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Product Description
From the assassination that set off World War I to the ethnic warfare sweeping Bosnia and Croatia, the Balkans have been the crucible of the 20th century--the place where terrorism and genocide were first practiced as tools of policy. This enthralling political travelogue helps us understand that region's anguish. 16 pages of photos.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
'Balkan Ghosts' is an impressionistic tour de force of the Balkan. It doesn't come near Rebecca West's masterpiece 'Black Lamb and Gray Falcon' - but it is a travelogue in the same tradition. The author, who is acquainted with certain parts of the Balkan, crosses these tortured lands just prior to the Yugoslav wars of secession. His prognoses are accurate, his depiction of ancient ethnic enmities sweeping, his pessimism justified in hindsight. But too many important aspects are neglected or papered over. The responsibility of the West, the interplay of big powers, the ineptitude of international organizations, the forces of democracy and ethnic reconciliation in the region, religious co-existence and much more besides. Though one sided and biased, it is a must read - if only to understand what influenced the American administration of Bill Clinton in the formulation of its Balkan policies. Sam Vaknin, author of 'Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited'.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Kaplan is an engaging writer who can put the reader in his shoes, and he certainly hs a command of his subject material. However, I agree with Mr. Vaknin below that his presentation of the issues is somewhat one-sided, especially when it comes to the former Yugoslavia. (That chapter, and the epilogue, can be summed up in four words. "The Turks did it.") A closer examination of institutional and economic deficiencies in Yugoslavia which allowed latent ethnic tensions to smolder, waiting for desperate politicians to provide the spark would have served better and it's a damned shame that Clinton chose to read this instead of more balanced works on the Balkans. His sections on Greece and Romania were commendable and enlightening, though.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Balkan Ghosts is a compete curate's egg: it is neither history nor travel writing, neither political analysis nor journalism, nor is it all these things together.
Its chief merit is in the prologue: a set of articles published in the 90s by Kaplan arguing for Western intervention in the Yugoslav wars. If anything, these articles were not vocal enough, but they act as a vital reminder of the abject failure of judgement and nerves of the US and EU - particularly the EU, supposedly founded to avoid such wars and atrocities reoccurring in Europe ever again. Then Kaplan says that Clinton may have been influenced by his book against intervention because it sounded the note of unsolvable, age-old hatreds. The author wrings his hands. But the paradox is that when one moves on to the section on ex-Yugoslavia, one understands Clinton. It does portray a stereotypically violent, 'eternally unfathomable East'. It has either too much or too little history. Kaplan's dubious premise consists of John Reed and Rebecca West: not exactly neutral material, and written decades ago. He never pauses to question why his interlocutors - intellectuals and officials - carry on about historical events of which they have no personal experience. And he makes no attempt, beyond passing mention, to dissect the impact of communism and of the region's peculiar 1970s economic experiment.
Balkan Ghosts improves when it begins to describe Romania and Bulgaria, in which the author spent more time. It becomes more like a travel book, and the historical commentary is more nuanced, relevant, and up-to-date. Kaplan also convinces when he writes on the holocaust in the Balkan region, especially Salonika. Then the book tends to end again in caricature and cultural typecasting on Greece, though the Papandreou story is interesting. Kaplan deserves credit for having raised the alarm on brewing trouble in the Balkans. His sections on Romania and Bulgaria capture the essence of their now (thankfully) vanished post-communist scenes. But history on the Yugoslav states is better found in Noel Malcolm's Bosnia and Kosovo books.
Its chief merit is in the prologue: a set of articles published in the 90s by Kaplan arguing for Western intervention in the Yugoslav wars. If anything, these articles were not vocal enough, but they act as a vital reminder of the abject failure of judgement and nerves of the US and EU - particularly the EU, supposedly founded to avoid such wars and atrocities reoccurring in Europe ever again. Then Kaplan says that Clinton may have been influenced by his book against intervention because it sounded the note of unsolvable, age-old hatreds. The author wrings his hands. But the paradox is that when one moves on to the section on ex-Yugoslavia, one understands Clinton. It does portray a stereotypically violent, 'eternally unfathomable East'. It has either too much or too little history. Kaplan's dubious premise consists of John Reed and Rebecca West: not exactly neutral material, and written decades ago. He never pauses to question why his interlocutors - intellectuals and officials - carry on about historical events of which they have no personal experience. And he makes no attempt, beyond passing mention, to dissect the impact of communism and of the region's peculiar 1970s economic experiment.
Balkan Ghosts improves when it begins to describe Romania and Bulgaria, in which the author spent more time. It becomes more like a travel book, and the historical commentary is more nuanced, relevant, and up-to-date. Kaplan also convinces when he writes on the holocaust in the Balkan region, especially Salonika. Then the book tends to end again in caricature and cultural typecasting on Greece, though the Papandreou story is interesting. Kaplan deserves credit for having raised the alarm on brewing trouble in the Balkans. His sections on Romania and Bulgaria capture the essence of their now (thankfully) vanished post-communist scenes. But history on the Yugoslav states is better found in Noel Malcolm's Bosnia and Kosovo books.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Accurate in the broad picture, not in the details
The author is an American of Jewish origin. The motivation for writing the book was, most probably, to cash in on his previous knowledge and exposure to the region. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Bogdan Hagiu
A total immersion
Balkan Ghosts is a book that defies categorization. In part a travel memoir, in part a historical critique, and in part an analysis of the then political climate. Read more
Published 18 months ago by A. J. Smith
Balkan Ghosts - THE must read book for Westeners
Balkan Ghosts is a masterpiece of writing. I dont really understand how one person has managed to absorb so much horrendously complex history, culture, religion, war conflicts &... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by D. Galvin
Giving thanks for living in the US of A
I suspect that most natural born citizens of the United States of America rarely give thought to the tremendous good luck of having emerged from the womb in that country. Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2006 by Joseph Haschka
Giving thanks for living in the US of A
I suspect that most natural born citizens of the United States of America rarely give thought to the tremendous good luck of having emerged from the womb in that country. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2002 by Joseph Haschka
Balkan Ghosts provides insightful and entertaining backgroun
Balkan Ghosts provides insightful and entertaining background to understanding the complexites and conflicts in the Balkan region. Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2002
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