The Trigger by Tim Butcher - 4 stars

[Joy D]

The Trigger: Hunting the Assassin Who Brought the World to War by Tim Butcher - 4 stars - My Review

This book is equal parts biography, memoir, history, and travelogue. Tim Butcher travels Gavrilo Princip’s path from a small village in Herzegovina to Sarajevo to Belgrade and back to Sarajevo, where Princip fired the shots that took the life of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in 1914. This act is often cited as the spark than launched the Great War. During Butcher’s trek, he recalls his time as a journalist reporting on the Bosnian War in the 1990s. Covering Bosnian history from three timelines, 1910s, 1990s, and present day, and filling in the historical context, is an effective way to provide the big picture.

Butcher tracks the development of Princip from childhood to gifted student to assassin. He discovers a stone slab on which Princip had carved his initials, his school records, and evidence of his increasing involvement in political causes. Butch portrays Princip’s motivation to free the South-Slavs from rule by Austria-Hungary. Since Princip lived only 23 years, over a hundred years ago, the primary source material is limited, but Butcher has managed to craft these nuggets into a storyline that is easy to follow and provides a wealth of information. If you are interested in the history of Bosnia/Herzegovina or WWI, this is a great one to pick up.

[Booknblues]

I'm glad you liked it. It helped me understand Bosnian conflict. I also really appreciated getting to "see" the countryside in his walk across the countries.

He has two other books that I liked as much and sparked my interest.

[Joy D]

Booknblues wrote: "I'm glad you liked it. It helped me understand Bosnian conflict. I also really appreciated getting to "see" the countryside in his walk across the countries.

He has two other books that I liked as..."
I have read Blood River: A Journey to Africa's Broken Heart and very much enjoyed it. I have not yet read the one about Liberia, but it is on my TBR.

One thing I didn't include in my review, but really appreciated, was the differentiation of the ethnicities/religions and their viewpoints. I had heard and read some previously, but this book contains detailed background on the Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Croats, and Bosnian Muslims, and which ones fought for what reasons. There was briefly a shift in alliances during the Bosnian War. I found it all fascinating and extremely informative.