The Time of Light - Softcover

Framed by the 9-day Nagorno-Karabakh conflict of 1994, "The Time of Light" is skilfully weaved from historical narration and tales - tales of war and tales of women - as two men talk. Markus, a former German soldier devastated by the outbreak of this new war, seeks atonement from an Armenian priest for his part in the Nazi invasion of Russia. Captured at the Battle of Stalingrad, Markus never returned to Germany, but tried instead to work out his destiny in the country and among the people he feels he has desecrated. His two boyhood friends who fought with him and survive the battle follow different paths, but Markus turns his back on everything, including his wife and son, who ultimately goes in search of his vanished father. Clear-eyed about the savagery of war, harrowing in its evocation of emotion, the novel has much to tell us in the wake of the Rwandan and Kosovan tragedies.

Gunnar Kopperud was born in 1946 and studied theatre in Strasbourg and at RADA in London. He also has a Masters degree in Philosophy from the University of Oslo. He has worked as journalist for ASSOCIATED PRESS and the leading Norwegian daily paper, DAGBLADET. He has spent the last few years mainly in Africa, winning acclaim and respect as a fearless and insightful reporter. He lives in Norway. Tiina Nunnally is the prize-winning translator of SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW.