Gjuha : Anglisht
"Here and There", between America and Albania, is the first book of Elona Guxholli Kola, displayed at the stand of Publishing House "Neraida" in the book fair of November 2021, in Tirana. The life in these two countries and cultures, two different worlds in many aspects and the understanding of concepts and human values such as freedom, individualism and collectivism, giving and receiving, etc., are brought to us beautifully written with an elegant style from the author.
This is Elona's angle of main concepts and traits perceived by her while living in the US: the individual life in the community, moving, life's journey and its flavor, happiness and love. wellbeing and the audacity to speak up. It is about Albanians in America and Americans in Albania, the entrepreneurial spirit and addictions, time and money, friendship and patience, patriotism and the citizen pride in all of us. The author passionately narrates with a rich and unforgettable voice the story of the modern concerns of worldly citizens living in a foreign country. Through compassionate yet funny personal examples, she has described the difficult process of expanding horizons and adapting to larger dimensions through integration, overcoming language barriers, getting involved and making friends, raising children, working, studying. The book aims to give a complete picture of the best human values, wherever they are, West or East. Through gentle and slightly analytical research of historical figures mixed with recommended movies to illustrate her opinions, she puts socio-cultural values side by side and combines them with her observations, giving us a very interesting and relative perspective. She also taps upon some of the deepest, most controversial issues without sugarcoating human errors and social wounds. With wit and humor, the author shares the sheer delight of new discoveries of food, travel, music, and her newfound love for spicing up the tradition with the modern touch while living The Best of Both Worlds.
Panorama newspaper, November 2021
First Edition Sold Out
Elona G. Kola is an Albanian-American who has split her time between the two countries. She has demonstrated a great interest as a freelance writer and researcher of socio-cultural topics and anthropology, and she has published articles about social issues and economy in lifestyle and business magazines. She has an extended experience as an interpreter, a linguistic consultant and editor in both languages, and she has worked on numerous civic, educational and governmental assignments for the US Department of State and the Albanian Government. Her education and background is in finance, accounting and banking, and during the last decade she has taught graduate and postgraduate subjects on financial analysis, human resources, management and leadership. "Here and There" is her first book.
