Reviews (6)

depressing but helpful
This book was published in 1993.This makes it hard to read, since several times Drakulic talks about the war being "almost over".When one knows that the worst in the former Yugoslavia was yet to come this makes this depressing book even more depressing.But, it's worth reading to get an inside account of how the war in Yugoslavia seemed to a smart, cosmopolitan reporter.It's not a history of the conflict nor an analytic account of it.You'll not fully understand the war or why it happend by reading this book.But, you'll understand the people to a greater degree.Drakulic is a very sympathetic writer who portrays her subjects (including herself) in a very humane way at a time when it was all to easy to forget the humanity of others.It's worth reading for that alone.

The intimacies of war
THE BALKAN EXPRESS: FRAGMENTS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF WAR by Slavenka Drakulic, is a book of short essays that are memoirs and written illustrations of what it is like to find the country in which you live divided by war. Under Drakulic's hand, this stops being a political abstraction of battling ideas (pan-Slavism vs. independent nation states), but a physical and psychological hardship of the intimate and emotionally scarring, deadly violence and nihilistic realities of war in one's own neighborhood.
Powerful, Compelling and Shocking!
This book frightened me but also made me aware of the dangers of saying that we live in a safe world.Nothing could be further from the truth! I am an avid reader of the war in the Balkans and have found only one other book that so graphically depicts the atrocities and harsh realities of modern-day war. Beautifully written and easy for the layman to understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. Drakuliâc, Slavenka,    3. Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia    4. General    5. History: World    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Yugoslav War, 1991-1995   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia    2. Ethnic relations    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Jews    6. Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    2. Europe - General    3. Great Britain    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    8. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    9. Secret service    10. Special Operations Executive    11. Underground movements    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. Yugoslavia    14. Europe    15. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    16. History / Europe / Eastern    17. World history   

Reviews (4)

The land of Demons
Louis Sell describes this place like he was born there.I can just imagine how beautiful this country was before the Balkan wars.How can such a peacefull Country turn to The Land of Demons.After Titos death Yugoslavia slowly began to fall apart.It used to be one country before Titos death, but after his death and after Milosevic there was six.

My comment from old Europe
Although the facts and the personality of Milosevic are properly described, the book is, in my opinion, too partial. I don't think it is lack of knowledge but the will to believe it that way. Sobering, Thoughtful Look at Milosevic's Political Career
How does a political hack working for the Yugoslavian Communist party evolve into a skilled manipulator of people, and Europe's worst Fascist politician since Adolf Hitler? In the case of Slobodan Milosevic there are no easy answers, yet former diplomat Louis Sell offers a riveting account of Milosevic's life that depicts the latter's transformation from Communist bureaucrat to a dangerous political demagogue. Along the way Sell provides an in-depth look at the rise and fall of modern Yugoslavia, beginning with the closing phases of World War Two, as Tito's Communist partisans battled both the Nazis and other forces belonging collectively to the Yugoslavian "underground", most notably the Serbian Chetniks. Sell suggests that Milosevic hasn't become a rabid nationalist, but instead, has used the cause of Serbian nationalism to further his own political agenda, granting him virtual control over the rump state of Yugoslavia until his sudden downfall in free elections held after the NATO bombing of Serbia in response to the Serb-Albanian conflict in Kosovo. Sell introduces us to a fascinating group of characters, beginning with Croatian president Tudjman, and ending with the likes of American diplomats and soldiers such as Richard Holbrooke and General Wesley Clark. Unquestionably this may be the best book published yet on what transpired in Yugoslavia during the 1990's. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1941-    2. 1941-2006    3. 1992-2003    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Historical - General    9. History    10. Milosevic, Slobodan,    11. Miloéseviâc, Slobodan,    12. Politicians    13. Presidents & Heads of State    14. Yugoslavia    15. Biography: historical    16. Civil war    17. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    18. Milosevic, Slobodan    19. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (1)

Challenging mainstream misconceptions
Editors Akhavan and Howse have compiled a collection of diverse essays that dispel myths and misconceptions about the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and shed new light on largely ignored or misinterpreted information about Yugoslavia's disintegration. Read more

Subjects:  1. Causes    2. Contemporary Politics - Eastern Europe    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. Ethnic relations    5. History    6. History - General History    7. International Relations - General    8. Nationalism    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Yugoslav War, 1991-1995    11. Yugoslavia    12. Eastern Europe    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. Political structure & processes   

Reviews (11)

A blatantly biased account
I was given a copy of this book in Belgrade one summer by a friend who hadn't yet read it, and never one to turn down a free book gladly took it. After the first few chapters I couldn't take it anymore and skipped to the end. I have no ethnic ties to any Balkan country and consider myself relatively unbiased. One need not know all the facts firsthand to recognize the bias in this book; it is in the language of the book. Simply the adjectives chosen paint a picture of noble victimized Serbs and blood-thirsty fascist Croats. (Sorry I don't have the book on hand to give a few quotes.) Serbs were the initial aggressors in Croatia and Bosnia. But attrocities were committed by all sides, and against all sides. Unfortunately, all sides seem most interested in continuing to play the victim (as nicely exemplified by this book), and few seem willing to own up to the wrongs done by their own side. I would say the only useful purpose for this book is analysis of subtle and not-so-subtle means of incorporating personal bias into "scholarly" writing.

"The Serbs gave so much...
...and were stabbed in the back."
The Serbs were the victims.
Dragnich's view is that the Serbs were the victims since the Ottomon Turks conquered Serbia.People with common sense would say that this view is not based on facts.Dragnich defends the Serbs even though most of the facts don't back him up.He simply ignores those facts, and digs up what facts and statistics do make the Serbs look good.Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    2. Ethnic relations    3. General    4. History - General History    5. Politics and government    6. Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Developing countries    2. History & Theory - General    3. Political Freedom & Security - General    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Ideologies - Nationalism    6. Political Science    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics and government    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Afghanistan    12. Globalization    13. International relations    14. Iraq    15. Nigeria    16. Political Science / Political Ideologies / Nationalism    17. Political structures: democracy    18. Somalia    19. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (1)

An Extraordinary Book - Will Enlighten and Challenge Us All
I could not put this book down.The author explores the various sides, themes, and politics of the Balkan crisis.No voice is silenced but all voices are given time to speak.It is fair, accurate, and unbiased in its look at the terrible crimes perpetrated on the Bosnian people.Beautifully written and full of compassionate insights. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1998-1999    2. Contemporary Politics - Eastern Europe    3. Current Affairs    4. Eastern Europe - Yugoslavia    5. Europe - Baltic States    6. History    7. International Relations - General    8. Kosovo (Serbia)    9. Military & War    10. Military - Other    11. Political Discontent And Violence    12. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics and government    15. Politics/International Relations    16. Defence strategy, planning & research    17. Demonstrations & protest movements    18. Eastern Europe    19. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    20. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)    21. International relations    22. Political structure & processes   

Reviews (1)

documentary
I have not yet read the book, but seen the documentary made by BBC. This documentary gives a brilliant overview of what really happened in the Balkan. Impressive features ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Politics/International Relations    2. Civil war    3. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    4. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (3)

Interesting, but focuses upon short time period
Very interesting and useful, even though it focuses on the short (but pivotally important) time period of 1918-1921.

A seminal work
This is perhaps one of the best books on thenational/nationalist problems that have beset the former Yugoslaviasince its formation after World War I. In fact, the author primarily analyzes the short period during and immediately after the establishment of Yugoslavia in 1918, his central thesis being that the overlapping nationalist ideologies and problems which appeared then were never directly addressed and continued to plague the country (all up until its disintegration in 1990 and even afterwards)."The National Question in Yugoslavia" extensively describes the nationalisms of all Yugoslav peoples, not just the Croats.Also, since the work focuses on the early 1920s, it would have been pointless to discuss the origins of the Croatian Ustasha, since this ultra-nationalist fascist movement only emerged about ten years later. In the same vein, one could criticize this book for not providing a deeper exploration of the origins of the Serbian Chetnik movement... This is definitely THE book to read if you want a better understanding of the problems and rivalries that existed in Yugoslavia and led to the violent break-up of that country twice: during World War II and at the beginning of the 1990s.

Good detail on croation political dynamics upto WW2
A while since I read this book. Useful detail of croatian political dynamics dating from mid/late C19 to late 1930's. Avoids any real detail on the rise to power of the Ustashe movement.The content tries to be objective and suceeds to a certain extent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1918-1945    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. History - General History    5. History: American    6. Nationalism    7. Political History    8. Politics and government    9. Yugoslavia    10. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    11. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (3)

Great Book
I was very impressed with this book.I have read a number of books on this operation and the book I thought would be the best overall review was the book written by General Clark.Unfortunately, for me that book did not provide much detail on the actual working of the operation. He focused on the political side of the air war and what it took to get the NATO members to play nice with each other.I came away from his book with some details, but a bit disappointed. This book on the other hand was exactly what I wanted.I always love it when I pick up a book and it turns out to completely exceed my expectations.It's like getting a great surprise gift. The Inelegant Victory
There is little doubt that the 78-day NATO air campaign against Serbia in March-June 1999, dubbed Operation Allied Force, will remain highly controversial for a long time.NATO launched a limited war against Serbia in order to stop the vicious on-going ethnic cleansing campaign in the province of Kosovo and although ultimately Serb President Milosevic "blinked," it was an inelegant victory.Yet the victory was hardly inevitable and until the final weeks the air campaign appeared to be ineffective in bending Milosevic to meet NATO's demands.In NATO's Air War for Kosovo, RAND analyst Benjamin S. Lambeth has written an incisive strategic assessment of the air campaign as part of a US Air Force research project on the operation.Rather than a detailed, blow-by-blow account of the air war, Lambeth offers detailed analysis on the major achievements and problems in Allied Force.While other more detailed books will surely follow on the Kosovo War, Lambeth's volume will certainly be a good place to start in understanding this complex operation. Balanced, well-written and highly informative
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the role and efficacy of air power.This account is well-balanced giving the story from the pro air power and anti airpower views.It also answers the nagging questions you may have had after reading the incredibly uninformative and shallow accounts in the press.The book posits the reasons.An example -- the book provides the reasons for the need for a credible ground threat for airpower to be effective.Books such as Bombing to Win only state the need.Detailed, nuanced and spot-on accurate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aerial operations    2. Civil War, 1998-1999    3. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Kosovo (Serbia)    7. Military    8. Operation Allied Force, 1999    9. Air forces & warfare    10. Battles & campaigns    11. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    12. International institutions    13. Non-Classifiable    14. Serbia    15. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. 1892-1980    2. Biography    3. Political History    4. Presidents    5. Statesmen    6. Tito, Josip Broz,    7. Yugoslavia    8. Djilas, Milovan    9. Tito, Josip Broz   

Subjects:  1. Serbia    2. History - General History    3. Yugoslavia    4. Holocaust    5. Dictionaries    6. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    7. History: World    8. Jews    9. Persecutions   

Reviews (2)

Another Serb nationalist
Moderate Serb nationalism is the consolation prize one expects when looking for dissent from that camp. When a Serb author shows a willingness to be the first to stop making excuses and to disavow fully genocidal Serb nationalism (what a hard thing to do!) that we will have a book worth reading. This isn't it.

The inside story
If you want some insight into the psyche of that pugnacious and obnoxious defendent at the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, this is the book to read. Slavoljub Djukic, a respected Serbian journalist, has been following the career of Slobodan Milosevic (as well as his wife Mirjana Markovic) since the rise of this dull communist functionary to national prominence in the late 1980s. Djukic researched his subject meticulously, and made good use of his many contacts in Serbian/Yugoslav political and media circles, to say nothing of his keen powers of observation over the last 10+ years. There are vivid descriptions of the personalities of both Milosevic and Markovic, whose influence on her husband was/is legendary. Djukic also provides a wealth of information on many other important figures in Serbian politics over the course of the last decade, from Milosevic's many accomplices and yes-men to opposition leaders. Another valuable, but more indirect, aspect of this book is that it provides some insight into the views of moderate Serb nationalists (like Djukic) who greatly opposed Milosevic's regime. This is essential reading for a better understanding of Serbian politics and recent Serbian history - although I suspect a new, updated edition is in the works given Milosevic's imprisonment and subsequent, very recent extradition to the Hague. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1941-    2. 1942-    3. Balkan Peninsula - History    4. Biographies    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. Contemporary Politics - Eastern Europe    10. Europe - General    11. Historical - General    12. Markovic, Mira,    13. Milosevic, Slobodan,    14. Political    15. Presidents    16. Presidents' spouses    17. Prâesidents    18. Serbia    19. Serbia and Montenegro    20. Serbie    21. Yougoslavie    22. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    23. Markovic, Mira    24. Milosevic, Slobodan    25. Political science & theory    26. Political structures: totalitarianism & dictatorship    27. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. 1945-1980    2. 1945-1992    3. Balkan Peninsula - History    4. Economic conditions    5. Politics and government    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Social conditions    8. Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. History / Europe   

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Balkan Peninsula    4. Balkan Peninsula - History    5. Eastern Europe - General    6. Eastern question (Balkan)    7. Europe - Baltic States    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Politics and government    11. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    12. Nationalism    13. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Reviews (3)

Excellent
i had to write a paper for a geography class and figured why not do it on yugoslavia. while researching, i came across this book, and thought it was a marvelous read. it is a fascinating look at the decline of yugoslavia from Tito, who ran the country remarkably well and who had a miraculously peaceful tenure as "Emperor." then Milosevic showed up and [messed] it all up. the thing i find very excellent about this book is that it describes very well how milosevic got that power. he used nationalism to his advantage to get the serbs behind him. this nationalism lead to the bloody split-up of croatia, slovenia, bosnia-herzegovina, macedonia, and finally kosovo. this book shows one of the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) examples of nationalism and the effects of nationalism. it is especially good to observe what happened to Milosevic in light of recent events throughout europe, with the hard-right gaining popularity, in such places as Romania, Hungary, and even in more tolerant France and the Netherlands. it is a worthwhile read to observe similarities between what milosevic said and did and what these new right-wing leaders are saying and doing.

Superb account of Yugoslavia's destruction by outside forces
This is an excellent book by a Professor of Political Science at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada. 'International History Review' said of the first edition that it was "far superior in its factual coverage and balance to its various competitors in the field. .. He has told the story as completely and as impartially as we are liable to get." Cohen gives a brief history of Yugoslavia in the first chapter. The rest of the book gives a detailed account of Yugoslavia's breakup and the war. Allana's Review
I really enjoyed this book and I hope it will help me on my Project. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Politics - Eastern Europe    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. Ethnic relations    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Yugoslavia    8. Civil war    9. European history: from c 1900 -    10. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia   

Subjects:  1. Emigration and immigration    2. Ethnic Studies - General    3. Ethnic relations    4. General    5. History    6. Minority Studies - Race Relations    7. Race relations    8. Reference    9. Sociology    10. Yugoslavia    11. Ethnic studies    12. Ethnography    13. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    14. Social Science / Human Geography    15. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia    16. c 1990 to c 2000   

Subjects:  1. Government - International    2. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    3. Political Ideologies - Communism & Socialism    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Public Policy - Economic Policy    8. Economics    9. Employment & unemployment    10. European History    11. Political Science / Communism & Socialism    12. Political Science / Economic Policy    13. Political Science and International Relations    14. Political Science-Government - International    15. Political Science-Labor & Industrial Relations - General    16. Political economy    17. Politics and government    18. Socialism & left-of-centre democratic ideologies    19. Yugoslavia & former Yugoslavia    20. c 1945 to c 1960    21. c 1960 to c 1970    22. c 1970 to c 1980    23. c 1980 to c 1990