The Book of Tbilisi: A City in Short Fiction (Reading the City)

Tbilisi is the largest city and capital of Georgia, with a population of more than 1.5 million people. Situated at the boundary between Europe and Asia, this fiercely independent city is home to different ethnic groups and languages, having been fought over by rival empires and powers for centuries. This complex history of foreign dominance and independence struggles, its mixture of orthodox Christianity with Arabic and Turkish influences, and its completely unique language and script, are all reflected in the literary voices emerging from the city, just as its architecture displays an enigmatic mix of Middle Eastern, Art Nouveau, Stalinist ambition and Modernism.