Literature means ever moving in the opposite, forbidden direction: language, fiction and historical responsibility, according to Miljenko Jergović. Interview

Abstract

The following text consists of an interview with Bosnian-Croatian writer Miljenko Jergović, released after the Italian translation of his novel-memoir The Father (Otac, 2010) in November 2020. In addition to his father’s controversial life experiences, the author analyzes other recurring themes in his literary production: the usage of family memories as metaphors for national history, the adoption of a “hybrid” language as an opposition device against nationalist politics, and the constant intermingling between fiction and non-fiction.