This is an extremely huge book.

With the epilogue included, my particular copy amounted to a whopping 1,150 pages.

I found it truly captivating as it delved into an interesting array of places in the Balkans during the year 1935, which was a crucial period after WWI and just before WW2.

What I loved especially were the stories of the travels and the people encountered along the way.

The author's use of humor added an extra layer of charm to the narrative.

However, the writing can pose a challenge at times.

The author often waxes philosophical on a wide variety of topics, which requires the reader to engage in deep思考.

Moreover, she revisits the history multiple times, perhaps to emphasize certain aspects or to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the events and their significance.

Overall, despite the challenges, this book offers a rich and engaging exploration of a fascinating time and place.

A truly brilliant travelogue and history of Yugoslavia was penned precisely as World War Two was intensifying.

Despite her prejudices, or perhaps even because of them, it is astounding. It stands on a par with the works of Sebald or Leigh Fermor.

The great Christopher Hitchens also provides a wonderful introduction.

This book offers a unique perspective on Yugoslavia during a tumultuous time in history. It combines vivid descriptions of the country's landscapes, cultures, and people with a deep exploration of its historical context.

The author's prejudices, while noticeable, add an interesting layer to the narrative, making it all the more engaging and thought-provoking.

With Hitchens' introduction setting the stage, readers are sure to be captivated by this remarkable work.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in travel, history, or the complex tapestry of Yugoslavia.

This book has been on my to-read list for quite some time, specifically since 2006. I was well aware that if I intended to pen a novel set in Yugoslavia during the 1940s, I simply had to engage with Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. All of my other research books made mention of it, often not just in the bibliography but also within the text itself. However, I wasn't exactly looking forward to it, mainly due to its considerable length.

Finally, I managed to get around to reading it. Initially, it was far better than I had anticipated. But as I continued, it seemed to go on and on and on. This isn't actually the longest book I've ever read, yet it sure felt that way. It gave the impression of being longer than The Count of Monte Cristo, Les Miserables, or The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - all of which have more pages (though I'm not certain about the word count). At times, her writing was truly beautiful. At other times, it appeared rather wordy. There were parts that I adored, especially the historical aspects. And there were also parts that left me yawning. Nevertheless, I could see how each chapter and each tangent provided me with a little something extra about Yugoslavia.

Am I glad that I read it? The answer is yes. Did I learn something? A resounding yes. Would I recommend it to others? Parts of it, definitely. In its entirety - probably only to those who are truly, truly interested in Yugoslavian history up until the start of WWII. I'll likely reread some chapters, but I doubt I'll undertake the entire book from beginning to end again.

Overall, I felt as though I had embarked on a really long journey with Rebecca West. And while Rebecca West is extremely intelligent, I didn't always concur with her. During certain sections, I kind of craved a break from her. I didn't appreciate the fact that she was so harsh on the apostle Paul. In the end, I found her epilogue about freedom and the war that had just commenced against the Nazis to be inspirational (albeit perhaps a little long-winded).

**Title: A Rambling on Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, the Pandemic, and Life**

173.2 pounds. That's my weight this morning, around 15 pounds less than when I began reading 'Black Lamb and Grey Falcon' in mid-January. I devoured 10 - 20 pages each night, getting lost in the account of King Alexander's assassination and Rebecca West and her husband's train journey to Yugoslavia in 1937, sharing a compartment with tourists from Hitler's Germany. It was all so fascinating, yet I questioned my commitment. Was I really that interested in the Balkans? Wasn't I supposed to focus on writing in 2020? But perhaps, like chess masters losing calories from intense concentration, this book made me think and argue with West in the margins, somehow helping me shed a pound here and there. Of course, there were mornings and nights when I wasn't up to it, and those attempts sometimes felt like wasted time, but that was usually my fault, not West's.

The pandemic has also had an impact on my life. Like many friends, I've convinced myself three times that I have the virus, especially after reading terrifying accounts online. My friend D__, who experiences chest tightness but thinks it's just anxiety (or maybe the disease), and I, who feel like we're being stalked by death every time we go outside. Max Von Sydow's death last week, and my memory of him playing chess with death in 'The Seventh Seal', only heighten this feeling.

The drive to the nearby Wawa in the pre-dawn is always eerie, even without a pandemic. The traffic circle leads past various closed businesses, and sometimes a mysterious car with its engine running. But the Wawa, with its better coffee, is still a hub of activity. The guys in hoodies and steel-toed boots, who seem invincible in their routine, are now wearing gloves and seem more hostile and anxious.

As for 'Black Lamb and Grey Falcon', it's a masterpiece. It's jaw-droppingly good, overwhelming, and digressive, a 1,150-page meditation on eros and thanatos in 1937. West's central philosophical concern about the allure of defeat and the question of our love for life is thought-provoking. However, I was less persuaded by her view of Christianity as a civilizing force compared to "the Turk", and I wonder if her words could be misinterpreted by right-wingers. And like all great masterpieces, it has its boring parts, but it also reaches sublime heights that make it more like a life experience than a book.

The world West knew was shrinking, much like our world today. The possibilities for movement are limited, and the future is uncertain. I haven't quite finished the book yet, and I don't want it to end. Reading about travel, especially in a country that no longer exists, has become a source of comfort in these strange times. But I know that to truly appreciate an epic like this, I must conquer my resistance and reach the end.

In conclusion, while this may not be a traditional review of 'Black Lamb and Grey Falcon', it reflects my thoughts and experiences during this pandemic. I promise to write a more comprehensive review in a few weeks and copy this to the comments section. For now, I hope you're all staying safe and finding some way to relax and maintain human connection, even if it's remotely.

Escribir un libro de (bastantes) más de 1000 páginas que enganche no debe ser nada fácil. Y más, si el tema es la historia de la Yugoslavia de entreguerras, un país que, al fin y al cabo, falló como tal y anda ahora maltrecho dividido en 6 otros países y uno que, dependiendo de dónde andes, es un país o no. Y específicamente andando por España, que no lo ha renocido (sí, es un WTF), pues eso, sólo 6 países.

Pero Rebecca West es una gran escritora. Con una narración aparentemente intrascendente, de pequeños encuentros y desencuentros, personajes arquetípicos o pintorescos, acaba narrando una historia de, sobre todo, Serbia, y la influencia que ha tenido prácticamente en todo el devenir de occidente, pero sobre todo en las propias actitudes de los yugoslavos (y ahora ex-yugoslavos) ante la historia.

Aunque es un libro de viajes, no es un complemento a una guía turística. Para empezar, porque los grandes monumentos importan relativamente poco. Ciudades como Trebinje que apenas recibirán un párrafo en una guía turística editada por el patronato comarcal, aquí reciben todo un capítulo, y a veces varios. Porque Rebecca logra elevar una conversación, un traje o un momento a un destilado de la historia, y con eso consigue transmitirte la pasión por la vida de la buena gente de Serbia.

En este libro, es Serbia contra el populismo y la tiranía. En realidad, el resto de los países yugoslavos tienen relativamente poca importancia. Eslovenia apenas aparece y de Croacia no dice mucho. Tiranía de los diferentes imperios, desde Venecia hasta los otomanos, que han controlado diferentes ahora países (lo que explica, en realidad, su diferente carácter e identidad), y de las potencias emergentes en la época en que se escribía el libro, Alemania e Italia.

En realidad, la situación en la que se halla un país parte de ahí, pero luego tiene una buena cantidad de gobernantes propios absolutamente necios, y poco patriotas, que acaban también llevando al país a la ruina. Pero también hay gobernantes, que, como en el poema del que se extrae el título del libro, prefieren sacrificarse en la derrota y así vivir para siempre a poner las condiciones para una victoria y así simplemente ser recordados una generación o dos.

En resumen, un tocho al que hay que dedicarle una buena serie de sesiones de lectura, pero que merece la pena leer si te gusta un poco la historia.

The author has a profound love for the Balkan area. On her initial journey to Yugoslavia, she discovers "the enormous, reassuring natural wealth of energy, intellect, and spirituality." Yugoslavia, a relatively new nation established in 1918, consisted of regions such as Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovenia. She is astonishingly well-versed in world history, both European and Eastern. The book is half travelogue in 1937 (before World War II was named as such but after the politics of Germany and Italy began to pose a threat to their neighbors) and half history. The historical account spans from the Roman Empire through the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire to the present day. I am not an expert in any of this to determine whether her presentation is the standard one today or influenced by her enthusiasm in some way. She held a very low opinion of the Germans she encountered.

The book consists of 1158 pages with small print. Generally speaking, it is captivating. There are very few instances where the history overpowers and disrupts the flow. I believe it is worthwhile. In the introduction, it is noted that the story differs in some details from the notes in the author's diary. It is still interesting to observe the insights she has from our post-World War II/post-Yugoslavian meltdown perspective.

Some of the insightful points I noted are as follows:

"It is our weakness to think that distant people become civilized when we look at them, that in their yesterdays they were brutish."

"...parts of Yugoslavia where there is still no trace of a class system, where there are only peasants..." These peasants owned their land, unlike the serfs in feudal times in the West.

She was informed that in one of these regions (now countries), "ninety percent of our university students were killed in the war [WWI]."

"Franz Ferdinand of Austria (murder --> WWI): "as he was heir to the throne, he could announce his policy only by the slow method of communicating it to private individuals," who then passed it on one by one almost like gossip. As a result, his intentions were misrepresented after his death.

"The Bulgarians were a people of other than Slav origin, being akin to Turks and Hungarians and Finns, but they were interpenetrated with Slav blood and spoke a Slav language."

Regarding the Turks, "the reward for total abstinence from alcohol seems, illogically enough, to be the capacity for becoming intoxicated without it." This refers to the Turks and their ability to find sensual pleasure in the most meager of settings...

"...the curious honesty of the Slav mind, by its refusal to dress up its inconsistencies and make them superficially acceptable to the rationalist censor... they let their myths and the criticism of it coexist in their minds..."

TL;DR - People died.

This simple statement holds a great deal of significance and sadness. When people die, it is a loss not only for their families and friends but also for society as a whole.

The reasons for people's deaths can be numerous. It could be due to natural causes such as old age, illness, or accidents. It could also be a result of violence, war, or other man-made disasters.

Each death is unique and has a profound impact on those left behind. The grief and pain that follow can be overwhelming.

We should remember those who have passed away and honor their lives. We should also do our best to prevent unnecessary deaths and work towards a world where everyone can live a long and healthy life.

In conclusion, the fact that people die is an inevitable part of life, but we can make a difference by showing compassion, caring for one another, and working towards a better future.

Nisam je zavrsio. Ogromna je, ali sve je vrhinski napisano.

This statement implies that although the task or work was not completed, it was of great magnitude and was written or done in an excellent or top-notch manner.

It could suggest that despite not reaching the final stage of completion, the quality of the work up to that point was very high.

Maybe there were certain challenges or obstacles that prevented the full completion, but the effort and skill put into it were evident.

It also leaves room for speculation about what might have happened next or if the incomplete work will ever be finished.

Overall, this short sentence provides a sense of both incompleteness and high quality, creating an interesting and thought-provoking statement.

The scope of this book is truly amazing.

As you start reading it, you are filled with a sense of foreboding. This is because you have the advantage, if it can be called that, of already knowing what will happen to this region over the next 75 years.

The shadow of World War II looms large over the entire narrative, adding an even greater intensity to the story.

I simply can't forget the words of an old woman in Montenegro. She said, "If I had to live, why should my life have been like this?"

Her words resonate deeply, highlighting the hardships and injustices that people in this region have endured.

The book takes you on a journey through time, allowing you to witness the events and experiences that have shaped this place.

It makes you reflect on the past and think about the future.

Overall, it is a powerful and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

I was expecting to read an interesting travelogue of an Englishwoman through that Yugoslavia between the First and Second World Wars.

However, what awaited me was a dull and dry account with a little description of the border, a lot of subjective superimposition on the history of the Balkans by an ill-informed writer, many presented subjective ambiguities regarding the cultural differences between the peoples she visited and England, and a considerable misunderstanding of the same.

It was a complete disappointment.

I had high hopes for this book, imagining vivid descriptions of the landscapes, the people, and the unique cultures of Yugoslavia during that time period.

But instead, I found myself slogging through pages of uninteresting and often inaccurate information.

The author's lack of knowledge and objectivity really detracted from the overall quality of the work.

It made me question whether she had actually done any proper research or if she was simply relying on her own preconceived notions.

Overall, this was not the engaging and enlightening read that I had been hoping for.

Incredible

The world is full of incredible things that constantly amaze and astound us.

From the breathtaking natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and the Northern Lights to the remarkable feats of human engineering such as the Burj Khalifa and the Great Wall of China, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring sights.

Incredible events also occur in our daily lives. We witness acts of kindness and bravery that restore our faith in humanity.

Science and technology have brought about incredible advancements, allowing us to explore the far reaches of the universe and understand the mysteries of the human body.

The power of the human imagination is equally incredible, giving rise to works of art, literature, and music that touch our souls and inspire us.

Incredible moments can be found in the simplest of things, like a beautiful sunset or a child's smile.

These are the things that make life truly remarkable and worth living.

We should always strive to keep our eyes open and our hearts receptive to the incredible that surrounds us.

I imagine that this book and I will be intertwined for several months, on and off, much like a Proustian project.

From all the rave reviews and discussions I've come across, I find myself extremely eager and excited to embark on this literary journey.

I anticipate that it will be a profound and immersive experience, one that will transport me to different worlds and perspectives.

The anticipation is palpable, and I can't wait to delve into the pages and discover the hidden gems and insights that this book has to offer.

It feels like a special adventure awaits, and I'm ready to embrace it with open arms and an open mind.

I have a hunch that this book will leave a lasting impression on me and become a cherished part of my literary collection.

So, here's to the upcoming months of exploration and discovery with this much-anticipated book.