RADIO: James Hopkin - A Georgian Trilogy (bbc.co.uk)

(bbc.co.uk) Short stories by James Hopkin, inspired by his travels in Georgia in autumn 2008 

"As well as a new story, Jonke's Schnitzel, going out on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 28 December at 7-45pm as part of the station's Vienna season, there's also a chance to catch my Georgian Trilogy again on BBC Radio 4 Extra. Each part of the trilogy goes out three times a day. A Peacock in Sulphur (about the painter, Pirosmani) on Christmas Eve at 11am, 9pm, and, er, 4am. The Wurst Express from Kakheti on Christmas Day at the same times. Likewise, 3 times on Boxing Day, The Soul is Missing Fairy Tales! (a line from a poem by Galaktion Tabidze ) I mean, what else are you gonna be doing? " (James Hopkin)




On demand
This programme will be available shortly after broadcast 

Episode guide
  A Peacock in Sulphur
James Hopkin - A Georgian Trilogy Episode 1 of 3
Boxing Day 2014 11:00 BBC Radio 4 Extra
The first of three specially commissioned stories by James Hopkin. Niko Pirosmani was one of Georgia's greatest artists, but was it his art that killed him?
Read by Allan Corduner
Producer:Rosalynd Ward
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4.

The Wurst Express From Kakheti
James Hopkin - A Georgian Trilogy Episode 2 of 3
Christmas Day 2014 11:00 BBC Radio 4 Extra
The second of three specially commissioned stories by James Hopkin, inspired by his travels in Georgia.
It is summer 2008 and an impoverished Georgian poet is living in Berlin for three months. He is not expecting to hear shattering news from his homeland.
Read by Tom Goodman-Hill.

The Soul Is Missing Fairy Tales!
James Hopkin - A Georgian Trilogy Episode 3 of 3
Christmas Eve 2014 11:00 BBC Radio 4 Extra
The third of three specially commissioned stories by James Hopkin, inspired by his travels in Georgia in Autumn 2008.
A tour bus of journalists, writers and artists breaks down on the infamous military highway from Vladikavkaz to Tbilisi. It is only nine days since the Russian army withdrew from parts of Georgia, but there are rumours of a return.
Read by Ben Miles.

RADIO TODAY: A Georgian Trilogy - A Peacock in Sulphur. By James Hopkin (bbc.co.uk)

 

(bbc.co.uk) The first of three specially commissioned stories by James Hopkin. Niko Pirosmani was one of Georgia's greatest artists, but was it his art that killed him?

Read by Allan Corduner

Producer:Rosalynd Ward
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4

Duration: 15 minutes 
First broadcast: Sunday 07 October 2012 / 00:30 BBC Radio 4 

 

CALL: Stories & Essays On Your Life Experiences Here In Georgia

Tatjana Montik would like to publishing a book about Georgia ... please send her articles for her project or made contacts for this ...

Dear megobarebo,

who of you is interested to contribute your stories/essays on your life experiences here in Georgia?

I am working on a book project, where expats share their attitudes and life experiences about living here.

Possible topics could be as follows:

• Certain aspects of life in Georgia (eating and drinking habits, special events like weddings, funerals and holidays; friendships, marriages, divorces, etc.),

• Certain places the author has visited, which were a special and unforgettable experience,

• Certain specific situations of daily life, which the author experienced and which was funny/sad/strange due to cultural differences between the author and his/hers Georgian counterparts.

Rechts: Tatjana Montik

I am sure lots of you have already written something on it, even if it was only for your friends or family members.

Please don’t hesitate to forward your stories. I am convinced that Georgia needs book (or maybe even more?) like this.

I am also looking for a good translator from Russian into English to work on this project. Unfortunately this job can be paid only after I find some sponsors to support this project. In order to do so I need some more sample stories in addition to those I already have.

Hoping to get your responds very soon,

Tatiana Montik 

Contact: post@montik.de

Internet: www.montik.de

PHOTOSTORY: Documenting the Chechen Struggles (lens.blogs.nytimes.com)

After suicide bombers set off two huge explosions, killing dozens in the Moscow subway system last week, attention turned toward Chechnya — the troubled republic in North Caucasus where the Russian government has sought to suppress a violent Muslim uprising since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The Italian photographer Davide Monteleone has been working there extensively this year, pursuing a project that documents Muslim life and the struggle for stability as the Russian government tries to stamp out the remnants of a war that has continued for nearly 15 years. Based in Rome and Moscow, Mr. Monteleone, 35, is represented by Contrasto.


full article >>>

Meet Oleg Khintsagov, a small-time hustler in Russia who can get you dried fish, furs, Turkish chandeliers … and weapons-grade uranium. He’s not the only one.

by Lawrence Scott Sheets
A Smuggler’s Story
On the morning of January 31, 2006, Oleg Vladimirovich Khintsagov, a slightly built, 49-year-old auto mechanic, got out of bed in the ramshackle house he shared with relatives in Nogir, a working-class-village-turned-suburb just a few miles inside Russia’s border with ex-Soviet Georgia. It was still early, the first light shimmering off the fresh snow atop the peaks of the nearby Caucasus Mountains.

more about Uranium-Smuggling >>>

Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/

PHOTOGRAPHY: Photo journale and photo stories around the world

photojournale

Azerbaijan (10) Azerbaijan is one of the 15 republics that had once formed Soviet Union and that became independent states in 1991. This country is located in the South Caucasus mountains and on the Caspian sea, bordering with Iran, Russia, Georgia, and Armenia. Majority of the population here is ethnic Azeris, second largest ethnic group still being Russians even though a large number of ethnic Russians left the country as the Soviet Union was nearing its collapse.Photo series from Russian photographer Petr Antonov

Georgia; A Tushetian Summer Village Festival (15) new Hidden between massive mountains tops of the Caucasus lies the mysterious Georgian province, Tusheti. There is no electricity and to get there from the “civilised” world it will take a 4wd car up to 6 hours.. Nowadays most of the people don’t live here anymore, but during summertime people come back and celebrate the tushetian traditions. This photosersies has been made in summer 2006 during the Parsma village fest.Photography by Dutch photographer Jeroen Leonhard.

Homepage: http://photojournale.bladepicturecompany.com/index.php

Caucasus Stories

by Alex Smailes

The cradle of civilisation, the breadbasket of the Soviet Union, even the location where Noah's Ark was supposed to have ground to a halt. These are some of the phrases used to describe the Caucasus region. In reality, this is one of Europe's most fragile but strategic melting points.

the full text:
http://www.ce-review.org/01/2/smailes2.html
(Central Europe Review)