Time to Start Thinking - Edward Luce

A very clear, sharp analysis of the many challenges America is facing as it slowly slips into decline.  A chapter on each of several issues - middle class decline, poor education system, dubious value of free trade, outdated ideologies, rise of other dynamic and innovative economic centres, bureaucracy, political dishonesty, entrenched special interest groups.
Luce is only moderately optimistic that the situation can be turned around.
Very well-done.  Doesn't seem too biased in any particular direction.

War's End - Joe Sacco

Safe Area Gorzade - Joe Sacco

Le Pont sur la Drina - Ivo Andric

Un classique d'un auteur de la Bosnie-Herzégovine.  Il raconte l'histoire de Visegrad, une ville sur la Drina, à travers les siècles de l'occupation Ottomane jusqu'au début de la première guerre, tout centré sur ce pont qui semble indestructible.  La première partie est très intéressante parce qu'il donne un aperçu, un goût de la vie de l'époque.  Quand il arrive à l'époque moderne, c'est moins intéressant parce qu'il se perd dans les discussions idéologiques autour de l'indépendance et la politique.
Le livre se termine avec la destruction d'une partie du pont au debut de la guerre.

Il aurait été horrifié par les événements sur ce pont au cours de la chute de l'ex-Yougoslavie...

Bosnia-Herzegovina in Pictures - Mary Englar

A brief book about Bosnia-Herzegovina - really a book intended for high school use.  Because of this brevity, though, you get a good overview of history and culture without getting bogged down in the more contentious aspects of the history and politics.  Good starting point, with some references.

I Wouldn't Start from Here - Andrew Mueller

A collection of pieces by a former rock journalist who travels to conflict and disaster areas to report on them.  The pieces are short; you can dip in and out.
His approach is a common-sense approach.  Sometimes it can be refreshingly candid and highlight the absurdity or plain human stupidity of certain social and armed conflicts (ie.  the societies themselves inflict their own wounds but can't see their way to change...)  At other times, the lack of an historical perspective leaves his commentary seeming naive at best, willfully ignorant and western-centric at best.
Worth exploring.

The Fixer - Joe Sacco

A graphic novel by Joe Sacco that looks at the Sarajevo siege.  Mostly made up of narrated bits from the siege as told by Joe's "fixer".   It is mostly a look at how the "militias" slowly slide towards a kind of mafia operating in the areas they were holding.  The relationship between these kinds of wars and criminals, gangs and psychotic individuals within the society.  They are useful, but in the end, they do more damage than "good".