Fourth-year Management student Ali Damirzade has published his second novel, a historical romance titled “Red Memories.”
Born in Azerbaijan, Ali began writing in his early teenage years and published his first novel at age 18. Written in Russian and titled “The History of Life,” the book brought him recognition in his country as a promising young writer. Ali’s second novel, written in English, was published last month by Demirons Books in his hometown of Baku.
Set in early 20th-century Azerbaijan, “Red Memories” tells the story of a young man, Azad, whose life takes an unexpected turn after he meets Benjamin, a visiting artist from New York who dreams of making it rich in the oil boom.
The two take an impulsive journey to the Azeri city of Ganja, where Azad falls in love with a dancer named Tutu while Benjamin, who seems suspiciously familiar with the city, pursues his ambitions. As the political situation in Azerbaijan deteriorates, all three characters are caught up in the ensuing whirlwind.