Croatian Literature

[Bookwalla]

Can anyone recommend some contemporary Croatian fiction translated into English? I may be embarking on a trip there and would like to get a flavor of literature.

[Liam]

Hmm, I'm not really familiar with Croatian literature, but from what Wikipedia tells you, Ivo Andrić is your best bet. He was born in [modern-day] Bosnia, to a family of Catholic Croats, and wrote in Serbo-Croatian. This is still a contentious issue, and it seems that all three "Yugoslav" nations have claimed him as one of their own.

I absolutely have to read more literature from this truly fascinating region. So far, my only acquaintance with it is limited to the poetry of Srečko Kosovel (Slovenia) and the wondrous fictions of Milorad Pavić (Serbia).

[Daniel del Real]

Same here, no idea of Croatian writers. I've read Milorad Pavic experimentalist narrative, a book called 7 sins. A good set of stories with a very good use of metaliterature involving the reader.
I have in my bookshelf waiting to be read, a novel by a very promising Serbian writer, Goran Petrovic. His novel The Hand of Good Fortune was received very well among critics in spanish language. I don't know if its already translated to english but certainly seems as a good option. I'll create a review when I finish it.

[rabbitfast]

Unfortunately, I haven't read much Croatian lit (other than children's lit) but perhaps I can offer some advice. Two prominent 19th century authors are Agust Senoa and Ivan Mazuranic. In terms of the 20th century, Miroslav Krleza is considered by many to be superior to Andric. However, I'm not sure what, if any, of his works can be found in English. As for more contemporary auhtors, I know that there are English translations of works by Slavenka Drakulic and Dubravka Ugresic. I've only read Drakulic's S: A Novel About the Balkans. It's well-written but quite graphic as it depicts life in rape camps during the war in Bosnia.

One other note--I suspect that Drakulic and Ugresic are not well liked in certain quarters in Croatia, not least because they criticized the Croatian government during the war. For these "transgressions" they, along with another woman (whose name escapes me at the moment), were called witches.

I just found this link, with a very brief overview:

http://www.hr/croatia/culture/literature

[Bookwalla]

Thanks so much for the suggestions, rabbitfast, Daniel and Liam. I will check on them all. The only one I am familiar with is Slavenka Drakulic. I have read some of her nonfiction, but will see if I can get a hold of "S."

Keep them coming if more come to mind. I know Croatian lit is hard to find, particularly in translation.

Regards, Bookwalla

[Eric]

Dubravka Ugre?ic was born and brought up in Croatia, but since 1993, she has largely been living in Amsterdam. Nine of her books have appeared in English, which maybe makes her the most translated Croatian author in English. Five appeared originally in the States, four in Britain:

Dubravka Ugresic - official website of Dubravka Ugre?i?

Dubravka Ugre?i? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dubravka Ugresic at the Complete Review

Whether Ugre?ic is liked in certain quarters in Croatia is something you will have to find out by asking people. But she regards herself as a Croat, and writes about her country.

[rabbitfast]

An update: I just finished reading Ugresic's The Ministry of Pain. (I posted a few scattered thoughts on it in the Writer's section) and I've also checked Fording the Stream of Consciousness and Lend Me Your Character out of the library. I've also come across an English translation of Miroslav Krleza's Povratak Filipa Latinovica (The Return of Philip Latinovicz). I also saw a copy of Antun Gustav Matos's poetry, though I did not pick that one up.

[sirena]

I absolutely adore Ivo Andrić. My favorite book is "Chronicles of Travnik" ("Bosnian Chronicle"). If you're still in the mood for this kind of literature, I warmly recommend you to read this one.

[Daniel del Real]

I absolutely adore Ivo Andrić. My favorite book is "Chronicles of Travnik" ("Bosnian Chronicle"). If you're still in the mood for this kind of literature, I warmly recommend you to read this one.

I've always had this doubt, and I think you can answer it since you're from Croatia.
Andric was awarded with the Nobel as a Yugoslavian writer, when the country still existed. Now that there are 6 different republics coming from this former nation, how do you separate literature to say which one is considered Croatian, Serbian or Bosnian for example. It should be a little hard to delimit the border between all of them, specially since so many was written under one same flag for so many time.

[sirena]

Ha, ha! Good question. There's still a despute going on who Andrić belongs to. He was born to Croatian family, but he declared himself as Serb to the rest of his life, and he lived in Bosnia. Since he was Nobel Prize winner everybody wants him.

Others writers declared himself as Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian etc writers, but they weren't lucky to win Nobel Prize.

[Daniel del Real]

Ha, ha! Good question. There's still a despute going on who Andrić belongs to. He was born in Croatia, but he declared himself as Serb to the rest of his life, and he lived in Bosnia. Since he was Nobel Prize winner everybody wants him.

Others writers declared himself as Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian etc writers, but they weren't lucky to win Nobel Prize.

Yes, unfortunately I'm not well studied about Ex-Yugoslavian countries history or literature. Actually it is a topic it really fascinates me, and I'll try to get my hands on books related to it.
Right now, my experience only covers a few authors like Serbian Goran Petrovic (I absolutely loved The Hand of the Good Fortune), recently deceased writer Milorad Pavic; I've also read Danilo Kis's a Tom for Boris Davidovic that although he is Slovenian this books is more about comunism trough all Europe and not very regional regarding his own land.

Alexsander Hemon was born in Bosnia, but he's considered more as an American Writer. The Lazarus Project was an amazing book, and it is divided between his home land and Chicago. I also read The Cellist of Sarajevo by Canadian Steven Galloway, that speaks about the siege of Sarajevo in the mid 90's.

That's it, but I want to read Dubravka Ugresic and of course Ivo Andric (any book you recommend to start with this author?). Any recommendatiosn you can tell and that I can find translated are welcome!

[Omo]

I always thought of Andric as Serbian, but then again, it's really difficult to tell and often this distinction is made not due to linguistics but political and/or religious beliefs. I've read the famous Bridge on the Drina, and the Chronicles of Travnik, and loved them both, even though the former has the most horrible torture scene I've ever encountered. Haven't read anything else yet, which is a shame.

I've read Danilo Kis' also quite famous A Tomb for Boris Davidovich, which is an excellent (though disturbing) read, and the hardly known Mansarde, his firstling that read like a firstling on every page. Hmm, is he Serbian as well? Would be easier if we had a Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian literature thread.

I've read a collection of stories by Krleza about WW1, which I liked a lot - but again: haven't read anything else.
By Ugresic I read Forsiranje romana-reke, however that is translated to English, which was not to my liking: smart observations, lots of humour, good insights into many cultures, countless allusions...it was very clever, but not beautiful in any way. I don't want to read anything else by her.
Oh, and I've read Miljenko Jergovic' The Mansion in the Walnut, where he tells a family story backwards - the German translation won a prize at the book fair in Leipzig and as result was pretty hyped over here - it was a good read, but not good enough to make me want to read more.

[sirena]

I recommend you to start with Andrić's "Chronicles of Travnik" (my favorite)and "The Bridge on the Drina".

Borisav Stanković (Serbian writer from 19. century): "Impure Blood"

Mehmed "Me?a" Selimović: "Death and the Dervish"

I don't know if you've heard of Miljenko Jergović, another Bosnian-Croatian new writer. I recommend you his short stories "Sarajevo Marlboro", novel "Mama Leone" and a collection of his articles (he's also a journalist) "A Reader in History".

[Omo]

Mehmed "Me?a" Selimović: "Death and the Dervish"

This is a book I re-read every year (and since I'm usually not someone to re-read lots of stuff, this tells you something). It's pretty much the best novel I ever read, and everyone who hasn't read it should read it. Right now.

[Daniel del Real]

This is a book I re-read every year (and since I'm usually not someone to re-read lots of stuff, this tells you something). It's pretty much the best novel I ever read, and everyone who hasn't read it should read it. Right now.

This books sounds really appealing.

From Publishers Weekly

Lauded by the publisher for its contribution to understanding "the current crisis" in the former Yugoslavia, this tale of moral failure takes place at some undefined point during the Ottoman occupation of Muslim Bosnia. It was a bestseller when published in Yugoslavia in 1966, but it seems probable that its popularity lay more in its portrayal of a Yugoslavia oppressed than in any intrinsic artistry. Ahmed, the dervish of the title, has lived in religious seclusion for most of his life; his searching, self-centered and at times deranged internal dialogue constitutes most of this lengthy narrative. Selimovic (The Island; The Fortress) portrays a man hopelessly out of touch with himself and others, viciously in need of being right, secretly coveting power for himself. Groveling before authority, he knowingly betrays innocent people, yet rationalizes everything with perverted interpretations of the Koran. His brother's death, towards the beginning of the novel, and the near-destruction of the community's purest and most generous soul, by the end, enclose a tortuous psychological exposition of the perils of delusion and the ease with which fear destroys the most unyielding moral good. It is a probing portrait containing some valuable insights, yet with a character as insipid as Ahmed, it is hard to really care.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

[Stiffelio]

Ha, ha! Good question. There's still a despute going on who Andrić belongs to. He was born to Croatian family, but he declared himself as Serb to the rest of his life, and he lived in Bosnia. Since he was Nobel Prize winner everybody wants him.

Others writers declared himself as Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian etc writers, but they weren't lucky to win Nobel Prize.

What language did Andric write in? That should help define his true nationality, shouldn't it?

[sirena]

What language did Andric write in? That should help define his true nationality, shouldn't it?

Believe me, it wouldn't. Not even close.

[rabbitfast]

LOL...what sirena said!

[Daniel del Real]

Believe me, it wouldn't. Not even close.

Explain why please!

[Stiffelio]

Yes, please, Sirena: EXPLAIN....!

I read the most confusing explanation about the many variations of the Croat/Serb language and their different use in Croatia, Bosnia and the eastern regions of the former Yugolslavia and, on another level of differentiation, whether it is a standard, written language or the one used for speaking every day.