Native Realm : A Search for Self Definition   Czeslaw Milosz

May 15^th, 2002

If you want to understand Europe and European history of the 20^th century, especially Eastern parts of Europe, this is the book to read. Milosz is a Nobel prize winning poet and writer, and this book is his autobiography. He was born in 1911 on the territory of the former Russian Empire. He comes from the Polish-Lithuanian family and is (as he said) the true citizen of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, our common historical state.

His knowledge of the European history of the 20^th century does not come from the books but from personal, almost intimate experience. Milosz traveled to Siberia with his father. He survived both World wars. He studied in France before WW2 and spent the war in Warsaw, where he witnessed destruction of Warsaw afterwards. Milosz's observant, honest and self-reflective manner makes for a smooth and plesant reading. Native Realm provides the greatest insight into our Europe. >>>

Belarus at the Crossroad   by Sherman W. Garnett (Editor), Robert Legvold

May 15^th, 2002

Belarus, although frequently overlooked in the West, is a country critical to the development of the post-Soviet states and to Europe as a whole. Its location alone -- bordering Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine -- points to its importance as a major geopolitical player. On top of that, the ambitions of its president mean that Belarus will likely have a say in the future of Russia, Ukraine, and other neighboring states. To address what, to date, has been short-sighted and potentially dangerous neglect of this country, the editors of this book bring together essays by specialists from Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Russian and the United States to focus on Belarus's place in the evolving European security environment. No other publication has taken such a diverse approach to this little-understood country. >>>

Historical Dictionary of Belarus   Jan Zaprudnik

October 6^th, 2001

Probably the best history book about Belarus in English in the recent years. It is comprehensive and easy-to-use because it is build like an encyclopedia. This large hardcover volume is quite expensive, but it is worth the price. >>>

Pan Tadeusz (in English and Polish)   Adam Mickiewicz

September 30^th, 2001

This is a wonderful classical book. Adam Mickiewicz, the great bard of our lands, writes about "Litva" (the Grand Duchy of Lithuania), our common ihstorical motherland. This book is a must-have for all those interested in the history and literature of the region. And, by the way, this translation is much better, then the first one that I saw several years ago. >>>

The Captive Mind   Czeslaw Milosz

September 29^th, 2001

This is a fantastic book about Stalinism and Communism era in Eastearn Europe from Nobel-prize winner, Czeslaw Milosz. Again, it's a must read if you want to understand the recent history of our lands. >>>

Teutonic Knights   Henryk Sienkiewicz

September 29^th, 2001

That's an amazing book from Henryk Sienkiewicz about the times when we had to fight the Teutonic Knights. It is considered a classic, it reads like John Grisham. And the English translation is excellent. >>>

Belarus: A Denationalized Nation   David Marples

May 15^th, 2002

To understand current situation in Belarus, the key questions remain the same: Why has Belarus apparently rejected independence under its first president, Alyaksandar Lukashenka, and appeared to seek a union with Russia? Why has the government rejected democracy, infringed on the human rights of its citizens and fundamentally altered its constitution in favor of presidential authority? Has the country made any progress toward market reforms? How have Russia and the West responded to the actions of Belarus? And what is the future likely to hold for its ten million citizens? The author's conclusions are optimistic... >>>

Belarus: From Soviet Rule to Nuclear Catastrophe   David Marples

May 15^th, 2002

David Marples has taken an exceptionally difficult topic, the emergence of the Republic of Belarus, and developed a highly informative report on the emergence of a very tortured nation. His assessment of Chernobyl-related problems, the country's and the world's response and the implications for future generations of Belarusians was especially well documented and portrayed an assessment of the country that could only have been developed by an author who was especially familiar with the day-to-day grass-roots response to the Chernobyl disaster. His book showed an especially strong understanding of relief work in the Homel region. Insightful. >>>

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 • Books in Belarus: oz.by bookstore and rodina.by bookstore.