Dimitar Kirilov is a former cellist for the Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra. He spends his days teaching music, shooting rifles for sport and restoring old furniture. He tells these stories out of a thick cloud of cigarette smoke... After having recovered from lung cancer.
As one of the few Bulgarians who could travel during the years of the Soviet Union, Dimitar's biography is woven through his unique political perspective. While his wife is sharing her food rations with the dog, he is playing in the most prestigious theatres around the world. The Soviet Union falls and Dimitar receives an offer to come to South Africa and play for Lucas Mangope, Bophuthatswana's famed leader. They accept. They remain resilient.
This collection of Kirilov family stories follows their patriarch to show how strong and deeply held ideals carry people through adversity. Family first! Along with militaristic musical training, of course. The illustrations look back at their family photographs with nostalgia and a sense of the surreal. Their belongings are rendered magical and Bulgaria's beautiful capitol city becomes a fantasy.
