Anima: A Wild Pastoral

Poet Kassabova’s (Elixir: In the Valley at the End of Time) fourth work set in the Balkans centers on nomadic Karakachan shepherds living in Orelek, near Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains. Kassabova recounts how she gained entrance to this pastoral yet threatened world via a wolf biologist and her husband. She richly depicts this remote place where Karakachan shepherds, or pastiri, breed ancient breeds of sheep and dogs. Accompanied by her guide, Sásho, Kassabova seeks to understand the people and the land, describing the shepherds’ everyday lives, which are increasingly imperiled by climate change, politics, and technological advancements in animal husbandry, breeding, and nutrition. Natalie Pela narrates, recreating tense moments such as when a horse is nearly lost in a storm and when Kassabova loses faith in her ability to wait and endure. Pela supplies evocative wolf calls and whistles, bringing Kassabova’s account of a rapidly disappearing world to life.