Rating:  Summary: A disturbing and enlightening book. Review: A horrific story of war and cruelty, a vivid reminder that savagery and chaos are alive and well at the end of the 20th century in "civilized" Europe. This is a disturbing and enlightening book, written in a fine journalistic style. While the issues he deals with are complex, Maas narrative is honest, intelligent, and thought-provoking. He sheds light on the current political morass that is the Balkans and demands that the reader examine "the wild beast" that is out there - and in all of us?
Rating:  Summary: a must read for anyone interested in Balkan War Review: A moving and heart wrenching account of the most horrendous war ever. I am shocked to Amazon does not even have this book listed under Peter Maas's list of books. I read this prior to going to Croatia and Bosnia, and it certainly helped me to understand the situation , and what these poor people continue to go through
Rating:  Summary: A True Understanding of Genocide in Bosnia Review: After the World War 2, the world promised that genocide was never to happen again, that was 5 decades ago. As president Clinton gave his speech at the opening of the Holocoust Museum, he said that we would never allow the faith of Jews to be repeated. Sadly as he spoke those words, genocide was taking place in Bosnia, while the world stood by and watched for four year as Serbs masacred 250 000 Bosnians. This did not happen in some distant country in Africa, this was in Europe, the people were not primitives, they were Slavs, very much like us. Love Thy Neighbor, by Peter Mass, is a true masterpeice. The book explains the faith and the sorrow of the people in Bosnia. I highly recommned this book to anyone who wishes to learn about the "wild beast that lives in all of us, that is just waiting for the right moment to emerge and shatter our lives" - Ivo Andric. You will question the safty of your own country once you finish reading Love Thy Neighbor.
Rating:  Summary: MUST READ FOR EVERYONE Review: An amazing book. I have read hundreds of books on Bosnia, and if I was to choose one that really stands out, than it is this one. Peter Maass got it all in this book. It is already a classic. Excellent story telling ability. Great, great, great...
Rating:  Summary: I have read some 20 books on the Balkans before this one... Review: and from reading the fanfare on this one, I wondered what made it standout? I finally got to it and I have not been disappointed! Maas opens the book up saying: "There is a universal character to war and its companions, cowardice and heroism. I have tried to explore them in this book, tried to explore the maddening question "Why?" That, rather than Bosnia, is the true subject of my story of war." In the acknowledgments he writes "I have tried to tell their stories, and the story of their terrible war, in a way they would approve of. If I have succeeded, that is my way of thanking them, feeble as it is. I hope I have succeeded. It is the most I can do, even though they need and deserve so much more." This analysis, feeling and substantive is found throughout the book. Another thing I like about this book, is that as much as the stories and reporting we see from the Balkans often have grotesque imagery as a part of them, I find little of this in the book. Like a report of the war, Maas reports on the facts and different sides of the conflict. Any book that truthfully examines this subject would have to have some of the more graphic descriptions of the situation however, since the concept of "ethnic cleansing" so central to this book and the conflict in Kosova is involved. Mr. Maas's descriptions of humanity along with war, his analysis of the situation and such incidences as comparing Christmas to his youth growing up in California and Christmas in war-torn Sarajevo are one of many incidences that make this book an excellent read and a must. In fact, warmth is exuded from this incident to the reader. In reading this book and searching for "substantive analysis" it is important to remember that Mr. Maas was a New York Times reporter, so their is alot of straight away war "newspaper" type of reporting rather than analyzing the background of this conflict. Having said that, Maas still does that some! For instance, he talks some about the terrible things that happened during the war, but he also gives an analysis that this is a human flaw and has been demonstrated by many peoples (page 55). He prefaces this, before one of the more serious parts of the book, such as when he visited a "concentration camp." There are references to history, World War II and the such, but if that is what one is looking for, why not pick up a book for that era? What this book reminds me a bit of as well, is the movie "Welcome To Sarajevo" in parts. That being a very humane attempt at portraying the conflict. We must remember what Schindler's List Holocaust survivor Rena Finder said about Bosnia: "It is not enough to say, 'I can't do anything.' You have to try." There can be no single book to read on the Balkans, but if you can only read one, "Love Thy Neighbor" may well be the one. This is said as part of the reviews of the book from the TV documentary "Yugoslavia: the death of a nation" by Little and Silber. I believe the Little and Silber book is a good overall view of the situation but is not the most strongly written book. I think still, that book combined with this one, is the best "crash course" on the region one could take.
Rating:  Summary: One of the best books on this complicated subject! Review: As an American who is currently employed by the United Nations in Croatia...I have read a LOT of books about the collapse of Yugoslavia and the bloody conflict that ensued. LOVE THY NEIGHBOR is one of the best written, honest and "from the heart" books I have come across. I have recommended it to many colleagues here in the USA and here in Croatia, as well. Thank you, Peter Maass, for trying to put some of the horror into words.
Rating:  Summary: Truthful and Objective Review: As I was reading Love Thy Neighbor I felt like I was reading about my life in the past seven years. I believe that Peter Maass' book is as objective and truthful as it can be, since I survived every word in it, too. I would just like to say:"Thank you Peter, for telling true story about Bosnia and about Bosnians"
Rating:  Summary: Peter Mass shows the sad truth of the Bosnian war first hand Review: Bringing us face to face with the gutwrenching terror of a slaughter we refuse to acknowledge,
Pater Mass open our eyes to what it's like to be caught up in a war. Mass does an amazing job of confronting the horror of the war, and while at the same time he doesn't let his emotions get in the way of his analysis. Mass provides coverage, of one of the most brutal wars of our time, as only a direct
witness could. This book is seperates its self
from other books on the war by exposing and analyzing the human element so well. Mass, does a great job, explaining how the serbs could turn on and kill people they use to consider
brothers. Mass will make you feel angry at the war and make you understand it at the same time.
Rating:  Summary: Riveting account Review: Certainly this is a riveting account of some of the specific atrocities observed by the author (foreign correspondent). Where some reviewers have found this a particularly compelling work because of the absence of analysis provided, I find it instead lacking: leaving the audience to draw their own conclusions, instead of endeavouring to provide both an account as well as an interpretation, and giving us a sense of the account's relation to broader affairs, is for me sub-optimal. Also, in the absence of analysis, it almost seems as though the author has chosen to relate specific accounts for their sheer goriness, intending to shock his audience...into what, I don't know. While there are numerous books providing anecdotes of the Yugoslav civil wars, and numerous books analysing the origins and manifestations of Yugoslav civil conflict, there is a real dearth of work blending the two...this is unfortunately no exception.
Rating:  Summary: I have been to Bosnia too Review: I have been to Bosnia as well. I HIGHLY recommend this book to people who seek to understand this country's war. I think Peter Maass did an excellent job of showing the deception that the American public was given concerning the war in Bosnia and of the true role the US played in Bosnia. Most americans do not understand that role and they should read Peter's book to gain a better and further understanding. I have spoken to many Bosnians, Serbs and Croats personally about how they felt about each other before the war and they responded to me "We did not think a war in Bosnia was possible because we lived together...inter-married with each other and went to school together" I think Peter Maass received some kind of prestigious award for this book and he certainly deserves the award he got. When I was in Bosnia I had the misfortune of having to do some dirty work of recovering remains from mass graves. It is sad that the world turned a blind eye towards this repeat of history. This says something about our society and it shows that we must seek to further understand why we as people allow such planned programs of mass exterminations to take place and why the rest of the world can easily turn a blind eye to it. Me personally...words cannot describe my utter disgust for Clinton and Peter Maass's book will help us to understand ourselves much better.
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