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Bosnia: A Short History Paperback – October 1, 1996

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 78 ratings

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The most comprehensive narrative history of Bosnia available in English

This updated edition of Noel Malcolm's highly-acclaimed
Bosnia: A Short History provides the reader with the most comprehensive narrative history of Bosnia in the English language. Malcolm examines the different religious and ethnic inhabitants of Bosnia, a land of vast cultural upheaval where the empires of Rome, Charlemagne, the Ottomans, and the Austro-Hungarians overlapped. Clarifying the various myths that have clouded the modern understanding of Bosnia's past, Malcolm brings to light the true causes of the country's destruction. This expanded edition of Bosnia includes a new epilogue by the author examining the failed Vance-Owen peace plan, the tenuous resolution of the Dayton Accords, and the efforts of the United Nations to keep the uneasy peace.

What went wrong in the country where Christians and Muslims mingled and tolerated each other for over five centuries? It was a land with a vibrant political and cultural history, unlike any other in Europe, where great powers and religions-the empires of Rome, Charlemagne, the Ottomans; the faiths of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Judaism, and Islam overlapped and combined. In this first English-language history of Bosnia, Noel Malcolm provides a narrative chronicle of the country from its beginnings to its tragic end. Clarifying the various myths that have clouded the modern understanding of Bosnia's past, Malcolm brings to light the true causes of the country's destruction: the political strategy of the Serbian leadership, the conflict between the city and the countryside, the fatal inaction and miscalculations of Western politicians.

Putting the Bosnia war into perspective, this volume celebrates the complex history of a country whose past, as well as its future, has been all but erased. At last, here is the guide for the general reader seeking a comprehensive and accessible account of the war in the former Yugoslavia.


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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lovrenovic's talents lie not in the enumeration of historical facts, but in constructing (or discovering) a narrative to the evolving idea of Bosnia." ― Slavic and European Journal

From the Back Cover

This updated edition of Noel Malcolm's highly acclaimed Bosnia: A Short History provides the reader with the most comprehensive narrative history of Bosnia in the English language. Malcolm examines the different religious and ethnic inhabitants of Bosnia, a land of vast cultural upheaval where the empires of Rome, Charlemagne, the Ottomans, and the Austro-Hungarians overlapped. This expanded edition of Bosnia includes a new epilogue by the author examining the failed Vance-Owen peace plan, the tenuous resolution of the Dayton Accords, and the efforts of the United Nations to keep the uneasy peace.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ NYU Press; Updated edition (October 1, 1996)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 374 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0814755615
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0814755617
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 78 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
78 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style magnificent and the history compelling and surprisingly detailed. They also appreciate the compelling and detailed history of Bosnia up to that point.

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6 customers mention "Writing style"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style magnificent, easy to read, and excellent. They also say the synopsis is excellent and should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in the region.

"...The way Malcolm wrote the book was magnificent...." Read more

"...blunder of a chapter, the overwhelming majority of Malcolm’s synopsis is excellent and should be mandatory reading for any Westerner wishing to..." Read more

"Great buy. Easy read for anybody who wants to understand more about this region" Read more

"Wonderfully written and researched." Read more

3 customers mention "History"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the history compelling, detailed, and full of valuable information.

"...recommend it to anyone interested in the history of Bosnia full of valuable information" Read more

"Wonderfully written and researched." Read more

"...But do read it for its compelling, surprisingly detailed history of Bosnia up to that point." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2013
I was born in Bosnia in '77 and left abruptly in '92 due to the war. I finished 8th grade just before the war started. Fast forward 20 years to '12 and the book just opened my eyes. The "history" that was fed to us during those 8 years of school under the Communist regime was highly biased. I suppose they could do whatever they wanted since they controlled just about everything. But after reading the book I've learned the true history of my country. My wife (an American) got this for me as a gift and I'm thankful for her insight and caring. The way Malcolm wrote the book was magnificent. I couldn't put it down as I wanted to know more with each passing page and I finished it in a quick manner. I'll read it again and again to remind myself of the history of the great country of Bosnia. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Bosnia and its great history but most specifically I would recommend this book to any Bosnian who has left during the war as I'm sure they too have been taught the wrong history of our great little country. I'm sure they too could learn something they most likely didn't know either.
18 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2023
I purchased the book because through Ancestry, I found I have a relative that has a whole chapter dedicated to him.
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2015
This book was my reference as I traveled into Bosnia on a tour guided by a Bosnian who's family had suffered during the conflict of the 1990's. The book gives a longitudinal view of Bosnia that shows its existence as an accepted independent entity and its economic and political importance throughout European history. The last two chapters deal with the recent war, especially with the failure of the EU and USA to understand the nature of the conflict.
9 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2012
this book has blown my mind once you start reading you can't put it down i highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of Bosnia full of valuable information
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2020
With its innumerable cultures, religions, and political systems, looking into Bosnia is an ideological mirror where the observer’s beliefs and frameworks of understanding are projected back to the observer. This makes writing an unbiased history of the country that doesn’t feed into the propaganda of the various entities that have attempted to dominate it an arduous task. Noel Malcolm makes a very commendable effort in Bosnia: A Short History as he briefly surveys the entire country’s complex history with its occupation by many different entities and the many different political and economic systems that have sprung from these entities, but it falls just short of being a perfect synopsis due to its poor summary of Bosnia under Tito’s Yugoslavia.

Malcolm’s surveying deserves credit for taking care to have a level examination of Bosnia that covers all the important spheres including economics, politics, culture, immigration, and so on. For example, Malcolm is keen to detail both the economic nuances of Bosnian serfs being forced to surrender a portion of what they produce to the Ottoman occupation and also the unique practice of centuries old Catholic tattooing. Malcolm deserves even more credit for his myth-busting approach in many chapters, whether it’s the medieval myth of Bogomils being in Bosnia or the modern Western one of “ancient hatreds” where different ethnic groups or religions in Bosnia have been in a state of perpetual war and hate. Malcolm also frequently cites statistics whenever possible to provide empirical support for all the most important claims he makes about Bosnia. Lastly, he covers the most sensational and complicated period of the country, the war of the 1990s, with great analytical care.

It’s surprising then for much of this great writing to be thrown out the window when Malcolm surveys the socialist and Titoist period of Yugoslavia. It’s mostly the omission of important facts rather than the claims he does make which is the problem. The Tito-Stalin Split, one of the most important events of the period, is too briefly mentioned and when it is Malcolm does not spend even a breath explaining why it occurred. There is no mention of workers' self-management with the exception of a passing critical quip, nor is there comprehensive enough mention of the highly unique detail that Yugoslavia and Bosnia under it did not feature a command economy like other communist countries but operated under open markets with access to Western goods. There is no mention of the development of universal healthcare, tuition-free college, accessible public housing and this resulting in the highest standard of living in all of Bosnian history. When Malcolm does rarely mention something on the topic he becomes critical in an unscholarly manner, making a silly reference to an eyewitness that the newly built post-WW2 roads were poor due to the bourgeoisie that were forced to work them and not because Yugoslavia’s industrialization and technology was behind Western countries. This leads the reader to believe that Malcolm may be a right-winger or anti-communist.

Despite this blunder of a chapter, the overwhelming majority of Malcolm’s synopsis is excellent and should be mandatory reading for any Westerner wishing to become more educated about arguably the most fascinating and historically complex country in Europe. Malcolm ends his book with a very persuasive conclusion that attaches even a moral importance to reading Bosnian history, which is that failing to be educated about the country’s history contributes to Bosnia’s uncertain future as it has before like with misguided Western policies during the most recent war.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2019
Great buy. Easy read for anybody who wants to understand more about this region
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016
Wonderfully written and researched.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2012
felt the book deserves a to notch rating. i like the style and action of the account. i recommend it to any interested in yesterdays bosnia and todays.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Neriz
5.0 out of 5 stars ok
Reviewed in Canada on November 8, 2019
I am satisfied
Tarik Cicic
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2014
The author presents the history of Bosnia from ancient to modern times in an authoritative and factual manner, albeit interesting and readable. I consider myself a relatively well-educated Bosnian, however I learned a whole lot from this book.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Canada on March 28, 2017
Really enjoyed the read. The book is very detailed and provides a great historical and factual perspective on the region.
Mr. Eldin Basic
5.0 out of 5 stars BOSNIA: A Short History
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2010
This book is a an excellent, easy to read work giving an insight into Bosnia as everyone should know it.
The service was also great and book offered at an unbeliveable price.
One person found this helpful
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Dorian
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on November 3, 2017
good book