Ismail Kadare, giant of Albanian literature, dies aged 88

His allegorical stories, informed by life under state communism, drew international praise but he insisted that he was not a political writer

Ismail Kadare, the Albanian writer who explored Balkan history and culture in poetry and fiction spanning more than 60 years, has died aged 88, his publisher has said.

Bujar Hudhri, Kadare’s editor at Tirana-based publishing house Onufri, said Kadare died on Monday after being rushed to hospital, with Reuters reporting the writer had suffered cardiac arrest.