Kosovo: Splintering/Yugoslavia

This fascinating book is a short, but nonetheless thorough look at the turmoil that wracked Kosovo during the 1990s. Beginning, as it must, with a quick look at the historical processes that formed the area, the book then launches into a look at the Milosevic era, the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and the war within Kosovo. Along the way, the reader is treated to many colorful pictures, and highly informative sidebars. Now, it must be stated that this is part of the Headliners series of books, and it does appear to be drawn straight from the press accounts of the war in Kosovo. That is to say, if you followed the press during that conflict, you will not receive any information that you were not already aware of, nor will you see a different take on anything that happened during it. But, that said, this is a wonderfully concise and highly informative look at the war in Kosovo. If you are interested in what happened in Kosovo during the 1990s, then this is an excellent place to start. I highly recommend this book.

This is, simply, a great book. And simple is the best word for it. The book doesn't skimp on facts and gives the best and most accurate overview of the history of the war in Kosovo that I have read. This book is relatively short; if you need a lot of detail I recommend "A Short History of Kosovo" by Noel Malcolm. But Malcolm's book, despite it's title, is very long and detailed. If you just want an easily read book with great photos that will leave you understanding the situation, this is it.

I have lived in Kosovo for the past 2.5 years, and during this time I have done a great deal of research on the history of Kosovo, the conflicts between the Serbs and the Albanians, what led to this war, the affects of it on people from both sides, etc. I have lived and worked among the Albanians, helping them rebuild completely destroyed homes and lives, but I have also been to many intact Serbian monasteries in Kosovo, and prayed with Serbian Orthodox Christians in their churches. I came to Kosovo immediately following the war in 1999 and saw firsthand the immense physical and emotional devastation caused by this war. I say all of this only to qualify my opinion because it is very different from the other review of this book.I thought this book was excellent, and that it acurately explained the situations, not only in Kosovo, but also in Bosnia and Croatia, that led to the many wars the Balkans have experienced in the last few years. I found the book to be extremely unbiased. It is a very quick read and therefore somewhat limited in scope, so I would recommend Noel Malcolm's "Short History of Kosovo" for anyone seeking greater depth.Obviously, what happened in the Balkans is a very sensitive topic for many people. But if you are looking for an short but accurate portrayal of the war in Kosovo, I highly recommend this book.