Writer Ben Blushi has dedicated his latest book, “Crazy Stories of Tirana,” a journey into the past of the Albanian capital, bringing to attention the characters, events and stories that have marked the city’s development over the centuries.
Invited to News24, Blushi said the impulse to write this book came from his personal connection with Tirana, the city where he was born, but also from the conviction that its history has not yet been told as it should be. “There are fewer books about Tirana than about other European cities. There is a great archival darkness, almost 300 years that are dark,” Blushi said, stressing the importance of filling this historical gap.
Through this publication, he aims to give readers a panorama of Tirana’s transformation, from an Ottoman village to the capital we know today. A journey that begins with the founding of the city, linked to the name of Sulejman Pasha Bargjini in 1614, and continues through the people who contributed to shaping it. “The book is written like a Netflix series. I have tried to structure it, since we face the stress that people read very little, and I have little time,” he said during the interview.
Blushi also spoke about the personal relationship he builds with the characters of his books, adding his characteristic humor to the process. He said his new books have often cost him friendships, especially when they include people who are still alive. “Every time I have one of these, I lose a friend. I hope I don’t lose another friend,” the writer confided.
Speaking about the characters included in the book, he added ironically that being part of his stories means either being crazy or being dead, noting that the well-known figures mentioned in the book are no longer alive.