A layering of two stories. Lazarus is a Jewish immigrant killed without cause by the police in Chicago in the very early 1900s. It is based on a true story. This part explores the racism of the dominant society, the exaggerated stories they tell themselves, and also the economic exploitation of immigrants, especially at that time of rapid economic expansion and the founding of great fortunes. You also get a sense of the social unrest and social conflicts of the time. Same racist tropes you see today in the U.S,
The other story is about the author working on the Lazarus project, and the trip he takes to Ukraine, Moldova and Sarajevo as part of this ostensible research. This part looks at difficult cultural / worldview differences between Bosnia, Ukraine, etc, and the more prosperous Western countries but at a very personal, interactive level. Some of the immigrant author's comments about American culture and world view are very biting, but quite accurate. There are also many stories about the siege of Sarajevo - one of the side characters.
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