The Light Thief

Mr. Light is a cheerful electrician and a friend to all. He's the go-to guy when it comes to jury-rigging generators for the poor, stringing wires to illuminate yurts, rescuing kids from trees, or coming up with ways to generate affordable electricity. Mr. Light rides a battered bike through his tiny village in Kyrgyzstan, plying his trade. But as horsemen and donkeys clatter through the streets, newly-arrived developers stir up dust with their SUVs. The global economy is affecting even this remote place. The price of electricity, and even bread, is too high for many. Some residents have left the village for Russia; others are working with Chinese investors who want to invest in Mr. Light's idea of harnessing the wind with windmills. THE LIGHT THIEF features traditional Kyrgyz folk ways, such as a goat-snatching game played on horseback and the erection of a yurt. And yet the wider world beckons as a child climbs the highest tree to see what lies beyond the mountains. When decent Mr. Light resists the blunt methods of the developers, they resort to strong-arm tactics. How can a culture modernize and still preserve its integrity? It'll take some jury-rigging. (In Kyrgyz with subtitles) –B.B.