The Last Night of Childhood

The unique style of Magsud Ibrahimbeyov is distinguished not only in the history of Azerbaijani cinematography but also in the stories written for children, well-known for the figurative and simple style of expression, sincere and realistic description of everyday life. These stories are memorable for their very bold way of expressing the structure, political and social situation of the time; in fact, they give a full picture of the difficulties of Soviet life, the lifestyle of the Soviet people. The hardships faced by people in oil-rich Baku, which played a major role in the home front during World War II, may seem childish at first glance, but they are described in the language of bitter truth. It is precisely for this reason the reader wants to reread these stories time and again, discovering a new detail each time. *** I received great pleasure from reading these stories. I was enchanted by the author and his feeling for all the subtleties of character and the child’s inner world. I am sure that many features of his heroes are peculiar to Magsud Ibrahimbeyov himself. And they prove that kindness and intellect always win. Be like children! Then the world will be kinder, life longer and every day uniquely magical. Leyla ALIYEVA Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation