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ladyeremite's review against another edition
3.0
Good basic overview of the history of Albania, Greece, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Bulgaria simultaneously stressing the recent violence of their histories but also how stereotypes of Balkan violence are largely projections of more powerful nations.
otis_punkmeyer's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Love this book. I wish it was longer!
miocyon's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn’t the book I expected it to be. I was thinking it would be more of a straight history book, with names, dates, events, but it was more of a cultural look at this important area. It’s coverage also extended back to earlier than I expected, or was looking for, to just before the Ottomans took over SE Europe. Nevertheless, I learned a lot about how geography, economy, and religion shaped the area. It wasn’t strictly chronological, which was a little maddening, but I like how it was thematically organized. Particularly interesting was the rise of nationalism, which is something we now associate with the Balkans, but is a relatively new phenomenon. Previously, the area was mostly peasant countryside, and there were no nations to get behind. The epilogue on the association of the Balkans with violence (not much based in reality) was also engaging, if a little out of place. I still need to find the kind of book I was looking for, but this was a pleasant, albeit a bit dry at times, surprise.
braxwall's review against another edition
informative
3.0
Undertiteln syftar på att Balkan var ett ovanligt begrepp före 1800-talet. Den bärande tesen är att etnicitet inte varit en viktig fråga före 1900-talets folkomflyttningar och mord utifrån etnicitet. Historiskt talade man ofta om greker när det gällde den kristna befolkningen i det Ottomanska riket innan slavnationalismens födelse.
Gränsen mot Asien ansågs gå vid floden Sava, söder om bifloden Una, som utgjorde gränsen mellan de habsburgska och osmanska rikena. Folket i detta område definierat då sin tillhörighet utifrån regionen snarare än etnicitet.
I mitten av 1700-talet börjar det dock bli bråk mellan de ortodoxa och katolska kristna och i och med patriarken i Konstantinopels nedåtgående makt uppstår en mängd nationella ortodoxa kyrkor.
Det finns många aspekter som behandlas i denna bok och på det hela är det en bra genomgång, även om de tidsmässiga hoppen ibland förvirrar.
Gränsen mot Asien ansågs gå vid floden Sava, söder om bifloden Una, som utgjorde gränsen mellan de habsburgska och osmanska rikena. Folket i detta område definierat då sin tillhörighet utifrån regionen snarare än etnicitet.
I mitten av 1700-talet börjar det dock bli bråk mellan de ortodoxa och katolska kristna och i och med patriarken i Konstantinopels nedåtgående makt uppstår en mängd nationella ortodoxa kyrkor.
Det finns många aspekter som behandlas i denna bok och på det hela är det en bra genomgång, även om de tidsmässiga hoppen ibland förvirrar.
larsinio's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty interesting read, i definitely learned a lot. Mark used a lot different source and created a comprehensive view of the balkans for the last 500 years. Does a good job of dispelling the myths and stereotypes of the balkans, backing it up with the real history.
I was expecting a bit more medieval/byzantine history, so i was a little dissapointed in that regard.
I felt the book could have been organized a little bitter, you wind up reading about the same periods in history multiple times in different contexts/focuses.
Good vocabulary builder.
I was expecting a bit more medieval/byzantine history, so i was a little dissapointed in that regard.
I felt the book could have been organized a little bitter, you wind up reading about the same periods in history multiple times in different contexts/focuses.
Good vocabulary builder.
adamvolle's review
3.0
The last chapters are more confusing than the rest, though I guess that's understandable.