The Road To Kosovo: A Balkan Diary (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "It was easy to forget where I was...zooming down a smooth four-lane expressway, the Crystal Method wailing from a cassette in the stereo, and getting..." (more)
Key Phrases: arresting war criminals, international troops, Dayton Accords, United States, Republika Srpska (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the summer of 1998, freelance journalist Greg Campbell got into a rental car in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, and drove across Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro into Kosovo, where Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic had recently begun stepping up an ongoing "ethnic cleansing" campaign against the ethnic Albanians who make up the majority of the region's population. Staying with local journalists--some of whom were also part of the underground Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)--Campbell was forced to confront the consequences of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia.

But, he notes, what happened in that region is equally, if not ultimately, the consequence of the ineffective "protection" offered by NATO forces, including American troops. Drawing on his observations from a 1996 trip to Bosnia, Campbell elaborates upon the unwillingness of those in command of the implementation (later known as stabilization) forces, or SFOR--particularly the American commanders--to do anything more than the bare minimum required by the 1995 Dayton peace accord. Consequently, many Serbian war criminals enjoyed continued liberty, civil unrest continued to flare, and SFOR blamed local authorities for not solving the problem. Under those conditions, Campbell argues, it was inevitable that Kosovo would become another Bosnia.

The Road to Kosovo provides valuable background on the conflict between the Serbs and the Kosovars and NATO's track record in keeping the peace in the Balkans. It is also filled with chilling images of the chaos and terror of modern war. The book should be read by anyone hoping to understand why the 1999 intervention by NATO could take place--and how it might have to differ from earlier actions in order to be judged a success. --Ron Hogan

From Booklist

Campbell made two trips to the former Yugoslavia: the first in 1996 to Bosnia, the second in 1998 to Kosovo. His reporter's travelogue is interesting for its flavor of one man, alone, going after the story--most other reporters benefit from lavish support by their large news organizations. If there's safety in numbers in a bar or at a roadblock, Campbell only occasionally enjoyed it--once in the company of a wild man from Soldier of Fortune. On his own otherwise, Campbell describes the scenery of destruction and general dilapidation that the area presents, a miasma of misery underscored by the suspicious who-are-you "Balkan stare" of the inhabitants. Having been initiated to Balkan tension in 1996, he drove from Zagreb to Pristina last year just as the KLA was becoming known. He talked to (and his way past) armed men in outlying areas, in incidents that echoed the palpable fear of the ethnic Albanians preceding the eruption of the war last March. Trenchant, intrepid eyewitness observations that will take readers beyond the television images. Gilbert Taylor

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 4th printing edition (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813335892
• ISBN-13: 978-0813335896
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,264,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good quick read on the Balkans, May 14, 2000

By	tc (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

The Road to Kosovo A Balkan Diary was a good fast read. I found his experiences similar to a "road trip" I had taken through the R.S. and Croatia with Bosniak License Plates while on vacation during my year working for the U.N. The book gives you a good feel for a foreigner's impression of the area.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, well organized, and to the point., July 5, 1999

By A Customer

I felt like I was there with Campbell as he tried to sort out the good guys from the bad guys without getting shot by either. His analysis of the Balkan quagmire, while presented in clear, logical language, does not give me much hope for a happy ending anytime soon over there. I understand Campbell is going back over there shortly. I look forward to reading what his take is on the changes that have occured since his last visit.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Greg Campbell - You're a great writer, April 18, 2001

By	Kosovar (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road To Kosovo: A Balkan Diary (Paperback)

Well,first of all I must admit that I'm halfway the book now but I'm already able to recommend this book. I had a library copy at home when I bought this book and to be honest I was sorry I did that because I could read the book for free BUT in the very first pages thanks to the writing of Mr.Campbell I have congratulated this book for getting a place in the bookshelf of mine called "Only the best books I've ever read in my life". This book is so good as it tells things as they were.Mr.Campbell tells the truth and doesnt sympathise anybody except the justice. His writing is amazing and you wouldn't be surprise when you get transfered so easily into a strange world full of mysteries. I try to buy every single book about my country and I have plenty of those but "The Road to Kosovo" is the best one. I'll finish by saying -Even if you read 100 books in this subject you wont be able to find as much true information as in this one. And YOU'LL GET TO KNOW THE BOSNIA,KOSOVA AS YOU KNOW YOUR OWN COUNTRY - AND THAT'S ALL THANKS TO GREG CAMPBELL