Ali and Nino is the story of a Muslim youth who falls in love with

a Georgian princess. Essentially, the book is a quest for truth and

reconciliation in a world of contradictory beliefs and practices
Islam and Christianity, East and West, age and youth, male and female.
Much of the novel is set in Baku's Old City (Ichari Shahar) on the eve of
the Bolshevik Revolution beginning around 19171918. The novel was
first published in Austria in 1937 in the German language, by Lev
Nussimbaum using the pseudonym Kurban Said.
Ali Khan Shirvanshir, a descendant of a noble Muslim family, is educated
in a Russian high school for boys. While his father is still culturally Asian,
Ali is exposed to Western values in school and through his love
of Georgian princess Nino Kipiani, who has been brought up in
a Christiantradition and belongs more to the European world.
The book describes the love of Ali for Nino, with excursions to mountain
villages in Daghestan, Shusha in Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, and Persia. Upon
graduating from high school, Ali determines to marry Nino. At first she
hesitates, until Ali promises that he will not make her wear the veil, or be part of
a harem. Ali's father, despite his traditional Muslim view of women, supports
the marriage while trying to postpone it.
The book takes a dramatic turn when a (Christian) Armenian, Melik
Nachararyan, whom Ali thought was a friend, kidnaps Nino. In retaliation, Ali
pursues him on horseback, overtakes his "lacquered box" car and stabs him to
death with a dagger. Contrary to the tradition of honor killingurged by Ali's
friend Mehmed Haidar, Ali spares Nino's life. Ali then flees to Daghestan to
escape the vengeance of Nachararyan's family.
After many months, Nino finds Ali in a simple hilltown in the mountains
near Makhachkala.
The two marry on the spot and spend a few months in blissful poverty. As
turmoil follows the Russian Revolution, Ali Khan makes some tough
ideological decisions. When the Ottoman Army moves closer to his
native Baku, Ali Khan watches the developments closely.
The Bolsheviks recapture Baku, and Ali and Nino flee to Iran (Persia).
In Tehran, Ali is reminded of his Muslim roots, while Nino is fundamentally
unhappy in the confinement of the harem.
Upon establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Ali and Nino
return and become cultural ambassadors of their new country. Ali is offered
a post as ambassador to France an idea Nino had arranged but Ali
declines, because he fears he will be unhappy in Paris. When the Red
Army descends on Ganja, Azerbaijan, Ali takes up arms to defend his
country. Nino flees to Georgia with their child, while Ali Khan dies in battle as
the Bolsheviks take the country. (The Bolshevik victory led to the
establishment of Soviet domination of Azerbaijan from 1920 to 1991 and the
end of the short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which lasted from
May 1918 to April 1920.)