Sarajevo Marlboro
20 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by sudokugirl from Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday, December 22, 2006
From Amazon.com:
"Sarajevo Marlboro is Miljenko Jergovic's remarkable debut collection of stories. Jergovic is a child of Sarajevo who remained in the city throughout the war. A dazzling storyteller, he brings a profoundly human, razor-sharp understanding of the fate of the city's young Muslims, Croats, and Serbs with a subterranean humor and profoundly personal vision. Their offbeat lives and daily dramas play out in the foreground, the killing zone in the background."
"Sarajevo Marlboro is Miljenko Jergovic's remarkable debut collection of stories. Jergovic is a child of Sarajevo who remained in the city throughout the war. A dazzling storyteller, he brings a profoundly human, razor-sharp understanding of the fate of the city's young Muslims, Croats, and Serbs with a subterranean humor and profoundly personal vision. Their offbeat lives and daily dramas play out in the foreground, the killing zone in the background."
Journal Entry 2 by sudokugirl from Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Letting this travel as an international bookray. It will remain open at all times. Just PM me to join. The mailing order may change due to mailing preferences or geography.
The usual rules apply:
- Journal the book when you receive it.
- Keep the book for a maximum of one month, if you need longer please let me know.
- When you have almost finished PM the next person for their mailing address.
- Please write a new journal entry with your comments about the book and to whom and when it is being sent next.
List of participants (in mailing order):
Ftarazu (Portugal)
kizmiaz (Portugal)
okyrhoe (Greece)
kihli (Greece)
elpis (Greece)
mafaldaQ (Greece)
OpheliaPhillips (UK)
longfordmaine (UK)
shpriz1 (USA)
azuki (USA)
Hawkette (Australia)
Perdue (Finland)
French-girl (Netherlands)
rapturina (Netherlands)
colllapse (UK)
wanderingstar8 (UK)
Wijntje (Netherlands)
kobie03 (Canada)
elytra (Canada)<---- the book is here
duza-kaluza (Chile)
orlandoflores (Peru)
bruehwuerfel (Germany)
...
The usual rules apply:
- Journal the book when you receive it.
- Keep the book for a maximum of one month, if you need longer please let me know.
- When you have almost finished PM the next person for their mailing address.
- Please write a new journal entry with your comments about the book and to whom and when it is being sent next.
List of participants (in mailing order):
Ftarazu (Portugal)
kizmiaz (Portugal)
okyrhoe (Greece)
kihli (Greece)
elpis (Greece)
mafaldaQ (Greece)
OpheliaPhillips (UK)
longfordmaine (UK)
shpriz1 (USA)
azuki (USA)
Hawkette (Australia)
Perdue (Finland)
French-girl (Netherlands)
rapturina (Netherlands)
colllapse (UK)
wanderingstar8 (UK)
Wijntje (Netherlands)
kobie03 (Canada)
elytra (Canada)<---- the book is here
duza-kaluza (Chile)
orlandoflores (Peru)
bruehwuerfel (Germany)
...
Journal Entry 3 by sudokugirl at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Released 17 yrs ago (1/10/2007 UTC) at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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Sent to Ftarazu.
Sent to Ftarazu.
It arrived. I have some books in front of this one but will try to read it asap.
Thanks sudokugirl!
Thanks sudokugirl!
What a great book! I really liked all the stories and I think the author is a great storyteller... In each story there is the ghost of war but also always a bit of hope. And in every single one of them you fell like war is something terrible that can happen anywhere and everywhere and to everyone and exactly when you least expect it. It really made me think that when we are far away of it we don’t have a clue…
Thanks sudokugirl for sharing.
It will be sent to kizmiaz this week.
Thanks sudokugirl for sharing.
It will be sent to kizmiaz this week.
Got it, thanks sudokugirl and Ftarazu. I'm reading one right now but I'll try and be quick about it.
This book is certainly a breath of fresh air. It has a style of its own, a lot of grieving and some rays of hope.This is the first book I’ve read from a Sarajevo author and I’ll be looking for some more.
All of the short stories are connected and intertwined by the spirit of that dreaded civil war that wrecked a country (which meantime has become a lot of small countries) and brought shame to Europe.
Personally, I’ve always felt that the war didn’t just sprout like a weed, but was planted and nourished by foreign countries a little too intent in meddling in the Balkans, and Europe’s to blame for letting and helping Uncle Sam meddling where it had no business (like he seems to do too many times. Maybe one of these days I’ll be reading a book similar to this one, written by an Iraqi author, of course by then there’ll be no more Iraq just a couple of small countries ).
I enjoyed most of the short stories and felt the way that their told was really good, it’s not all depressing and gloomy there are some humorous situations and some very sensitive descriptions.
I’ll be mailing it to okyrhoe today (13.03.2007).
Arrived in my mailbox today, finally!!
Thanks sudokugirl for including me in the ray, and kizmiaz for mailing it to me. I look forward to reading this.
Thanks sudokugirl for including me in the ray, and kizmiaz for mailing it to me. I look forward to reading this.
An unforgettable book. Thank you sudokugirl for including me in this ray!
Many of these stories remind me of my own childhood, growing up in Beirut. It took me 18 years to return, because I was still caught up in the memories of the place.
Yes, it is unsettling how easily one can come to terms with the surreal aspect of human existence in times of war. I appreciate the underlying theme present in the collection -- the dilemma facing the writer when shaping fictional stories out of real pain and death. Jergovic's sensitivity comes through in the end, with the last piece "The Library."
Here are some interesting views of Sarajevo.
Many of these stories remind me of my own childhood, growing up in Beirut. It took me 18 years to return, because I was still caught up in the memories of the place.
Yes, it is unsettling how easily one can come to terms with the surreal aspect of human existence in times of war. I appreciate the underlying theme present in the collection -- the dilemma facing the writer when shaping fictional stories out of real pain and death. Jergovic's sensitivity comes through in the end, with the last piece "The Library."
Here are some interesting views of Sarajevo.
Journal Entry 10 by kihli from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Monday, May 21, 2007
the book arrived today,thanks sudokugirl and okyrhoe!
Journal Entry 11 by kihli from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Monday, June 4, 2007
an interesting collection of stories. There is the war,but not in a melodramatic way. Emotional for sure,but you can see how a tragedy like that becomes a daily routine,if this is ever possible. I liked the book a lot. It's going to travel this week. Thank you!
Released 16 yrs ago (6/8/2007 UTC) at
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going to elpis!
going to elpis!
Journal Entry 13 by elpis from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Monday, June 18, 2007
arrived by post this morning. it's quite small and i have already read the first 30 pages. interesting so far!
thanks sudokugirl and kihli!!
thanks sudokugirl and kihli!!
Journal Entry 14 by elpis from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Thursday, July 12, 2007
i wasn't thrilled by this book although i liked the author's peculiar sense of humour. i have already posted to mafaldaq this morining.
Journal Entry 15 by mafaldaQ from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I finally managed to go to the post and get my package from Elpis! Thank you sudokugirl and elpis!
Journal Entry 16 by mafaldaQ from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Saturday, July 28, 2007
I had to read it really quickly in order to post it to OpheliaPhillips before leaving for my summer vacations. I find it rather interesting but I realized that my English needs more practise! Tomorrow morning I will mail it to OpheliaPhillips!
Thanks sudokugirl for including me in the ray, and elpis for mailing it to me.
Thanks sudokugirl for including me in the ray, and elpis for mailing it to me.
This arrived about a week ago at my home (parents address), but as I moved a couple of weeks ago, this only arrived in my hands today. Thank you Sudokugirl for setting up this ring – and adding the postcards. I think it will be interesting to have a few mental images of the place we’re going to be reading about. I’m looking forward to this read. And a big thank you to MafaldaQ for posting this out to me and for the ribbon package – wow, that was really sweet of you =)
I''m so glad I joined this bookray! I''ve already finished the book and I thought that the stories were fantastic. Purely for the writing this is a great read, and there are diverse characters here. And whilst the subject of the war looming up and breaking apart people''s lives is a big part of this book, Jergovic never dips into the melodramatic or sentimental - which made it all the more powerful and realistic for me. Also his down-to-earth acceptance that life isn''t perfect and things don''t always work out - certainly not like this hollywood movie dream that we should get everything in life just as we want it.
Of course, as with any collection of short stories, there are ones that I prefered over others: I liked " The Condor" with Izet the eglen-effendi; "The Gravedigger" with his outlook on life and death and the connection to the surrounding scenery, and the story of Rasim and Mara; "Seconds Out"; "Muslim Doll" which was really quite sad that Cipo wasn''t a braver person with that girl; and "Bosian Hotpot". I would like to know as well why Musa never did fire on Zenica in "Duke". I can''t help but feel that there''s a lot in these stories that I''ve missed.
Oh, and what about that last line for a book: "Gently stroke your books, dear stranger, and remember they are dust."
I still feel as though there is so much that I don''t know or understand about his part of the world and I feel a little ashamed that I don''t understand it better. Earlier in the year I''d started Asne Seierstad''s "With Their Backs to the World" (anyone else read this?)but what with my travels and everything I never got it finished and it got put somewhere. I shall have to dig it out and finish it.
I''ve got longfordmaine''s address so I will get this in the post after the weekend.
Of course, as with any collection of short stories, there are ones that I prefered over others: I liked " The Condor" with Izet the eglen-effendi; "The Gravedigger" with his outlook on life and death and the connection to the surrounding scenery, and the story of Rasim and Mara; "Seconds Out"; "Muslim Doll" which was really quite sad that Cipo wasn''t a braver person with that girl; and "Bosian Hotpot". I would like to know as well why Musa never did fire on Zenica in "Duke". I can''t help but feel that there''s a lot in these stories that I''ve missed.
Oh, and what about that last line for a book: "Gently stroke your books, dear stranger, and remember they are dust."
I still feel as though there is so much that I don''t know or understand about his part of the world and I feel a little ashamed that I don''t understand it better. Earlier in the year I''d started Asne Seierstad''s "With Their Backs to the World" (anyone else read this?)but what with my travels and everything I never got it finished and it got put somewhere. I shall have to dig it out and finish it.
I''ve got longfordmaine''s address so I will get this in the post after the weekend.
Arrived yesterday. It will be the next book I read once I finish my current read.
An absolutely fantastic collection of mini-portraits of a population at war. I can't recommend this book highly enough!
Journal Entry 21 by rem_VPX-482879 at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, September 20, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (9/21/2007 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
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Put in the post to Brooklyn this morning. Sorry for the delay, I had an operation on my hand which has meant taking it easy for a while.
Put in the post to Brooklyn this morning. Sorry for the delay, I had an operation on my hand which has meant taking it easy for a while.
Arrived safe and sound to Brooklyn, USA...Thank you.
Book has arrived!! Thanks Sudokugirl for sharing and shpriz1 for mailing, and every reader for passing it on, so that this little book has now travelled on to me.
I have a couple of bookrings to clear up first but look forward to it.
I have a couple of bookrings to clear up first but look forward to it.
First of all, thanks for the beautiful postcards that helped me imagine where the characters live and breathe. This is a collection of great stories, poetically written, although I m sure if I were more familiar with the historical background, I would have caught a lot more of the nuance. The last piece, The Library, is an excellent piece to end the book with, that makes the book lingers in my mind long after I flipped the last page.
Thank you Sudokugirl for sharing. I will mail this off to the next participant early December.
Thank you Sudokugirl for sharing. I will mail this off to the next participant early December.
Journal Entry 25 by Hawkette from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Arrived at my house in Melbourne, Australia - a very well travelled little book!
Sarajevo is a city that has always captured my attention through books like these, and I am very much looking forward to this one.
Sarajevo is a city that has always captured my attention through books like these, and I am very much looking forward to this one.
A collection of haunting stories amoung the horrors of Sarajevo in trouble - the question of whether and how life carries on while war happens around these stories is the ghost of each tale. Many different perspectives and circumstances all rolled into one collection.
Have PMed bruehwuerfel for an address, as colllapse says they are travelling...
Have PMed bruehwuerfel for an address, as colllapse says they are travelling...
In the post today, to Finland - about as far on the other side of the world as it can get!
The book came in today, thank you!
It took me three weeks to actually start reading the book, but when I did on a few hours' bus ride, it really hit me. (Short stories are my favourite travelling literature -- you can view out of the window in between stories, and if you have to change the train/bus, you might not have to do so in the middle of the story.) I really enjoyed the black humour, and also the deep sadness in some stories. The fact that the war was ever-present, in one way or another, made the book special. Also, when I started reading the book, the news from South Ossetia were being heavily covered and even though former Yugoslavia and Georgia are geographically far apart and culturally and historically different, pictures from the conflict really brought the texts to life. The current news reminded me that war is, unfortunately, not a distant affair at all.
I sent the book to French-girl today (just a day over the one-month limit!).
I sent the book to French-girl today (just a day over the one-month limit!).
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to French-girl
Sent to French-girl
The book arrived safely about one week ago. Thank you Sudokugirl, and Perdue for the nice card!
This was a delightfull bookcrossing surprise! :-)Thank you very much sudokugirl for starting that ring!
Those short stories are beautifully written. I love how Jergovic uses realistic elements to depicts such a tragedy.The result is stunning.
I will send the book to rapturina on monday, if everything goes as planned... :-)
Those short stories are beautifully written. I love how Jergovic uses realistic elements to depicts such a tragedy.The result is stunning.
I will send the book to rapturina on monday, if everything goes as planned... :-)
It's here! I've been looking forward to reading this book for a long time, hopefully I won't be disappointed. :D
I finished reading this book quite a while ago already, but haven't had the time to write a journal entry. :D
What a fantastic book! I read it almost in one ago, and it was a great read. Miljenko Jergovic really has a talent for bringing Sarajevo to life and his characters were all very real. This also made it a very sad book, as you get an idea of what it was really like to live in Sarajevo during the war. So the book blew me away as it was so beautifully written, but it also made me very sad. Still, I am glad I got the chance to read it, what a gem! Thanks sudokugirl, for starting this ring!
I have colllapse's address and will be sending the book on to her tomorrow morning!
What a fantastic book! I read it almost in one ago, and it was a great read. Miljenko Jergovic really has a talent for bringing Sarajevo to life and his characters were all very real. This also made it a very sad book, as you get an idea of what it was really like to live in Sarajevo during the war. So the book blew me away as it was so beautifully written, but it also made me very sad. Still, I am glad I got the chance to read it, what a gem! Thanks sudokugirl, for starting this ring!
I have colllapse's address and will be sending the book on to her tomorrow morning!
Arrived in the mail from the Netherlands yesterday - I can't wait to read it, it seems right up my alley!
Journal Entry 37 by wanderingstar8 from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, February 5, 2009
Just arrived. I've got another bookring book to read first, but it's next on the list after that!
Journal Entry 38 by wanderingstar8 from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I'm going to have to buck the trend on this one - I didn't manage to finish it. I found the stories much too disconnected and affectless. I can understand that this was meant to reflect something about the effect on society of what had happened in the war - but I never find that particular style very effective for me personally. I would recommend Balkan Express by Slavenka Drakulic for a really vivid (and angry) picture of the same sort of thing.
Journal Entry 39 by wanderingstar8 from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I'm going to have to buck the trend on this one - I didn't manage to finish it. I found the stories much too disconnected and affectless. I can understand that this was meant to reflect something about the effect on society of what had happened in the war - but I never find that particular style very effective for me personally. I would recommend Balkan Express by Slavenka Drakulic for a really vivid (and angry) picture of the same sort of thing.
Received, thank you :)
Thanks for sharing this book with me Sudokugirl. I will send it to the next one in line.
Journal Entry 42 by kobie03 from Lewins Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada on Monday, July 20, 2009
This well travelled and well read book arrived today. Thanks sudokugirl for sharing and thanks Wijntje for sending it on to me with a nice card.I love short stories and from the JE's I'm sure to enjoy reading these.
Journal Entry 43 by kobie03 from Lewins Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada on Tuesday, July 28, 2009
An interesting collection of short stories from a great storyteller. With the war in the background in each story he captures the fear, pain and suffering of the war on the citizens while going about their daily routine. I liked his humor and will remember the last words of the book " Gently stroke your books, dear strangers, and remember they are dust." For it is books thar expose us to the daily effects on people of war. Thank you so much for sharing.
Ready to send to elytra.
Ready to send to elytra.
Released 14 yrs ago (7/28/2009 UTC) at Marystown, NL -- Controlled Releases
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
in the mail to elytra.
in the mail to elytra.
Was waiting for me in the mail, when I got home from work! I was beginning to worry, but everything is fine!
