A Review of Elegy for Kosovo by Ismail Kadare

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Elegy for Kosovo is a short novel written during the Bosnian war in the late 1990s. It does not cover the modern war in the region but rather a battle from 1389 and the aftermath. On the plains of Kosovo in 1389 two armies stood face to face. One being the Ottoman army trying to get a foothold into Europe and spread Islam. The other being an amalgamation of Serbs, Albanians, Romanians, Wallachians, Croats, and Bosniaks defending their home countries. The crescent versus the cross. 

Battle of Kosovo, by Adam Stefanović (1870)

During the battle men are slaughtered on the plains of Kosovo and the leader of the Ottomans, Murad I, is killed in action. He is said to be killed by Serbian soldier Miloš Obilić but it is uncertain. His double may have been killed and then his inner circle seized the opportunity to kill the read Murad I and install his son as the Sultan (his son being the one who wanted to turn the empire's attention toward Europe rather than Asia). Christian banners can be seen from the edge of the battle until one by one they fall.

Miloš Obilić, the alleged assassin of Sultan Murad I.

After the battle we follow a ragtag group of Christian minstrels who flee from the battle making their way north. With them is one Turk who wants to convert to Christianity but still feels his Muslim faith inside of him and one Jew. They make their way north through small villages who often do not help the group and bar them from entering their towns. Eventually they make their way far enough north where a phony trial is held for the Turk. He is burned at the stake for holding on to two faiths simultaneously. His final works while he being engulfed by the flames is a cry for his mother. 

The minstrels finally make their way to a welcoming land where they are told to perform for her.

This woman realizes that Europe must not only protect the castle of Europe (the heartlands) but also the courtyard (the Balkans). 

This region of Europe is still tense with ethnic tensions and death. One day I hope that the plains of Kosovo contain no more spilled blood. 

Richard Eder puts it brilliantly in his review when he says "He has the gift of writing parables of great weight in the lightest of tones." 

Murad I's quote to end the book is also poignant. "O Lord, hear my prayer! Take away all the mud around here, for even a few drops of blood are enough to hold all the memory of the world."

The Plains of Kosovo

A Review of The Fortress by Meša Selimović

A Review of The Fortress by Meša Selimović

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Synopsis from Goodreads: A novel on 18th century Sarajevo under Ottoman rule, featuring a soldier returned from the wars. A Muslim, he marries a Christian girl who supports him while he dabbles in politics, eventually leading a raid to rescue a friend from jail.

My review: Ahmet Shabo is a Bosnian war veteran from Sarajevo. He saw many of his friends killed in the marshes around Chocim in one of the many Russo Turkish wars. He comes back from the war a changed man. He doesn't fit into society. His family has all died while he was away. He finds solace and love in Tiyana, a Christian woman. They live together and shortly she falls pregnant. Meanwhile, Ahmet loses his job for speaking out against the society he lives in. He is blackballed. He is fired from his job as a scribe by a man he saved at Chocim. He can't find a job and suffers great turmoil. He eventally gets involved in a rescue of another man who spoke out and is investigated bya quasi police member.

This is a very intersting book that explores the suffering that man can go through. A theme that I saw often was fatalism. Shabo thinks that his fate is decided and there is nothing he can do (and often times should do) in life. No matter the choice he makes people will suffer. Hard to put my thoughts about this book down in writng. Ahmet Shabo and Prince Myshkin from The Idiot seem to be cut from the same cloth in my opinion.

Also I think I am going to count this book as a Bosnian book. I was thinking of counting it as Serbia but then I thought that I wouldn't count Richard Rodriguez as Mexico so why would I count Mesa Selimovic as Serbia? 

Been watching day in the life reels on Instagram

And I like them. There is something soothing about watching a video called "Typical Saturday as a 27 year old" and then its just a guy going to the gym and then watching football with his friends. Instead of pumping out a bunch of garbage about going to clubs or expensive restaurants, this guy hits the gym, makes lunch then takes a 12 pack to his friends house and hangs out. I need to implement this in my life I think. I start a new job on Monday (same company new role), I moved out 2 weeks ago, and I am feeling like there is part of my life that isn't filled in completely. Like I am 75% full. I know I need to add an exercise routine to my life (not using the dumbell set but rather a gym membership), and also a class or two I think would really help me. I think also joining some sort of organization would be a huge benefit. I was googleing information about Free Masons and that caught my attention. My grandpa was one so that would be pretty cool to also be a Free Mason. We'll see. I know I want to join a gym. 

One of the Instagram accounts I watch is a guy called Hubs.life I believe. He lives in Dallas and works as a senior benefits analyst at a forture 500 company. He has a dog that he loves, a wife (I think), and hits the gym a couple days a week. His videos popped up on my feed and M, M and I would make fun of him for putting his laptop into his backpack super slowely. But now that more of his videos showed up on my feed I have started to watch more of them and like them. He has a pretty chill life but still takes time to hangout with friends, enjoy the creature comforts of life, workout, and exercise his dog. 

I just also found a new guy who is some 9-5er in Houston. He works, hits the gym, then cooks a nice dinner. I have to get onto this level. Right now I wake up, activate my teams so it looks like I am working, go back to bed for 30 mintues, and then grab my laptop and work from my bed for an hour or so. I then make coffee and half work half read books/dick around on my phone for the next several hours. I need to better structure my life! I can feel it slipping by and by. I have been 26 years old for over 2 months now. Soon I will be 27. 

I went on a date Thursday and Friday. Both with women that I met on Bumble. First date was a date at a self-serve wine bar in Phinney Ridge. Was pretty fun. We had pretty decent banter and I felt that our rapport was solid. I texted her the next day and said I had fun and we should do it again and she agreed. Friday's date was at a dive bar close to my new apartment. Was a really fun date (in my opinion). We just chatted and laughed for about four hours. The date ended with me walking her to her car. She said she had a good time and would like to do it again. I texted her today telling her that I had fun and we should do it again soon and no word (yet). We'll see if either work. I hope that one or both do because I enjoyed myself on both dates and would like to see them again if possible. If not no worries I'll find someone. 

Played pickle ball with M and his coworkers. It was actually a pretty fun time. M's punkass coworker was there though and this dude takes it way too seriously. M's coworker's boyfriend, B, was there and he is a cool guy. I'd like to hangout with him again if possible. Not sure how I'd ever be able to broach that though. But he would be a fun guy to get beers with or be in some sort of club with. 

Ok I think I am going to end this blog entry here. Next I am going to start my new book A Tomb For Boris Daviddovich, do some googleing on Free Mason stuff in my city, look up some gyms near me, and try and get the upcoming week planned out a little. We'll see how it all goes. I'll try to update sooner than I did this time.

Moved in to the new crib

I'm moved in to my new apartment. Feels good to have a place of my own. Room is 90% set up. Just need to hang up some art and get a lamp for beside my bed. The living room is tastefully furnished but a little bare. I think I'll get a plant for it and maybe another table to stick between the corners of the couches. I really need to go grocery shopping. My wares are bare. I had two pb&j sandwiches and an apple today for lunch. Gotta get some more pasta, deli meat, canned stuff, and spices so I can chef it up a little. 

Roommate is cool. Pretty quiet guy but has offered to do me a favor already (grab quarters for the washing machine). He works a little different hours than I do so it seems like I have the apartment largely to myself. One thing I did today that I want to not do in the future was that I had to pee at 5 am but held it because I didn't want to wake up my roommate when I went to bathroom. Got to realize that this is my space that I pay for. I'll use it how I want! Anyways, I digress. I put up my string lights, got my bookshelf set up, my guitar there. It is a pretty cozy place. We'll see how this year goes!