Product Description

This illustrated book provides a detailed account of the multifaceted and complex history of Bosnia from a cultural perspective, focusing on the successive waves of religious, cultural and ethnic influences that swept over the country from Paleolithic times onwards. The political history of the numerous invasions, migrations and changes of government that have taken place in the country is interspersed with sections concerning the additions and modifications made to the Bosnian national culture as a result. The evolution of the Bosnian Church as distinct from the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches; Church and secular architecture, both ancient and modern; literature and writing from the earliest times to modern poetry; engraved and inscribed Bosnian gravestones; music and the coming of radio and television are all discussed in relation to the formation and evolution of Bosnian culture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1187966 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 254 pages

About the Author
Ivan Lovrenovic is one of Bosnia's leading intellectuals and writers. He is the former editor of the literary magazine Odjek and is currently chief editor of Svjetlost, a prominent Bosnian publisher. He has published numerous poems, novels, essays and screenplays.

Customer Reviews

Easy to read general historical account
Lovrenovic has succeeded in writing an excellent book on Bosnia's culture: its scholars, its poets, architects, etc. For people who are looking for more of a political history, rather than a cultural one, I suggest reading one of the following books:

"Bosnia: A Short History" by Noel Malcolm
"The Serbs" by Tim Judah
"The Fall of Yugoslavia" by Misha Glenny

Lovrenovic, quite convincingly in my opinion, demonstrates that medieval Bosnia was indeed a separate state from both Croatia and Serbia. For those Croats and Serbs who constantly claim that Bosnia has historically "always been a part of Croatia/Serbia" should at least read this book. Parts of medieval Bosnia in fact covered much of the Dalmatian coast and hinterland, which are both regions of modern Croatia, and extended into much of Montenegro and parts of south-western Serbia. Not only that, the medieval Bosnians referred to themselves as "Bosnjani" and for a time had their own Bosnian Church, distinct from both the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.