Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
DK Eyewitness Top Ten Dubrovnik & Dalmatian Coast
by Eyewitness Guides
This slim guide, geared for visitors on a short stay, features color photographs and maps.
Zagreb, A Cultural History
by Celia Hawkesworth
An illuminating account of the tumultuous but vibrant history of Croatia's capital, with a strong focus on the art and architecture of the city.
Dubrovnik, A History
by Robin Harris
Harris, a journalist who writes frequently on the Balkans, presents a comprehensive portrait of the historically important maritime city-state in this nicely illustrated, scholarly and readable history of Dubrovnik.
The Hired Man
by Aminatta Forna
When Duro Kolak encounters a strange car in his small Croatian village of Gost, he offers its British occupants assistance in setting up a summer cottage. But tensions soon develop between the village residents and the foreigners, as painful memories from the Croatian War of Independence are revived.
The Bridge on the Drina
by Ivo Andric, Lovette F. Edwards (Translator)
These linked stories by the Nobel Prize-winning author capture the history and complexity of Christian and Muslim relations during Ottoman occupation. Hewn of stone, the bridge dividing the town of Visegrad was Andric's inspiration.
The Balkans, A Short History
by Mark Mazower
With eloquence and clarity, Mazower addresses issues of geography, nationalism and nation in this indispensable survey.
Croatia, A Nation Forged in War
by Marcus Tanner
A modern history of Croatia, from its medieval origins to Nazi occupation to the present day, written by the British correspondent who reported from the region during the events of 1993.
Croatia Coast Map
by Freytag & Berndt
A nicely shaded map covering the Dalmatian Coast from Porec to Dubrovnik at a scale of 1:200,000, perfect for the complex coastline.
Balkan Ghosts, A Journey through History
by Robert D. Kaplan
Kaplan interweaves history, art and culture with his travels through Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece in this regional portrait.
City of Fortune, How Venice Ruled the Seas
by Roger Crowley
Crowley spins tales of three centuries of plunder and plague, imperial conquest and piracy in this riveting new history, chronicling the transformation of a tiny city of lagoon dwellers into the richest place on earth.
How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
by Slavenka Drakulic
These short essays capture the absurdity, struggle and day-to-day reality of being a woman in Yugoslavia under communism. Drakulic is an award-winning Croatian journalist and novelist.
Yugoslavia, Death of a Nation
by Laura Silber, Allan Little
Called "one of the finest volumes to come out of the war" by the New York Times, this book combines eyewitness reports, political commentary and documentary photographs to elucidate the origins and aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Eyewitness Guide Croatia
by Eyewitness Guides
Gorgeously illustrated and filled with excellent maps, this compact book offers a thorough overview of Croatia's history, traditions, cultures and sights.
Death and the Dervish
by Mesa Selimovic
The tale of Sheikh Nuruddin, the self-serving dervish of the title, set during Ottoman rule in 18th-century Bosnia. Selimovic (1910-1982) was a well-known Bosnian Muslim author.
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia
by Rebecca West, Christopher Hitchens (Introduction)
First published in 1941, this monumental work explores the complex history of Yugoslavia, its heroes, politics and culture. It's a big, challenging book -- some call it the best ever written on the Balkans.
The Balkan Express
by Slavenka Drakulic
The celebrated Croatian writer describes life in Zagreb during the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence in this series of essays, detailing the ways the war encroached upon daily life and eliminated all sense of normality.
A Traveller's History of Croatia
by Benjamin Curtis
Curtis untangles with alacrity the complex history of this nation at the crossroads of Europe.
Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of the Balkans
by Dennis Hupchick
The changing borders and complex history of the Balkans are clearly and concisely shown through 50 double-page maps and accompanying essays, organized chronologically.
