Aesopian Literary Dimensions of Azerbaijani Literature of the Soviet Period, 1920-1990

Book excerpt: Aesopian Literary Dimensions analyzes the evolution of national thinking in Azerbaijani literature from 1920 to 1990. It traces the history of literary trends and methodological patterns--particularly the clandestine means and methods of expression in national literature--in Azerbaijani literature. Maliheh Tyrrell has fashioned a unique book that uncovers the ways national Azerbaijani thinking outwardly adapted itself to the themes and political strategies of the dominant Soviet ideology. The work reveals and discusses the range of literary techniques, ranging from nonverbal visual methods to symbolic themes, employed by Azerbaijani authors to refute the official optimism of Soviet propaganda and communicate a distinct sense of Azerbaijani "otherness."