Balkanalysis.com

Readers Choice: July’s Most Popular Books and More

Balkanalysis.com readers this month bought a combination of old Balkan favorites, adventurous additions as well as completely unrelated items from our affiliate, Amazon.com. We quickly go down the list here in order to show the best of the bunch, as well as some other engrossing works on themes of interest to lovers of the Balkans.

At the head of the list this month was a tome on the Turkish experience of the Balkan Wars, entitled, Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, by Edward J. Erickson. A fascinating book by the same author that might also interest readers is the evocatively titled, Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War.

Also dusting off the annals of the 20^th century’s first great moment of Balkan bloodshed, we have Balkan Wars, 1912-1913 : Prelude to the First World War by Richard C. Hall, which contextualizes the complex wars between Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, Bulgaria and the Ottomans in relation to their impact on emerging events.

Another interesting (and unusual) text purchased was Nart Sagas from the Caucasus: Myths and Legends from the Circassians, Abazas, Abkhaz, and Ubykhs by John Colarusso. The book contains 92 ancient myths from ancient cultures that survive – if barely – today. Published for the first time for a Western audience, the Nart Sagas reveals a world of warriors, wizards, and goddesses, a world in which the divine becomes manifest and in which women reign supreme (many Caucasian societies remain matriarchal even today).

Students of history in this esoteric backwater will also appreciate another purchased item, The Sabres of Paradise by Lesley Blanch. This account of Tzarist Russia’s conquests in the Caucasus concentrates on the charismatic character of Sufi leader Imam Shamyl, also known as the “Lion of Dhagestan.”

Also in the Caucasus category is the less happy Caucasus: Mountain Men and Holy Wars, by Nicholas Griffin, which details the bloody Russian-Chechen war. In the same neighborhood, our readers picked up the narrative that starts off with Boris Yeltsin’s Millennium New Year’s Eve gift to Russia- former KGB officer Vladimir Putin. In Putin’s Russia by Lilia Shevtsova, the reader gets a good basic understanding of the changes that Putin’s ascendancy to power has brought, from his troubled relationship with the oligarchs, his economic reforms, as well as military ambitions and foreign policy audacity. Since these same themes remain relevant today, this book makes a good introduction for those wishing to get a handle on the most important issues facing Russia today.

Going back to the 19^th century, The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 by Geoffrey Wawro is an invaluable new account of one of modern Europe’s most fateful conflicts. The war pitted French Emperor Napoleon III against the Prussian juggernaut that under Bismarck had rolled over Denmark in 1864 and Austria in 1866, ending in a French disaster in Paris itself.

According to Wikipedia, “…the conflict marked the culmination of tension between the two powers following Prussia’s rise to dominance in Germany, still a loose federation of quasi-independent territories.”

This book utilizes a host of sources (including new archival evidence used for the first time) to follow in detail a war that appeared “too close to call” for months.

Bartleby.com adds, “…besides establishing the Third French Republic and the German Empire, the Franco-Prussian War had other far-reaching effects. Desire for revenge guided French policy for the following half-century. Prussian militarism had triumphed and laid the groundwork for German imperialistic ventures. The Papal States, no longer protected by Napoleon III, were annexed by Italy, which thus completed its unification. These and other effects were links in the chain of causes that set off World War I.”

According to the Amazon.com introduction, “…from the political intrigues that began and ended the war to the bloody battles at Gravelotte and Sedan and the last murderous fights on the Loire and in Paris, this is the definitive history of the Franco-Prussian War.”

Apart from “straight” history, we have Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace by Gore Vidal (no pun intended), a searing inquisition of the rise and motivation of American empire and its future in the post-9/11 world. A highly recommended work from one of the modern masters.

Speaking of Empire, our readers have also shown an interest in the autobiography of that belated distinguished emperor, William Jefferson Clinton, a book that has been criticized both for being too informative and not informative enough. This is the question astute critics of Clinton’s Balkan policy will no doubt be asking- does this voluminous, 1,008-page tome hold water? Or from which end does it leak? We’ll let you find out.

Two other autobiographies of slightly differing inspirations: Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic by American writer Paul Fussell, and British poet Robert Graves’ Good-Bye to All That: An Autobiography. The former sets out to extinguish the rosy glow with which most Americans think back on World War II. The author (and veteran who was injured in battle in France) reminds that the war was, “…for the United States, an unintended form of eugenics, clearing the population of the dumbest, the least skilled, the least promising of all Americans.” As for Graves, his classic autobiography (first published in 1929) is heavily influenced by the sobering effects of World War I on England and Europe in general, a text in which the famous poet lyrically evokes a bygone time and way of life.

Finally, there were the usual unusual purchases in July that confirmed once again our readers’ diverse interests and talents. Most interesting among these were 2 DVD’s, The Piano Styles of Dr John and Keyboard Workshop- Chick Corea. In addition, if one can possibly imagine a more exciting event to hit Boston than the Democratic National Convention- the U2 Elevation Tour (2001) DVD. And there was even a black Luminox Navy Seals Diving Watch picked up. Go figure!

Balkanalysis.com would, as always, like to think our readers for their continued support. Any suggestions regarding Balkan-related goods you would like to see appear, books you would like to see reviewed, etc., are welcome and may be addressed to us at: contact@balkanalysis.com.