Dictionary of the Khazars
Milorad PavićWhat if the history of a lost people could only be reconstructed through dreams and conflicting dictionaries?
Dictionary of the Khazars is Milorad Pavić’s masterpiece, a lexicon-novel that defies traditional storytelling. Published in 1984, it reconstructs the history of the semi-mythical Khazar people, who vanished after a historic religious conversion event. The novel offers three contradictory accounts—Christian, Islamic, and Jewish—allowing the reader to choose their own path through the book.
Blending historical fact with magical realism, Pavić creates a labyrinth of interconnected entries, dreams, and myths. This "Androgynous Edition" unifies the previously separate Male and Female versions, offering a unique, non-linear reading experience that challenges the very nature of truth, time, and identity.
Hailed as the "first novel of the 21st century," it remains a profound exploration of how we record the past and how stories shape reality.
