With Their Backs to the World: Portraits from Serbia

The original article is not provided, so I can't rewrite and expand it specifically. However, I can give you a general example to show you how to expand an article to about 300 words.

**Original Article**: The cat is sleeping on the mat.

**Expanded Article**:
The cute little cat is peacefully sleeping on the soft mat.

It seems to be in a deep slumber, its body curled up in a ball.

The sunlight filters through the window and gently touches its fur, making it look even more cozy.

Maybe it had a tiring day playing around the house, and now it's taking a well-deserved rest.

As it sleeps, its breathing is slow and regular, and from time to time, it twitches its ears or paws, as if having a dream.

The mat provides a comfortable place for the cat to relax, and it seems to be enjoying this moment of tranquility.

3.75


If you can provide the original article, I will be able to rewrite and expand it more accurately according to your requirements.

For the first time, I read a book that has a connection with the Balkans.

The book contains various meetings with politicians, activists, farmers, journalists, refugees, and so on. Therefore, there is a good opportunity to see diverse opinions about Milosevic and Serbian society in general through a time period of about 5 years during which the author conducted her meetings inside Serbia (from 1999 to 2004).

During this time, Serbia was going through significant political and social changes. The author's interactions with different people provided a rich and detailed perspective on the complex situation in the country.

By reading this book, one can gain a better understanding of the events and issues that were shaping Serbia during that era. It also offers insights into the different viewpoints and experiences of the people who lived through those times.

The book serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the Balkans, Serbian history, and the impact of political and social change on a society.

Another book that has been sitting on my shelf for years, patiently waiting to be read.

This is a rather interesting portrayal of a diverse range of Serbian people. Some of them are more fascinating than others. It's good that the author highlights the struggle to break free from a familiar political system and the arduous process it takes for people to adapt to something new and unknown within their generation.

Communism, although it brought economic and social stability to some extent, also inflicted a great deal of damage on the area. Once Tito fell, the lid came off the simmering cauldron, and all the old tensions boiled over.

One can definitely get a sense of the mix of attitudes and the political chaos that prevailed among the Serbs after decades, even centuries, of turmoil.

However, one thing that this reader noticed is that Åsne Seierstad, the journalist, fails to understand that St Sava is not the "founder" of the church in Serbia. St Sava was actually the first Archbishop of Serbia after the Orthodox Church there was granted autocephaly by the Patriarch of Constantinople. Autocephaly means that they are in full communion with the rest of the Orthodox Church but have their own bishop to oversee their own affairs.

The "leader" of the Orthodox Church of Serbia that she refers to was actually Patriarch Pavle, a widely respected holy man who led the church through many difficult times. It's important to note that Serbia is indeed part of a greater community of Orthodox Christians around the world, and the Orthodox Church has Apostolic succession, meaning that all the lines of Bishops can be traced back to the Apostles.

The Orthodox Church is the original Catholic Church, now only identified as "Orthodox" due to the schism caused by Charlemagne and the rise of the Papacy in the West. The West excommunicated the East for not accepting the power play of the Pope of Western Rome. The original Catholic Church held Ecumenical Councils to decide matters in the Church. No one man could govern or change the faith as the western Pope did starting with the insertion of the filioque into the Nicea-Constantinopolitan Creed. He changed the understanding of the nature of God and went his own way. The schism is dated to around 1054 AD. This history forms the basis of the rift between Roman Catholics and Orthodox even today in the region.

The issues were further compounded during WWII when the Croatian Roman Catholics sided with the Nazis and ran death camps like Jasenovac, which were said to sicken even seasoned Nazi death camp officials with their brutality and barbarism.

A quote from St Sava himself might have been a useful addition to her book:

At first we were confused. The East thought that we were West, while the West considered us to be East. Some of us misunderstood our place in the clash of currents, so they cried that we belong to neither side, and others that we belong exclusively to one side or the other. But I tell you, Ireneus, we are doomed by fate to be the East in the West and the West in the East, to acknowledge only heavenly Jerusalem beyond us, and here on earth—no one. —St. Sava to Ireneus, 13th century

Also, she makes an error when she says that "priests must be married." Priests are not required to marry, but if they do, they must do so before ordination. It wouldn't be appropriate to have priests chasing after women, would it?

Her irritation with some Serbs constantly asking her about her marital status is part of Serbian culture. In Serbia, you are either married or in a monastic life.

The journalist here also seems to have her own agenda as a judge of Serbian fault in wars. I'm not convinced that Serbia is entirely to blame. There were atrocities on all sides. War is a hideous thing. What many Serbs say, and what later bombings证实, is that Slavic Muslims, who were not radicalized by Islam in the early 90s, were soon joined by the mujahadeen who brought their specific form of atrocities to the wars of the 90s, especially their propensity for beheading their victims and filming themselves doing so.

The US hijacking of NATO in the region and the subsequent crushing of the Serbs allowed radical Islam to create a backdoor to Europe. If the journalist followed the dots, she would see that after that, bombings in Madrid and other places started taking place in Europe.

The lesson for US diplomats and politicians should be that bombing people into submission and then cruelly withholding basic goods and trade through sanctions is not a good way to win hearts and minds and clean up corruption. I can understand why many people in the region would be angry at the US. It's not rocket science. It's a difficult region to understand, even for those living there, but it's not hard to understand that the invasion and occupation of Serbia by the Ottomans was a terrible experience.

The Muslims native to the region are Slavs like the rest of the people in the area. It's just that many were converted by the sword or by having their children stolen and raised as Muslims. The journalist might want to study the actual history of the region before passing judgment.

This reader didn't sense a great deal of "compassion" from the journalist, but rather a subtle disdain for most of the subjects of her book. It's true that Serbs can be difficult to understand and deal with in general, but at their core, they are like the rest of the people in the world who have struggled for national identity and sovereignty. The same people who started WWI also produced Nikola Tesla, the son of an Orthodox priest, who revolutionized the modern world with his brilliant use of AC electricity and whose methods were superior to Edison's. They have been through a lot, as is evident from spending even a small amount of time with them.

A good perspective on what people in Serbia were thinking and feeling after the wars of the 1990s is presented.

There is very little editorializing about a people who are so often unjustly painted as brutal, cruel, or just unreasonable.

Seierstad does an excellent job in choosing a diverse selection of people and families from various areas and backgrounds.

Yet, it is easy to discern the common threads that run through almost everyone's mindsets.

This work provides a valuable and nuanced understanding of the Serbian people during this difficult period.

It offers insights into their hopes, fears, and the ways in which they have coped with the aftermath of war.

Highly recommended for those interested in learning more about the complex emotions and experiences of the people in Serbia after the wars of the 1990s.

It challenges the stereotypes and offers a more accurate and empathetic portrayal of a nation that has endured much.

I'm truly captivated by this region.

I have delved into several books recently, striving to firmly grasp an understanding of what transpired during the conflict and the reasons behind it.

Although this particular book was outstanding, I still don't fully comprehend the nature of the divisions among each group. However, it is gradually becoming a bit clearer.

Perhaps I'm just slow-witted (my brain feels like a jumble of mush these days), but I don't believe I'll truly be able to fathom it until I visit and spend some time there.

Another aspect that has struck me is how dictatorships invariably seem to emerge under the same circumstances and are sustained by the same kind of thinking.

One would assume that by now we would be capable of preventing them, but I suppose that is far easier said than done when there are always individuals who reap significant benefits from such regimes.

It makes me wonder if there is a way to break this cycle and ensure that history doesn't repeat itself in this regard.

Maybe with more education and awareness, we can begin to make a difference and work towards a more just and democratic world.

Virkelig god, både sjov og interessant. It's truly great, being both fun and interesting.

Især fantastisk at møde personer fra alle spektre af jugo-krigen. Especially it's fantastic to meet people from all spectrums of the Yugoslavian war.

Skrivestilen er ikke den mest spændende, men Åsne er fed til at lægge mærke til specielle ting ved omgivelserne (som der kommer gode samtaler af) hvilket - i den grad - vejer op for det (lidt) uinspirerede sprog. The writing style isn't the most exciting, but Åsne is cool to notice special things about the surroundings (from which good conversations arise) which - to that extent - compensates for the (a bit) uninspired language.

Overall, it's a captivating read that offers unique insights into the experiences and perspectives of those affected by the Yugoslavian war. Despite the somewhat lackluster writing style, Åsne's ability to observe and draw out interesting details makes up for it. The encounters with people from different walks of life add depth and authenticity to the story, making it a worthwhile exploration of this complex and tumultuous period in history.

I began this book with anticipation, but unfortunately, I just couldn't truly immerse myself in it.

My previous annoyances with the author, which I had mentioned in the review of "The Bookseller of Kabul," seemed to resurface and bother me even more in this particular work.

The writing style, perhaps, didn't quite click with me. It felt a bit disjointed at times, making it difficult for me to follow the narrative flow smoothly.

Also, the characters didn't seem to come alive on the pages as vividly as I would have liked. They remained somewhat flat and uninteresting, lacking the depth and complexity that would have drawn me in and made me care about their stories.

Overall, while I had hoped to have a different experience with this book, it just didn't meet my expectations.

I really enjoyed this.

It was quite interesting and engaging. However, I do wish it had provided more context on Yugoslavia and Serbian history.

The lack of in-depth background information made it a bit difficult to fully understand and appreciate some of the details.

As a result, I will have to go and rewatch the BBC docuseries that I saw in AP Euro.

This docuseries, I believe, will offer a more comprehensive and detailed look at the history of Yugoslavia and Serbia.

By doing so, I hope to gain a better understanding of the subject matter and be able to make more informed connections and interpretations.

Overall, while this was an enjoyable experience, the need for more historical context has motivated me to seek out additional resources and further my knowledge on this topic.