Die Brücke über die Drina

I often read books because I am interested in historical topics. But I pick novels since it is much more fun to read them and I know it is strictly subjective. By nature novels do not have to be objective. The motive to pick this one: the Balkan wars. You get actually more information when you read about life. In this case as well, you come to understand how it was possible to enter a civil war during the nineties in the heart of Europe. It makes you understand despite of the fact that the book ends way before: the first day of the First World War.
All stories revolve around the bridge on the Drina in Vyšegrad (Bosnia). It starts how the bridge was built. One scene nobody can forget is the vivid description of an impalement of a Serbian farmer, who tried to hamper the construction of the bridge. It is the time when Turkish power in Europe was at its heights. An interesting detail is that the Turkish vizier was stolen as a little kid from a nearby village. Raised as a Turk he made career within the oppressor’s regime and reached the top – serving as “prime minister” to the sultan. This fact is later in the book an interesting topic in the discussion between a Serbian nationalist and its Muslim friend right before the killing of Sarajevo which triggered the First World War. In between you will learn about the stream of time right in the spot, which connected once the East and the West.
I will definitely read more from this author.