A Concise History of Bosnia

Reviews / Votes

'This cogent book by Cathie Carmichael, an internationally known historian of Bosnia, is based on her two decades of research and engagement with the region. A Concise History of Bosnia is essential reading for anyone interested in the rich and dynamic history of the country, its culture, and its people.' Ivana Macek, Stockholm University 'Cathie Carmichael has written an accessible historical introduction to Bosnia-Herzegovina, moving beyond the high politics focus of her predecessors to offer insights into [the] cultural, social and economic history of the country. Anyone wishing to find out more about the past and present of this tragic but fascinating part of the world should read this book.' Dejan Djokic, Goldsmiths, University of London 'As the political and economic impasse in Bosnia-Herzegovina drags on, the value of a book like this becomes ever more apparent. Written by a seasoned scholar of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Balkan history, this volume is an excellent new addition to Cambridge's Concise History series. Professor Carmichael makes ample use of illustrations and primary sources relating to everything from gastronomy and the natural sciences to ethnography and diplomacy to discuss the unique and evolving situation of the regions known as Bosnia and Hercegovina from classical times to the present. With an emphasis on cultural and intellectual history, A Concise History of Bosnia is especially useful in its explication of Tito's revisionist communism and the genocide-ridden wars of Yugoslav secession. Debunking myths and comprehensively embracing the latest scholarship in the field, Carmichael is a powerful, engaging, and reliable writer.' John K. Cox, North Dakota State University 'This concise history is the best up-to-date study of Bosnia's rich and traumatic past. Cathie Carmichael is a steady and authoritative guide through the region's unique blend of cultures as well as the controversial questions of ethnic violence. Especially welcome are the vivid eyewitness accounts, by both Bosnians and foreigners, that are skilfully woven into the narrative. The result is a vivid landscape full of mountains and troughs which has withstood a cycle of empires and wars: where the present-day can only be understood by pealing back the layers of the past.' Mark Cornwall, University of Southampton 'An accessible and often insightful summary of a complex land and its people.' Abdullah Drury, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations