An intrepid Norwegian journalist follows the varied fortunes of
Serbs-ranging from celebrities to refugees-during and after the
reign of Slobodan Milosevic.Seierstad has trod the bloody ground of
Afghanistan (The Bookseller of Kabul, 2003) and Iraq (A Hundred and
One Days, 2005) and here recounts her experiences in Serbia between
1999 and 2004. She tells the stories of 13 individuals and one
family, virtually all of whom share two beliefs: The Serbs
committed no war crimes or "ethnic cleansing"; and the United
States is the cause of all their troubles. Says a Milosevic
protege: "America is the source of all wickedness in the world." To
Seierstad's credit, she does not accept these assertions silently;
rather, she prompts her sources to elaborate and to justify. Most
merely repeat what they've seen on government television-or rumors
they've heard from frustrated friends. Seierstad interviewed people
who varied widely on just about every human dimension-income,
education, sophistication, political affiliation, celebrity. Among
the latter were some media personalities, a novelist (Ana Rodic,
whose Roots was a Serbian bestseller) and rock musician Antonio
Pusic, who goes by "Rambo Amadeus" and describes his music as
"acid-horror-funk." Seierstad went boating with him and added some
tracks to one of his CDs. Among the many charms of the author's
work is that her Serb contacts are all invariably glad to see her,
grateful for her attention, eager to tell their stories. (Some even
try to find her a husband.) Perhaps the most touching story is that
of a family from Kosovo now living in a refugee center in southern
Serbia. When the Kosovo Albanians arrived, bent on ethnic
vengeance, the family fled, leaving behind virtually all they
had-except their photo albums and their hope.Although the
during-and-after-Milosevic format in each segment grows tiresome,
Seirestad's educated eye sees all that's important, and her
compassionate heart beats in tandem with some poorly understood,
deeply afflicted people. (Kirkus Reviews)
From beloved international reporter Asne Seierstad comes a
remarkable exploration of the lives of ordinary Serbs under the
regime of Slobodan Milosevic-during the dramatic events leading up
to his fall, and finally in the troubled years that have followed.
Seierstad traveled extensively through Serbia between 1999 and
2004, following the lives of people from across the political
spectrum. Her moving and perceptive account follows nationalists,
Titoists, Yugonostalgics, rock stars, fugitives, and poets.
Seierstad brings her acclaimed attention to detail to bear on the
lives of those whom she encounters in With Their Backs to the World
, as she creates a kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation made up of so
many different-and often conflicting-hopes, dreams, and points of
view.
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