Mehmedinović wrote this book in Sarajevo, during the Bosnian war. It contains poems and essays. It's heart-breaking.
Photo of Vijećnica, Sarajevo's former city hall and library, from wikipedia. An extraordinary place that had to be rebuilt after the war.
pickWhat a mesmerizing read. The writing is simply enchanting. Obreht uses folktales and magical realism in a thoughtful meditation on finding meaning among loss, war, and death. It felt a bit detached in the beginning of the book, but about halfway through it really started to come together.
One of my current reads with magical realism. I'm about halfway through, and it's beautifully written.
#springskies #magicelement
1. I'm going to my sister's baby shower this weekend. It'll be our 8th niece/nephew, but the 1st on my side of the family. I'm so excited!
2. A wall. 🤣 (I'm at work.) But at least I get the sunshine!
3. Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the US. It's 48 and mostly sunny: A beautiful day.
4. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
pickThis is a book about an almost forgotten war and its forgotten children. A book that really got me. Maybe because I have memories attached to this war. Names, friendships. Sila talks about being a child in a town torn apart by war. About growing up and survival. And also about leaving. So strong, told in a quiet and thoughtful voice.
pickThis book tells the story of airmen who ended up in German-occupied Yugoslavia in WWII and the rescue mission that recovered them. It‘s so good! The storytelling is cinematic in the best way, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Major kudos to the Serb villagers who risked their lives to hide all those men from the Nazis.
pickThis is one of the only history books that I truly enjoyed, Kaplan's writing style is so full of life, it makes you feel as if you know the people present in the story. A journalistic/travelling way of explaining major events is so enjoyable! Definitely a worthy read, even for people that aren't interested in history
