Episode 17: The most famous Uzbek writer few in Uzbekistan have heard of

This week, we’re talking to Uzbekistan’s most prominent writer, Hamid Ismailov. He is a longtime BBC and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist, and the author of numerous works of fiction and poetry in several languages. He is the recipient of the EBRD Literature Prize for his novel The Devils’ Dance – sometimes called “an Uzbek Game of Thrones.” His latest novel, We Computers, has been the finalist of the 2025 National Book Award for Translated Literature, one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the U.S. Get full access to Turan Tales at turantales.substack.com/subscribe