The Fall of Yugoslavia: The Third Balkan War

Rating:
Summary: A Very Good Job By Misha Glenny
Review: Reading some parts of this book was one of my assignments in my "Contemporary Political Transitions" class in the University. When I read the assigned parts, I immediately decided to read the whole book. One of the most fascinating things about the book is that what you read there has been experienced lively by the author. Misha Glenny is very clear and he really manages to reach the audience. The chapters are very well organized. Especially the last chapter is very well organized and it includes a brief review together with an evaluation of the author. Nevertheless, if you decide to buy and read the book, I would advice you to make a brief research on the war in Yugoslavia and have a brief background. If you don't know anything about the subject, then you may find the book a little bit confusing. However, if you read the book having a little background about the issue, then you will definitely enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: Simply over-rated
Review: This book was among the first of the now almost countless multitude of books written by reporters, commentators, political analysts, etc. on the collapse of the former Yugoslovia. As such, it became a standard text for many people to "find out what's going on over there." It's not that it's a bad book, many sections are quite informative, but as some of the reviews below note, it assumes readers already have some knowledge of the intricacies of Yugoslav politics and a grasp of the local geography. Also, it's hardly an impartial book (which, given the author's first-hand observance of many events, is understandable), so readers looking for objectivity are better served by other sources. I also agree with the reviewer below who recommends the documentary "Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation"; I recommend the companion book of the same title even more (by Laura Silber and Allan Little)--it's the best short survey of events in Yugoslavia from the late 1980s to ca 1995. However, I have to correct a gross error: CNN's Christiane Amanpour did not make the above documentary, rather the BBC did (Amanpour lacks both the knowledge and skill to produce such an excellent piece of documentary reporting). In conclusion, Glenny's book should be read only to get additional background information and more detail on specific wartime events during the early 1990s.