Book Description
In his travels through Croatia, Tony Fabijancic saw a world of peasants, shepherds and fishermen irrevocably giving way to the new reality of a modern European state. With a deft and sure touch, he records moments that capture the lingering spirit of the old world even as the former fabric of this place is unravelling forever. The author's profound familiarity with the "extraordinary regionality" of Croatia leads to memorable images of the country, and to sketches and unhurried ruminations on its people, its landscapes, kitchens, cities, and coastlines.
From the Back Cover
There is, in old Croatia, an undiscovered country that is passing away, a world of peasants, shepherds and fishermen irrevocably surrendering before the reality of a modern European state. When Tony Fabijancic travelled to Croatia he was returning to his own undiscovered country. With the tongue of a native but the eyes of an outsider, he journeyed the old country of his father. He sought out the hidden corners where he could hear the earthy stories of country people. With thoughtful portraits, he throws open a personal window into a labyrinthine world of character and identity. Outside a church in Pag, the author experienced a flash of eternity, an epiphany into his own mortality. Tapping into a new-found strength, he travelled the expanse of Croatia, conducting a personal investigation into its extraordinary regionality while commenting on the complex history of adeeply layered landscape. In fine style, he transports the reader to the Adriatic in the summer: the blast of heat, the smell of dust, the bountiful kitchen gardens, and the impromptu ritual of sljivovica at outdoor tables. Most of all, we are introduced to rural men and women who, along with their hospitality, openly share their views on their lot in the new Croatia. Written with sensitivity and balance, Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country is smart, literate, travel writing that takes us to the heart of a fascinating land.
About the Author
The son of a Croatian immigrant who escaped Yugoslavia in 1964, Tony Fabijancic was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of New Brunswick and is an Associate Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland's Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, in Corner Brook. While not working, he spends time with his wife and two children in Nova Scotia and Croatia. He has published numerous essays, stories and photographs in Canadian and American newspapers and journals like The Globe and Mail, Mosaic and The Antigonish Review. He has recently completed a collection of short stories and a scholarly work on urban space, vision and modernity. He is presently working on essays about Joseph Cornell and David Lynch, and a work of historical fiction set in Bosnia.;
Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country FROM THE PUBLISHER
"When Tony Fabijancic travelled to Croatia he was returning to his own undiscovered country. With the tongue of a native but the eyes of an outsider, he journeyed the old country of his father." Outside a church in Pag, the author experienced a flash of eternity, an epiphany into his own mortality. Tapping into a new-found strength, he travelled the expanse of Croatia, conducting a personal investigation into its extraordinary regionality while commenting on the complex history of a deeply layered landscape. He transports the reader to the Adriatic in the summer: the blast of heat, the smell of dust, the bountiful kitchen gardens, and the impromptu ritual of sljivovica at outdoor tables. Most of all, we are introduced to rural men and women who, along with their hospitality, openly share their views on their lot in the new Croatia.
SYNOPSIS
From an early age, Tony Fabijancic (contemporary literature, Memorial U., Newfoundland) made multiple trips to the Croatian countryside where his father grew up. In this travel narrative, the author draws upon these experiences as well as more recent visits to paint a picture of peasant life in contemporary rural Croatia. Well-composed b&w photographs of rural Croatian people and their surroundings accompany the text. Distributed in the U.S. by Michigan State U. Press. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Contrary to what the subtitle suggests, Croatia is not an "undiscovered" country-at least not in Europe. Its pebbly beaches, bare mountains, and idyllic islands have been attracting Central and Eastern Europeans for decades (even when it was part of the humanely Communist former Yugoslavia). Today, as Croatia transitions toward American-style capitalism and slowly abandons "the old ways," tourists from this side of the Atlantic are starting to take note. Canadian-born Fabijancic (contemporary literature, Memorial Univ., Newfoundland) regrets the disappearance of the "old Croatia." In this very honest and romantic portrayal of his father's homeland, comprising a series of essays devoted to its various regions, Fabijancic tries to capture what is left of rural Croatia, drawing special attention to the peasants in the north and the fishermen in the south, and the little-known baroque towns as well as well-known tourist spots like Dubrovnik. While only partially representing the Croatian way of life, which these days is increasingly urbanized and computerized, these personal (but never biased) essays fully encapsulate the country's essence. Fabijancic gets extra credit for not letting the much-written-about politics interfere and ruin the narrative's delicate flow. A nice supplement to the many existing travel guides to Croatia (e.g., Rough Guides, Lonely Planet, and DK), which do a decent job of covering the country's city life and cultural treasures.-Mirela Roncevic, "Library Journal" Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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