Wild Europe

by Bozidar Jezermik, Bozidar Jezermik

Combining witty commentary with meticulous research, and abounding in historical and cultural detail, Jezernik reveals how the Balkans have been perceived by Western European travellers and experts from the mid-sixteenth to the late twentieth century. Many of these travellers regarded the region as part of Asia, and sought accordingly to inform their contemporaries of its ‘exotic’, ‘outlandish’ and ‘primitive’ ways. The book’s rich store of source material includes citations from naturalists, geographers, historians and social scientists, including Joseph de Tournefort and Henry Blount via Karl Baedeker, William Gladstone, Paulina Irby, Edith Durham, Rebecca West and Julia Kristeva. Exploring over a thousand first-hand reports and comparing narratives spanning nearly 500 years, the author demonstrates that the act of observing other people in their environment mirrors the observer’s own culture and mentality. Thus the impressions passed down through the ages of the Balkans say more about Western Europe in most respects than about the lands and peoples in question.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Miloš · Rating 4 out of 5]

U zapadnjačkim pričama o Drugom svaka novina s kojom su se putnici susretali za vreme putovanja po Balkanu obično je ismevana kao suviše "balkanska" ili je odbacivana kao nedovoljno "balkanska". (54)

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a must! I have read it five times. I wonder why the term the Balkans is still in the use. It perpetuates negative images about the area. It is obvious the West has constructed it as the Other. The Westerners have been using it as a kind of a mirror in which they could admire themselves, how civilized, progressive and developed they have been. It would be interesting to know who is the Other of the Balkanites. The Turk? And who is the Other of the Turk? The Arab? And the Other of the Arab? The Jew and the American? ...

[Boris Cesnik · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fabulous idea and intention, what a chaotic execution.

This book could have represented an amazing eye-opener for many many people if it were not for the rather disjointed structure and topics, for the dry narrative and amusing but pointless details taking over almost half of each chapter.

A glimpse of what a sincerely game changer this project could have been can only be caught in the final few pages.

It should have gone much further.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interessantissimo saggio sul come veniva vista l'Europa Occidentale dagli occhi dei più 'civilizzati' europei orientali negli ultimi secoli. Tantissime le fonti citate dall'autore.
Permette di capire come certi pregiudizi abbiano influenzato, e purtroppo sembra influenzino ancora, l'opinione di una parte d'Europa rispetto ad un'altra.

[Anka Cebula · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

chaotic and disorganised, i had high hopes and got terribly disappointed