What to Read this Weekend—Friday Round-up

Propaganda, political nonsense, a re-writing of history … This is how I’ve seen Western media describe much of the writing that attempts to defend or even explain what happened in Serbia in the 1990s. Anything from the perspective of the “losing side” is deemed unreliable.

That’s because … History is written by the victors. Among other things Serbia lost, they lost the media war.

As my four readers are aware, I’m in the planning stages of a novel and have been filling my reading list with stories about the Balkans in the 1990s. If you have any suggestions, please … tell me!

Of course, I’m well aware that all of my research is fraught—I have to read things written in, or translated into, English. My Serbian’s not that good!

Has anyone heard of Diary of Interrupted Days (2010)? It’s the first English language novel by Dragan Todorovic, a Serbian writer and multimedia artist, who currently lives in England. I’ll write a proper review soon, but wanted to share one of the many great one-liners.

Here’s the set-up: Corrupt army commander, the Candyman, has just allowed a (forcibly) conscripted anti-war musician to desert a secret Serbian unit. The two are stationed across the border in Croatia in 1992.

Confused? I know right. It was a complicated time!

Anyway, just before Johnny leaves, the Candyman uses the musician’s weapon to shoot two already dead men, ensuring that Johnny will flee and not talk about the conflict that’s happening there. (The musician is now technically a murderer.) The Candyman says

How did you put it in that song of yours? “I’m fucking my destiny”? Well, the bitch is cheating on you.”

I love the morbid sense of humor, the notion that we think we can control our fate, but perhaps in war, that’s not possible. Definitely something to chew on for a Friday afternoon.

Reviews & Other Reading

Writer Sylvia Morice gave Adopted Reality, A Memoir a Five Glasses of Wine (5/5) rating, calling it an “excellent book to recommend to your friends, too.” Five wine glasses (as opposed to five stars)? That’s my kinda gal. Here’s a snippet

The first paragraph of Laura Dennis’ memoir, Adopted Reality, begins with the words: “I’ve successfully infiltrated the Illuminati’s West Coast cell. I suspect they’re onto me”, which immediately drew me into her world and made me want to read the rest of her book.

Laura crafted her compelling story of being adopted, wanting to reunite with her birth mother and facing the possibility of mental illness to read as smoothly as if it was a novel’s story line she was chronicling.

Read the entire review at Indie Chicks.

Thanks everyone, and have a great weekend!