of program administrative item of "cross-border cooperation", but real meaningful cooperation and overlapping of scenes. There are exceptions, of course.
How do you perceive the reception of your works among readers in the Balkans, and how in a wider, international context?
I have a fairly large and dedicated audience in Serbia. It is very similar in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Croatia, in the last few years, I have not published books with local publishers, and they distribute books from Serbia less well, so it is possible that the interest there has decreased compared to some previous times. I also have quite a decent number of readers in Macedonia. Abroad, everything depends on the timing of the appearance of the translation. I have four or five books translated into English, so I have some reception in the USA and Great Britain. Two books appeared in German. The novel "Concert" did well in France last year. There were good reactions to certain books in Poland and Bulgaria as well. All this is pleasing, but again it seems to me that it is primarily written for the readers with whom we share the language.
Muharem Bazdulj's book "Tin Coffin for Zejna Zaimović" deals with a topic that the Balkans understand. That peninsula is a place where history and fiction often intertwine. However, Bazdulj finds this phenomenon inspiring and in the literary sense it does not frustrate him at all.
Do you have an ideal reader profile that you address when you write, or do you write primarily for yourself?
Listen, you can write for yourself, but it doesn't make much sense to publish for yourself. When I decide to publish a book, I certainly have some specific readers in mind, as well as some "photo-robot" people who like my literature.
Which book or text is your favorite and why? Is there anything you'd like to write but haven't had the chance yet?
It changes over time, but, for example, I like "Marzipan Doll". This is where, sometimes it seems to me, I managed to get the closest to what I imagined when I was folding the book in my mind. As for the second part of the question, there are new challenges, but for the sake of some superstition, let's not specify. Maybe in a few years there will be an opportunity to talk about that.
"I'm planning, if by God, as they say, to continue on the well-trodden paths, but also to try to blaze some new ones"
As a publicist, you are known for your sharp and analytical view of society and politics. How do you balance between literary art and public engagement through nonfiction?
They are two similar activities, but they do not mix too much. Just as you have writers who are university professors, and they write scientific articles and fiction from different registers, the same is true for writers, who are also publicists and journalists.
How much does nonfiction work help you shape your literary style? Are media texts perhaps your starting point for literary ideas?
As I said a moment ago, there is not much mixing there. What can happen is that, for example, when researching a journalistic topic, you accidentally come across a detail that is "potent" for literary use. That is, let's say, an example of some "help" you allude to.
Your essays and columns often stir up controversy. How do you react to criticism? Does it stimulate your creativity?
I love reasoned criticism. Unfortunately, there is too often much more ad hominem criticism in our region.
"The writer, as a person whom people trust, mediates his vision of social reality through political texts. I am neither a supporter of the government nor an opposition activist. In part of the Serbian public, there is a banal simplification that absolutely all social problems can be addressed to one single person. As soon as you try to nuance things from the edges of that spectrum, you will be accused of 'uncritical attitude' (...)"
You often comment on complex social topics. How do you see the role of a writer in a time of political and social turmoil? You are often attributed with an uncritical attitude towards the authorities in Serbia, especially towards President Vučić, how do you comment on that?
The writer, as a person whom people trust, mediates his vision of social reality through political texts. I am neither a supporter of the government nor an opposition activist. In part of the Serbian public, there is a banal simplification that absolutely all social problems can be addressed to one single person. As soon as you try to nuance things from the edges of that spectrum, you will be accused of "uncritical attitude". Anyone who is interested in my real position can easily find my texts and, for example, the demonstrations after the massacre at the "Vladislav Ribnikar" school last spring and the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad a month and a half ago, and see for themselves how supposedly "uncritical" these texts are. The same applies to my TV appearances on these and other topics.
Can you tell us about your current projects? Are you working on a new novel, collection of essays, or some other format?
I'm working on several things in parallel, but I wouldn't go into detail yet.
What are your ambitions for the future, both in literary and journalistic work? Do you have a desire to experiment with new genres or media?
I plan, if God, as they say, to continue on the well-trodden paths, but also to try to blaze some new ones.
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