This story is set among the Nyvkh people on Sakhalin Island in the icy Sea of Okhotsk north of Japan. Life is extremely harsh in those frigid wastes and is maintained only by hunting seals, of which every single piece is put to use for food, clothing, shelter and bone utensils by these relatives of the North American Eskimos. Aitmatov dramatically sets the scene of an elemental war between land and sea.A classic from the award-winning Kyrgyz and Soviet novelist Chingiz Aitmatov.A champion of freedom, Chingiz Aitmatov is one of the most famous writers from Eurasia and, according to UNESCO, one of the most widely published authors of the 20th century. His books, which introduced the mountains and lakes of his native Kyrgyzstan to readers in 176 language, emphasize individual liberty, respect for the natural world and reverence for the traditions of minority peoples.