Fragments from a Doctor's Diary by Hasan Kurti
SYNOPSIS
On that wintry night of 2013, when my father gave me his diary, I never knew that I would go on to read and reread it many times over the years. I left it in my study room, with the hope that one day it would inspire me to write a book.In February 2014, when my father suffered a stroke that deprived him of what most united us, the word, I felt alone, angry and betrayed by life. I could no longer talk with the only person who knew how to listen to me and give me valuable advice. I could no longer share with him my literary projects of the present and of the future.
The quotes and aphorisms in the following pages are taken from the diary of my father and from the book “The memories of a doctor”. They show my father’s testimony, his will and perseverance, his courage to live life and smile until his last breath, despite the many adversities that waylaid him.On every paragraph, on every line and word, I have heard his voice. I hope you can hear it too!
BIOGRAPHY
HASAN KURTI was born in the city of Elbasan, Albania. He was left an orphan at an early age. His childhood, filled with poverty and disease, awakened in him the desire to become a doctor and help the weakest and the most unfortunate sections of the society. He retired in 1993 and in June 1995, he moved with his family to Tirana. Then, in 2006, he moved with his wife to Italy to live with their daughters.He was an avid reader of classical and modern literature, passing on this passion to his daughter, the poet and writer Irma Kurti. He played a fundamental role in encouraging and supporting her early and later creative writing pursuits.
After the death of his wife in 2006, he dedicated himself to writing memoirs of his life as well as his work as a doctor. In February 2014, he handed over to his daughter, a diary with excerpts from his work and life; the story of an orphaned child abandoned by fate but gifted with an extraordinary will to realize his dream of becoming a doctor.He passed away on April 19, 2018 in Bergamo, Italy. Fragments of his memories have been published and translated into Albanian, Italian, English and French.