Having been a fierce supporter of Asturian language for many years I have to admit that I have read very few literature books in Asturian language (well, as in any other language, to be honest). This said, there are 3 books that I've really enjoyed: "Carretera ensin barru" more than 10 years ago... "Lluvia d'agostu" 2 years ago, and now "La colomina 36".
La colomina 36, by Nicolás Bardio, is a too short, amazing fiction, "un drole de livre". It's an uchronia in which Asturies in 1970 is one more (and far away) republic of the Soviet Union! The story follows Fabian, an Asturian KGB member in charge of watching the other dwellers of his 8 stories block in Mieres (the block number 36), hoping to find one enemy of the state among them. It makes me think mainly of the Stasi in Eastern Germany. The story is interesting, maybe slightly slow, but with a really superb ending, but the really amazing, exiting, delirious element of the book is the background, that Soviet Socialist Republic of Asturies (RSSA)!
Unfortunately the book does not explain in much detail how Asturies got to that status, but as we read the book some hints are provided. I would have preferred an intro of several pages explaining that alternate history, but indeed that would be material enough for a different (and longer) book, that I really hope the author has in mind. Indeed, he previously created a Role game "Depués d'Ochobre/After October" that describes that universe. If you can read Asturian, please visit that url, it's crazy!
I'll summarize here how Asturies seemed to manage to turn into a Soviet Republic and some of the details provided about normal life in that Republic:
The 1934 revolution succeded and, not having had an equivalent in the rest of Spain, Asturies ended up becoming an independent country. A country that would enter in the WWII in 1942 when Nazi Germany tried to invade it. There are references in the book to the Heros of both the Revolution and the War. After the war, Asturies decides to join the Soviet Union, with Stalin coming to Asturies to sign the adhesion pact. In an attack of inventive the author says that Moscovitas Rialto (a delicious almond paste produced in Uvieu) has its roots in that event!
As interesting as how Asturies got to that situation is how life for Asturians is. We learn that the Asturian population speaks both Asturian and Russian (in their own way :-), with their home libraries made up of Asturian books and Russian classics. There's a Russian stewardess living in the block that normally does the routes Asturies-Praga and Asturies-Moscú. One family in the building has one child studying in Moscú and another one in Leningrad. Mieres is the biggest city in Asturies, and the 2 main football teams are the Caudal Lokomotiv de Mieres and the CSKA Xixón :-D. Obviously, the Xixon harbor is an important Soviet naval base. Also, there are Spanish refugees that found shelter in Asturies after the Spanish Civil War... There are some more bits of life in Soviet Asturies over the book, but these are the main ones that come to my mind now.
If all the above is not enough, the book cover should for sure awake your interest.
And what to say about the flag and coat of arms taken from the Role game!
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