Alamut by Vladimir Bartol
*Note: This was a term paper for a class. Decided to post it here because I don't know what grade the professor gave me. Introduction Alamut is a novel by the Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol. It was published in 1938 and the author dedicated it to Benito Mussolini as a form of sarcasm. The book chronicles the story of Hassan-i Sabbah and the forces of the Ismaili sect at Alamut fortress from which the title of the book was taken. The story has helped popularize the Hashshashin or the assassins. Its maxim is “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.” The book is also considered the most popular Slovenian novel. It was also said to be an allegory of the Revolutionary Organization of the Julian March TIGR, an anti-fascist group, and the Italian repression of the Slovene minority in Italy. Vladimir Bartol Bartol grew up in a middle class Slovene minority in an Austro-Hungarian city. His mother was probably an influence to him because she was a teacher and editor. He was a c...