Similar to the book by Rossos but organized more by topic and issue, and less so by historical perspective. Poulton also devotes quite a bit of time to the various ethnic groups within Macedonia, their history, and the history of interethnic relations. The section on modern Macedonia and the issues and conflicts currently affecting politics is very thorough - Albanian, Macedonian relations; the republic's name issue; separatist tendencies, long-term viability of the state.
A good followup read to a general history.
Saturday 20 February 2016
Elegy for Kosovo - Ismail Kadare
A fictional account of the battle on the Field of Blackbirds, and the aftermath. In actual fact, a parable of the modern Balkans. Kadare highlights the interethnic rivalries and conflicts that have always plagued the region and prevented any kind of progress or collective action. He also looks at Europe's longstanding disregard, almost disdain for the Balkans - a kind of Achilles heel of Europe that is always disregarded. Not my favorite author - a bit heavy-handed in his parable telling for my taste, but still interesting to read.
Mr. Kafka - Bohumil Hrabal
Czech writer from communist period. A collection of short stories about the absurdities of life under the communists - mixed with an obsession with women. The observations about life at that time remind me of some of the things Kundera writes about in his earlier books, but Hrabal doesn't have the biting wit, the crushing absurd humor, nor the depth of vision of Kundera. For my taste, he is also prone stylistic self-indulgence - tried another book too, but it was one long run-on sentence...
In Another Country - David Constantine
English writer, poet and short stories. This is a collection of short stories.
Constantine has a poet's sense of language. He writes with a sparse, precise language. His ability to follow and portray the hidden emotional pathways between two people is a joy to read. The stories themselves are a bit depressing or unsettling, and they explore the hidden sides of life between people, the buried parts, the irrational parts. No judgement, just tender observation.
Would like to have a look at some of his poetry.
Constantine has a poet's sense of language. He writes with a sparse, precise language. His ability to follow and portray the hidden emotional pathways between two people is a joy to read. The stories themselves are a bit depressing or unsettling, and they explore the hidden sides of life between people, the buried parts, the irrational parts. No judgement, just tender observation.
Would like to have a look at some of his poetry.
Wednesday 10 February 2016
The Long Road Home - KIm Yong
The story of an escapee from North Korea. Kim Yong starts off as an orphan, but ends up as part of the elite of North Korea. He lives in Pyong Yang and is part of the shadow pirate economy that collects foreign exchange through illegal cash trading on international markets to finance the elite's life style. He is completely swallowed up in the machine. Through some counterrevolutionary family connections that come out at one point, he ends up in the work camp/death camp system that operated some of the basic economy, such as coal mining. He then escapes to China, and eventually South Korea.
A surprising story. You get a look at the Land of Oz that is Pyong Yang in an otherwise desperate country. You get a look at the desperate conditions of the work camp system. What you don't get is any view, any understanding of the life of the average peasant or worker outside of Pyong Yang. It is as if he never even saw the rest of the country - and yet there are stories of him driving all over the country to procure items for export. As if he is completely blinded by the ideology, the privileges, the social gulf between rulers and ruled.
Another thing is, in spite of the harsh end to his life in North Korea, he emerges with all his inculcated propaganda intact, even in prison never having questioned the nature of the state and its messages. Strange.
A surprising story. You get a look at the Land of Oz that is Pyong Yang in an otherwise desperate country. You get a look at the desperate conditions of the work camp system. What you don't get is any view, any understanding of the life of the average peasant or worker outside of Pyong Yang. It is as if he never even saw the rest of the country - and yet there are stories of him driving all over the country to procure items for export. As if he is completely blinded by the ideology, the privileges, the social gulf between rulers and ruled.
Another thing is, in spite of the harsh end to his life in North Korea, he emerges with all his inculcated propaganda intact, even in prison never having questioned the nature of the state and its messages. Strange.
Macedonia and the Macedonians - Andrew Rossos
An excellent overview of Macedonian history from ancient times to the present. It answered many of the questions I had about how Macedonia came to be such an important part of Balkan, and modern European, history.
Excellent discussion of how, over many years, the Macedonian people struggled to assert their identity and establish a homeland in spite of almost constant resistance from Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia. Quite an accomplishment, actually. Really the work of the people themselves, as they had no foreign sponsors, no Macedonian church, no strong political elite or association for most of their history.
There is also some interesting discussion of Macedonia's place in Yugoslavia - the Yugoslavian communists were the first (and only) to recognize Macedonians as a distinct ethnic group and support the establishment of a Macedonian state.
Didn't read every detail of the 20th century ins and outs of the struggle, but the book is well set up for skimming, with a summary at the beginning of each more detailed chapter.
Excellent discussion of how, over many years, the Macedonian people struggled to assert their identity and establish a homeland in spite of almost constant resistance from Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia. Quite an accomplishment, actually. Really the work of the people themselves, as they had no foreign sponsors, no Macedonian church, no strong political elite or association for most of their history.
There is also some interesting discussion of Macedonia's place in Yugoslavia - the Yugoslavian communists were the first (and only) to recognize Macedonians as a distinct ethnic group and support the establishment of a Macedonian state.
Didn't read every detail of the 20th century ins and outs of the struggle, but the book is well set up for skimming, with a summary at the beginning of each more detailed chapter.
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