Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country [Paperback]

Tony Fabijancic (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wayfarer | Publication Date: March 31, 1999

In his travels through Croatia, Tony Fabijancic saw a world of peasants, shepherds and fishermen irrevocably giving way to the new reality of a modern European state. With a deft and sure touch, he records moments that capture the lingering spirit of the old world even as the former fabric of this place is unravelling forever. The author’s profound familiarity with the "extraordinary regionality" of Croatia leads to memorable images of the country, and to sketches and unhurried ruminations on its people, its landscapes, kitchens, cities, and coastlines.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"While only partially representing the Croatian way of life, which these days is increasingly urbanized adn computerized, these personal (but never biased) essays fully encapsulate the country's essence. Fabijancic gets extra credit for not letting the much-written-about politics interfere and ruin the narrative's delicate flow." Mirela Roncevic, Library Journal

"...join Tony Fabijancic as he returns to his homeland in Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country, exploring the quiet hidden corners and the complex history of this beautiful place." Wanderlust

"The book gives a fascinating insight into not only the countryside, as you would expect from a book about travel, but also into the people and their attitudes on a whole range of subjects." M2 Best Books

“Filled with the colours and “feels” of Croatia, inhabited by faces commonly unseen, and accompanied by insightful reflections and comments, Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country is an informative and engaging book, and a highly gratifying guide into Croatia's “back-roads”, diverse natural beauties, and vanishing complex cultures.” Gordana P. Crnkovic (University of Washington), Slavic & East European Journal, 48.2, Summer 2004

"Throughout his travels, he seeks answers to the question, “what makes a Canadian-born son of immigrants look back across the ocean for a place to belong?” Black-and-white photos capture the traditional ways of the Croatians, as well as the beauty and grandeur of the country. In this inspiring book, Fabijancic has admirably met his objective of “emphasizing facts of a different order: the evanescent moment on the road that captured the spirit of the old world still in evidence; the hidden or forgotten crevices; the personal instead of the public; and the present still permeated by a vital past.” Norman P. Goldman, Canadian Book Review Annual, 2004.

From the Back Cover

There is, in old Croatia, an undiscovered country that is passing away, a world of peasants, shepherds and fishermen irrevocably surrendering before the reality of a modern European state. When Tony Fabijancic travelled to Croatia he was returning to his own undiscovered country. With the tongue of a native but the eyes of an outsider, he journeyed the old country of his father. He sought out the hidden corners where he could hear the earthy stories of country people. With thoughtful portraits, he throws open a personal window into a labyrinthine world of character and identity. Outside a church in Pag, the author experienced a flash of eternity, an epiphany into his own mortality. Tapping into a new-found strength, he travelled the expanse of Croatia, conducting a personal investigation into its extraordinary regionality while commenting on the complex history of adeeply layered landscape. In fine style, he transports the reader to the Adriatic in the summer: the blast of heat, the smell of dust, the bountiful kitchen gardens, and the impromptu ritual of sljivovica at outdoor tables. Most of all, we are introduced to rural men and women who, along with their hospitality, openly share their views on their lot in the new Croatia. Written with sensitivity and balance, Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country is smart, literate, travel writing that takes us to the heart of a fascinating land.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: University of Alberta Press; 1st edition (March 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888643977
• ISBN-13: 978-0888643971
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #441,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > History > Europe > Croatia
  • #36 in Books > Travel > Europe > Bosnia, Croatia & Herzegovina

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A land steeped in centuries of tradition and lore, July 25, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country (Paperback)

Croatia: Travels In Undiscovered Country by Tony Fabijancic is a superbly written, personal memoir and eye-witness travelogue of what it was like to experience the land and people of Croatia as both an ancestral home and an undiscovered country. Transporting the reader on one man's journey into a rich and varied landscape, Croatia: Travels In Undiscovered Country is a vividly written, deftly informative, and memorably presented experience of a land steeped in centuries of tradition and lore. Croatia: Travels In Undiscovered Country is especially recommended reading for armchair travelogue adventure enthusiasts and anyone thinking of a trip to Croatia for themselves.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country, May 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country (Paperback)

A terrific book. I have found no other book on Croatia that offers such insight into the country's current way of life and historical emblems, without becoming trite or resorting solely to political fact listing. Reveals the fragile beauty of a an undiscovered country in the midst of economic and cultural change. A wonderful travel book. Accessible and imaginative writing. Very well done.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read for someone who has travelled Croatia, May 25, 2007

By 

M. Bridges "balkan maiden" (Boise, ID USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country (Paperback)

I recently returned from three weeks in Croatia and came across this book. I would say Tony's writing is fair to good, and I enjoyed his insights into how the country felt and looked in 1996 post war. Because most of my time was spent along the Dalmatian Coastline his stories have inspired me to spend time on my upcoming return to Croatia in the rurual areas. Speaking Hrvatska is going to help and for anyone contemplating travel to Croatia he does a good job of articulating the lifestyle of 10 years ago. It is changing drmatically now that it is poised to join the EU. His stories are off the beaten tourist path and defininitely reflect the flavor of a very diverse country that remains in denial about its history and its future.