About Serbia:

This is an excellent anthropology review that provides a fascinating insight into how the different layers of Serbian society perceived and endured the war. It presents a wealth of information in a highly engaging and entertaining manner.

The book offers a comprehensive and detailed exploration of the various perspectives and experiences within Serbian society during the war. It delves into the cultural, social, and political aspects that influenced people's views and actions.

With its engaging writing style and vivid descriptions, this book makes for a captivating read. It not only educates but also entertains, making it an excellent choice for anyone interested in learning about Serbia and its history.

If you are planning to visit Serbia, this book is an absolute must-read. It will give you a deeper understanding of the country's past and present, and enhance your overall experience.

Asne Seierstad is an outstanding journalist and author.

She has an extraordinary ability to immerse herself in the story she is covering, truly becoming a part of it.

However, as one might expect, this often leads to a rather depressing experience.

Her work requires her to delve into the darkest corners of human existence, to witness and document the pain, suffering, and injustice that plagues our world.

Despite the depressing nature of her work, Seierstad remains committed to telling these stories, to giving a voice to the voiceless and shining a light on the hidden aspects of our society.

Her writing is powerful and moving, capable of eliciting strong emotions from her readers and inspiring them to take action.

Overall, Asne Seierstad is a remarkable individual whose work has had a profound impact on the field of journalism and on our understanding of the world around us.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that Serbia is a bad country, no thanks to the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s.

You've heard of Serbian atrocities such as the attack on Dubrovnik and the siege of Sarajevo, and the continued rocky relationship the country has with its breakaway region of Kosovo. But how much truth is there really to such assertions?

To some extent, this book aims to dispel these notions. It follows a number of people before, during, and after the fall of Slobodan Milosevic. You are acquainted with people on both sides of the Milosevic regime. Some opinions would surprise the reader, some may prove to be dubious, while a fraction may even reinforce stereotypes.

For me, the book served as a step to better understand the Serbian side of the story, which is often buried beneath the dichotomy of "good guy versus bad guy".

My only problem was the fact that every story follows the same structure: life before, during, and after Milosevic. Perhaps it was a matter of continuity on the part of the author. It could also be a case of introducing some routine, some predictability, to the narrative of a country which, during the said period, was guessing what each new day would bring.

Overall, the book provides a valuable perspective on Serbia during a tumultuous time in its history. It challenges the reader to look beyond the headlines and consider the complex web of events and personalities that shaped the country. While it may not answer all of our questions, it does encourage us to ask more.

This book has truly convinced me to visit the KPGT theater and watch Handke's piece Offending the Audience. I believe this is more than just good enough.

The power of the written word in this book has had a profound impact on my decision. It has painted such a vivid picture of what awaits at the theater that I can't help but be intrigued.

I'm excited to experience the unique and perhaps controversial performance of Offending the Audience. I'm sure it will be a thought-provoking and memorable event.

This book has opened my eyes to a new world of theater and I'm eager to explore it further. I have a feeling that this will be an adventure like no other.

I can't wait to step into the KPGT theater and see for myself what Handke has in store for the audience. It's going to be an unforgettable experience.

I was initially rather sceptical about this book. However, I must admit that Seierstad has done an excellent job of delving deeper than the general and theoretical aspects.

It is an extremely depressing book, especially considering that I have visited Serbia twice and Kosovo once. I have this strange feeling that I have actually met each of the characters in the book.

The vivid descriptions and the author's ability to bring the story to life make it a truly immersive experience.

Despite its depressing nature, the book offers valuable insights into the lives and struggles of the people in that region.

It makes me reflect on the complex history and the ongoing issues that still plague the area.

Overall, while it may not be an easy read, it is definitely a thought-provoking one that I would recommend to others interested in learning more about this part of the world.

This is the third iteration of this book.

In 1999, Seierstad first journeyed to Serbia and interviewed 14 distinct individuals regarding their lives under Slobodan Milosovic. She recounted their tales in a book. Shortly after its publication, she made a return visit to Serbia. Alas, the place erupted once more, and she augmented their stories in a second iteration.

Finally, in 2004, with Serbia experiencing a greater degree of peace, Seierstad once again returned to enhance their stories in the third version of the book, which is the one I have read. Their stories are predominantly sorrowful yet captivating. Seierstad forges deep connections with all of these people, and the friendship between them and her forms an integral part of each story. It presents a vivid portrayal of very diverse individuals residing in a conflict-ridden country. She narrates their stories in a lucid and empathetic manner, enabling the readers to gain a profound understanding of their experiences and emotions.

This book not only offers a glimpse into the lives of these people but also serves as a testament to the power of human connection and the ability to find hope and meaning even in the most difficult of circumstances.

I have been on a quest to discover the background and gather information about my heritage. As I am half Serbian and a second-generation American, this exploration holds great significance for me.

However, I must admit that I was rather disappointed with the overall tone of this particular book. The author seemed to approach many of the individuals she interviewed with a very condescending and down-the-nose view.

This attitude really detracted from the potential value of the book. It made it difficult for me to fully engage with the content and understand the true essence of the stories and experiences being shared.

I had hoped to find a more objective and empathetic account that would help me connect with my Serbian roots on a deeper level. Unfortunately, this book failed to meet my expectations in that regard.

Despite this setback, I remain determined to continue my search for more accurate and respectful portrayals of my heritage. I believe that understanding where I come from is an important part of shaping my identity and sense of self.

What I truly appreciate about Asne's books is the absence of judgment.

It is not a typical history book that simply presents dry facts. Instead, it delves into people's perception of events and their profound effects on lives.

The subtitle, 'Portraits from Serbia', rather than 'The history of Balkan wars', is significant. You can easily find the historical facts about the Balkan wars in any good history book. However, what you will never discover is the reason why people behaved the way they did. This book doesn't claim to provide all the answers; it only offers a small glimpse through a cracked door.

What is truly fascinating is that during those few years, nothing seemed to have changed significantly. People continued with their lives, and their beliefs and views remained largely unaltered. It is both fascinating and scary at the same time.

This lack of change makes one wonder about the resilience and stubbornness of human nature. It also makes us realize how difficult it can be to bring about real and lasting change in a society.

Asne's book forces us to look beyond the surface and try to understand the complex emotions and motivations that drive people's actions. It is a thought-provoking read that challenges our assumptions and makes us think about the world in a different way.

I found this extremely interesting. It appears that we Americans don't devote much attention to eastern Europe.

As I delved into the various interviews, I started to sense certain resemblances between the views on the Serbian government back then and America's current political chaos. There is the intense divisiveness along political lines, the emergence of nationalism, or at least the media's sensationalization of it.

It was also fascinating to read about anti-American sentiments from a region other than the Middle East. Understanding the perspectives on why some other groups despise us and how they perceive our presence in that area provided a unique insight.

I truly felt sorry for Asne when some of the interviewees would turn against her or hold her accountable for actions or inactions of NATO or her country. I'm aware that she was essentially seen as a representative of Norway to them, but still, it must have stung. After all, it's not as if she was responsible for the decisions they blamed her for, such as NATO's bombings.

I deeply appreciated the time she dedicated to compiling these stories. For the most part, there was a degree of satisfactory closure, even when the interviews for each subject were conducted years apart. This shows her commitment and the value of her work in presenting a more comprehensive picture of the situation.

Overall, this reading experience has broadened my understanding and made me more aware of the complex dynamics at play in different parts of the world.

I truly relished "meeting" all the diverse individuals within Seirstad's book.

One interview, in particular, really made me stop and think.

An older couple informed Seirstad that they had a complete understanding of the political situation in their country as they had heard about it on TV (which was Milosevic-controlled).

This incident made me reflect even more deeply on the extent to which our news here is filtered and manipulated.

Who can really be certain about what is truly happening?

We often assume that the information we receive through the media is accurate and unbiased, but this example shows us that it may not always be the case.

It is essential for us to be critical consumers of news and to seek out multiple sources of information to get a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the world around us.

Otherwise, we may be misled by the filtered and spun news that is presented to us.

The author has truly demonstrated her remarkable versatility by choosing a distinct approach compared to the one she employed in her first book, "The Bookseller of Kabul".

This new perspective offers a fascinating look at the same situation, presenting various viewpoints ranging from that of the protestor to the supporter, from the fanatic to the fatalistic.

This book offers numerous fascinating perspectives regarding the recent history of Serbia.

Comprising fourteen chapters, each chapter details the time the author spent with a distinct Serbian individual or family. She encounters a diverse array of people, such as the wife of a convicted war criminal, upper echelons of Slobodan Milosevic's party, leaders of the opposition, refugees who fled Kosovo, a rock star, and artists. These meetings take place right before Milosevic's downfall and persist for a few years afterwards.

I truly esteemed the manner in which Seierstad appeared to both cherish and interrogate each of the different perspectives. It was extremely captivating to read the chapters about those who knew Milosevic and other war criminals personally. It is uncommon to obtain a human perspective on someone who always seemed simply malevolent.

I gleaned a great deal about how intricate the situation is and how many crimes have been perpetrated on all sides of the conflict, not solely by Milosevic and his party. It was disheartening to read about all the individuals who were striving so arduously to topple his regime, only to be somewhat disillusioned by what ensued.

The book imparted a wealth of knowledge about Serbia to me, and I would be eager to peruse a book about every country written in this fashion, where one truly acquires some diverse perspectives. Five stars might be a touch overly generous, but nevertheless.