RB talks to Will Buckingham – author of The Descent of the Lyre, a newly released English-language novel set in 19th century Bulgaria
It is hardly a frequent occurrence on the world book market to see the release of an English-language novel set in Bulgaria. Coupled with the fact that we are talking about a story set against the backdrop of 19th-century Bulgaria with the main protagonist being a bandit who takes up playing the guitar in his personal quest for redemption on a journey that starts in the legendary home of Orpheus, the Rhodopean village of Gela, and takes him across Vienna to Paris – then this seems like a really thrilling reading material. Bulgaria still under the Ottoman Oppression in the early 19th century, the bustling European capitals of Austria and France and a guitar, an instrument quite uncharacteristic of Bulgarian lands at that time – these are only some of insights into the content of The Descent of the Lyre, a novel which has already been released in the UK and has an imminent release in the US.
Its author, British writer and university lecturer Will Buckingham, travelled extensively throughout Bulgaria in a bid to add authenticity to his story. Back in 2007, Will traveled overland with his classical guitar, immersing himself in Bulgarian music, folklore and history. Five years later, we see the completed volume where the reinvention of the myth of Orpheus, the legends of Bulgarian lands and the music of the Occident and the Orient blend into a fairytale story of revenge, sainthood and music.
In an interview given especially for Radio Bulgaria, Will Buckingham talks to RB’s Rossitsa Petcova about how the idea for this novel came to life, why he decided to set it nowhere else but in Bulgaria, about his trips to this country, and ultimately about storytelling and creative writing as a process and pursuit.
You could also visit Will’s blog at the http://themyriadthings.com/ where he shares some of his experiences in Bulgaria in more detail in several blogs.
Photos: courtesy to Will Buckingham
