Born in 1977, was awarded the Best Novel prize for his first novel at the prestigious literary award SABA 2015. Soon after graduating from Tbilisi State University he went to Germany to study History and Philosophy in Munich at the Ludwig Maximilian University and then in Berlin at Humboldt University. After completing his studies Abo went backpacking through Europe, to explore and experience Europe’s actual culture and perception. In the early 2000s he returned to his native city and worked at various jobs. As an enthusiastic traveler and lover of history, he found his ideal job as a mountain guide, a profession that gave him a new opportunity to study the history of his own country in depth. Before taking tourists to the mountains, Abo always guides them around Tbilisi, where many diverse cultures – Georgian, Persian, German, Armenian, Greek, Russian, Kurd, Ottoman, Jewish – have collided and co-existed over the centuries: the city has always been a revelation for foreign travelers. In fact, Tbilisi has become the young author’s inspiration too: he began reviving old stories and chronicles about the capital and has drafted a cycle of novels about XIX century Tbilisi. Turkish March is Abo Iashaghashvili’s debut; published by Diogene Publishers in 2014, it was followed by a second novel, Royal Mary. The novels struck readers as so interesting and masterly that in 2015 both of them were nominated simultaneously in two categories, the best debut of the year and the best novel. Abo won the latter prize. Currently the author is working on a third novel from the same cycle; he also contributes to various literary journals and magazines, publishing short stories and articles.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Royal Mary, Diogene Publishing, 2014
• Turkish March, Diogene Publishing, 2014

LITERARY PRIZES AND AWARDS

• Literary award SABA 2015 in category the best novel for Royal Mary