At an earlier point in the book the author empathizes with mothers with sons who they have to send them to war, and is so grateful she has a daughter. Then here she interviews a 19-year-old boy about his experiences as a soldier in the war: killing, cleaning up corpses, etc. She can barely get words out. But she makes note of his poignant response to one of her questions: “Will you come to my funeral?” 😢
pickAn excellent thought-provoking book about the journalist author‘s own experiences during the Balkan War. While telling her own, her daughter‘s, & her friends‘ stories, readers are forced to look inside themselves. These folks were us, how would we feel with war at our doorstep, how would we look at war refugees, how would we look at the “others”? An important book now for the divisions in our society & the ease with which we label people & how ⬇️
“But in suffering there are no comparisons, I cannot suffer less because someone else is suffering more, anymore than I can take someone else‘s burden of pain. I have my own, as little as it may seem from outside. Our emotions are not based on the objective truth anyway so why should I bother with justifying my feelings?”
Having just finished reading The Dogs of Riga for #Latvia (wow!), this seemed timely. Set in Croatia, it supposedly also covers other Balkan states so I‘m using it for #BosniaHerzogovina. I‘ve read so many books this year about the Balkans, I‘m getting them all covered one way or the other. I‘m just heartbroken for all Eastern Europe has endured.
The countdown begins. This is book 8 until completion of #readingeurope2020!
pickI had planned for this to be my Serbia book for #ReadingEurope2020 only…it‘s set in Croatia. However, I‘m grateful to the challenge for helping me find it, as it is outstanding. It is a collection of personal stories of people living through war in Croatia. It shows how “normal” life can be turned on its head in a rapid, bewildering fashion.
pickShe really is just the best Damn author. This book is another exploration of the 90's war in the former Yugoslav states. It's disturbing due to certain similarities in attitude here in the US to other troubled countries.
Balkan Express: Fragments from the Other Side of the War | 
