Popular Serbian Literature Books

Dictionary of the Khazars (Male Edition) by Milorad Pavić , Christina Pribićević-Zorić (Translator)

A national bestseller, Dictionary of the Khazars was cited by The New York Times Book Review as one of the best books of the year. Written in two versions, male and female (both available in Vintage International), which are identical save for seventeen crucial lines, Dictionary is the imaginary book of knowledge of the Khazars, a people who flourished somewhere beyond Tra A national bestseller, Dictionary of the Khazars was cited by The New York Times Book Review as one of the best books of the year. Written in two versions, male and female (both available in Vintage International), which are identical save for seventeen crucial lines, Dictionary is the imaginary book of knowledge of the Khazars, a people who flourished somewhere beyond Transylvania between the seventh and ninth centuries. Eschewing conventional narrative and plot, this lexicon novel combines the dictionaries of the world's three major religions with entries that leap between past and future, featuring three unruly wise men, a book printed in poison ink, suicide by mirrors, a chimerical princess, a sect of priests who can infiltrate one's dreams, romances between the living and the dead, and much more.

The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić , Lovett F. Edwards (Translator) , William H. McNeill (Introduction)

A vivid depiction of the suffering history has imposed upon the people of Bosnia from the late sixteenth century to the beginning of World War I, The Bridge on the Drina earned Andric the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961. A great stone bridge built three centuries ago in the heart of the Balkans by a Grand Vezir of the Ottoman Empire dominates the setting of Ivo Andric's A vivid depiction of the suffering history has imposed upon the people of Bosnia from the late sixteenth century to the beginning of World War I, The Bridge on the Drina earned Andric the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961. A great stone bridge built three centuries ago in the heart of the Balkans by a Grand Vezir of the Ottoman Empire dominates the setting of Ivo Andric's stunning novel. Spanning generations, nationalities, and creeds, the bridge stands witness to the countless lives played out upon it: Radisav, the workman, who tries to hinder its construction and is impaled on its highest point; to the lovely Fata, who throws herself from its parapet to escape a loveless marriage; to Milan, the gambler, who risks everything in one last game on the bridge with the devil his opponent; to Fedun, the young soldier, who pays for a moment of spring forgetfulness with his life. War finally destroys the span, and with it the last descendant of that family to which the Grand Vezir confided the care of his pious bequest - the bridge.

A Tomb for Boris Davidovich by Danilo Kiš , Joseph Brodsky (Introduction) , Duska Mikic-Mitchell (Translator) , William T. Vollmann (Afterword)

Composed of seven dark tales, A Tomb for Boris Davidovich presents variations on the theme of political and social self-destruction throughout Eastern Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. The characters in these stories are caught in a world of political hypocrisy, which ultimately leads to death, their common fate. Although the stories Kis tells are based on Composed of seven dark tales, A Tomb for Boris Davidovich presents variations on the theme of political and social self-destruction throughout Eastern Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. The characters in these stories are caught in a world of political hypocrisy, which ultimately leads to death, their common fate. Although the stories Kis tells are based on historical events, the beauty and precision of his prose elevates these ostensibly true stories into works of literary art that transcend the politics of their time.

Garden, Ashes by Danilo Kiš , Aleksandar Hemon (Introduction) , William J. Hannaher (Translator)

In Yugoslavia during the Second World War, young Andi Scham and his beleaguered family are constantly moving, searching for refuge. Yet the physical hardships of the world do not intrude on Andi's adolescent world of vivid observation and imaginative withdrawals. From his memories emerges the wondrous story of his father, Eduard Scham--the Wandering Jew, Don Quixote, red-e In Yugoslavia during the Second World War, young Andi Scham and his beleaguered family are constantly moving, searching for refuge. Yet the physical hardships of the world do not intrude on Andi's adolescent world of vivid observation and imaginative withdrawals. From his memories emerges the wondrous story of his father, Eduard Scham--the Wandering Jew, Don Quixote, red-eyed, crazed, drunk, bellicose, a man who recedes from life and then disappears in the Holocaust. Andi's search for his father is a poetic, lyrical remembrance of things past. The celebrated Serbian writer Danilo Kis has blended bits of realism, snatches of dreams, and echoes of his own consciousness as a child to shape this magical and memorable novel.

The Encyclopedia of the Dead by Danilo Kiš , Michael Henry Heim (Translator)

In these stories Kiš depicts human relationships, encounters, landscapes - the multitude of details that make up a human life.

Prokleta avlija by Ivo Andrić

Prokleta avlija/The Damned Yard (Description from Ivo Andrić Foundation website) The novel is written in 1954. Ćamil, a wealthy young man of Smyrna living in the last years of the Ottoman Empire, is fascinated by the story of Džem, ill-fated brother of the Sultan Bajazet, who ruled Turkey in the fifteenth century. Ćamil, in his isolation, comes to believe that he is Džem, a Prokleta avlija/The Damned Yard (Description from Ivo Andrić Foundation website) The novel is written in 1954. Ćamil, a wealthy young man of Smyrna living in the last years of the Ottoman Empire, is fascinated by the story of Džem, ill-fated brother of the Sultan Bajazet, who ruled Turkey in the fifteenth century. Ćamil, in his isolation, comes to believe that he is Džem, and that he shares his evil destiny: he is born to be a victim of the State. Because of his stories about Džem’s ambitions to overthrow his brother, Ćamil is arrested under suspicion of plotting against the Sultan. He is taken to a prison in Istanbul, where he tells his story, to Petar, a monk. Out of these exotic materials, Andrić has constructed a book of great clarity, brevity and interest. No doubt it will be read by some as a political parable about the tyranny of the State, but also as a quite simply story about ill-fortune and human misunderstanding, fear and ignorance. Džem and Ćamil are doomed – and the certainty of their persecution is sometimes relieved, sometimes intensified by the stupidity and fright of the people who cross their ill-starred lives. Construction takes up most of the book’s space: the central story of Džem as related by Ćamil lasts only a chapter or two. For the rest of the time the reader strips layer off layer, as one narrator passes him on the next. There is an interesting passage that helps to explain this method, at the moment when Ćamil starts narrating Džem’s story in the first person. “I” is a word, we are told, which fixes the position of the speaker in such a way that the exercise of will is no longer possible, and the speaker strength is exceeded – strength, presumably, to break out of the identification that all his past actions and thoughts force upon him when he uses the word. “I” is both a confession and an imprisonment. The fact that the novel passes the reader on from one narrator to the next rather suggests that the author is taking constant evasive action, lest he betray himself or his reader into the kind of “personal confession” which seals the fate of Ćamil. What exactly this game of form flirting with meaning signifies, must be left to the individual reader. The movement is centripetal, towards Džem’s story, and then disperses. Details within the story are made to mimic this form. Thus when Peter receives the message telling him of his impending release: “Two younger prisoners...were chasing around using him as the centerpoint of ever narrowing circles. Annoyed, he tried to break away from these exuberant youths when one of them brushed against him and he felt a folded scrap of paper thrust into his hand. The youths continued their chase but now in widening circles...” The reader is led on just such a chase in the course of the novel. The effect of this is to make the plot seem more like a poetic image than an ordinary plot: capable, therefore, of as many meanings as are the images of an allusive poem. Yet the language is simple and direct, not at all “poetic”. The characters are remarkable alive, even in conversation. Karađoz, the governor of the goal, is a spidery authoritarian, who loves to torment the charges he loves. The prisoners “complained about the way one complains about one’s life and curses one’s destiny...it would have been hard for them to imagine life without him”. “The Devil’s Yard” is justified, as all symbolic and figurative novels must be, by the extent to which it touches the emotions. It is extremely moving. Fear, horror, despair, amusement at times – all these indicate that the threat of the meaning has been recognized.

Orlovi rano lete by Branko Ćopić

U ovom romanu se govori o grupi dječaka. Oni su učenici četvrtog razreda u Lipovu - jednom bosanskom selu. Na početku oni žive sretan i bezbrižni dječji život. Njihova učiteljica zove se Lana i oni je jako vole. Kada je učiteljica otišla u varoš, na njezinom mjesto dolazi učitelj kojeg su dječaci prozvali paprika. Učitelj je jako maltretirao i tukao djecu tako da su djeca p U ovom romanu se govori o grupi dječaka. Oni su učenici četvrtog razreda u Lipovu - jednom bosanskom selu. Na početku oni žive sretan i bezbrižni dječji život. Njihova učiteljica zove se Lana i oni je jako vole. Kada je učiteljica otišla u varoš, na njezinom mjesto dolazi učitelj kojeg su dječaci prozvali paprika. Učitelj je jako maltretirao i tukao djecu tako da su djeca počela bježati od škole. Vođa dječaka je bio Jovanče a osim njega tu su bili Lazar Mačak, Stric, Đoko Potrk, Nikolca prikolca i djevojčica Lunja. U Prokinom gaju oni su napravili jedan logor pod nazivom Tepsija. Tu su bježali iz škole i družili se po čitav dan. Jednog dana Lazar Mačak i Jovanče su otkrili prolaz u jednu podzemnu špilju. Kada se učitelj paprika požalio Knezu da djeca ne dolaze u školu, zajedno sa poljarem Lijanom i roditeljima organizirali su potjeru i pronašli su skrovište djece. Zahvaljujući što su sreli Nikoletinu Bursaća oslobađaju djecu i odluče da odu u vareš da pronađu učiteljicu Lanu. Uskoro počinje rat. Dječaci koji su se do jučer igrali postaju aktivni učesnici i svjedoci tog rata. Oni pomažu partizanima i otkrivaju im tajnu pećinu. Oni učestvuju u obrani svog sela zajedno sa borcima i postaju partizanski kuriri. Na kraju odlaze u rat s nadom da će se ponovo vratiti u Prokinom gaju i u svoj logor Tepsiju.

Sumnjivo lice by Branislav Nušić

Pop Ćira i pop Spira by Stevan Sremac

Cuveni Sremcev roman prikaz je vojvodjanske sredine dat kroz pricu o dva popa i njihovim porodicama i svadji oko pozeljnog zeta. Vrcav jezik, ostra zapazanja, odlicna karakterizacija likova i sveprozimajuci humor omogucavaju brojnim generacijama citalaca da i danas, sa nesmanjenim intenzitetom, uzivaju u romanu. Knjiga je u celosti dostupna u docx formatu na sledecoj adresi Cuveni Sremcev roman prikaz je vojvodjanske sredine dat kroz pricu o dva popa i njihovim porodicama i svadji oko pozeljnog zeta. Vrcav jezik, ostra zapazanja, odlicna karakterizacija likova i sveprozimajuci humor omogucavaju brojnim generacijama citalaca da i danas, sa nesmanjenim intenzitetom, uzivaju u romanu. Knjiga je u celosti dostupna u docx formatu na sledecoj adresi: http://www.antologijasrpskeknjizevnos...

Nečista krv by Borisav Stanković

Bora Stankovic, pisac koji je mnogo osporavan od strane svojih savremenika! Postavljali su pitanja da li je uopste pismen, jer je njegova recenica kompoziciono bila iskidana do krajnjih granica. Nesumnjivo; prvi pisac koji je uneo elemente psiholoske analize u svoja dela. Balkansko u zivotu svog rodnog Vranja sa duboko utisnutim pecatima orijentalnog senzualizma, i upravo Bora Stankovic, pisac koji je mnogo osporavan od strane svojih savremenika! Postavljali su pitanja da li je uopste pismen, jer je njegova recenica kompoziciono bila iskidana do krajnjih granica. Nesumnjivo; prvi pisac koji je uneo elemente psiholoske analize u svoja dela. Balkansko u zivotu svog rodnog Vranja sa duboko utisnutim pecatima orijentalnog senzualizma, i upravo tu vidnijim negoli drugde, Borisav Stankovic je vise docaravao nego sto ga je mogao osmotriti i upoznati. Knjiga je u celosti dostupna u docx formatu na sledecoj adresi: http://www.antologijasrpskeknjizevnos...

The Cyclist Conspiracy by Svetislav Basara , Randall A. Major (Translator)

The Cyclist Conspiracy tells the tale of a secret Brotherhood who meet in dreams, gain esoteric knowledge from contemplation of the bicycle, and seek to move in and out of history, manipulating events; the Brothers are part of a conspiracy so vast and so secret that, in many cases, the conspirators themselves are unaware of their participation in it. Told through a series The Cyclist Conspiracy tells the tale of a secret Brotherhood who meet in dreams, gain esoteric knowledge from contemplation of the bicycle, and seek to move in and out of history, manipulating events; the Brothers are part of a conspiracy so vast and so secret that, in many cases, the conspirators themselves are unaware of their participation in it. Told through a series of “historical documents”—memoirs, illustrations, letters, philosophical treatises, blue prints, and maps—the novel details the story of these interventions and the historical moments where the Brotherhood has made their influence felt, from the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to a lost story of Sherlock Holmes. Masterfully intertwining the threads of waking and dreams into the fabric of the present, the past, and the future, Svetislav Basara’s Pynchon-esque The Cyclist Conspiracy is a bold, funny, and imaginative romp.

Tvrdica by Jovan Sterija Popović

Najpoznatija komedija Sterijina, cija klasicnost srpkog komediografa povezuje sa Plautom i Molijerom - cini Kir-Janju velikim likom nase dramske knjizevnosti. To sto neprekidno traje na pozorisnim scenama, u lektiri i citalackoj publici - svedoci o trajnoj vrednosti Sterijinog komada. Knjiga je u celosti dostupna u docx formatu na sledecoj adresi: http://www.antologijasrpske Najpoznatija komedija Sterijina, cija klasicnost srpkog komediografa povezuje sa Plautom i Molijerom - cini Kir-Janju velikim likom nase dramske knjizevnosti. To sto neprekidno traje na pozorisnim scenama, u lektiri i citalackoj publici - svedoci o trajnoj vrednosti Sterijinog komada. Knjiga je u celosti dostupna u docx formatu na sledecoj adresi: http://www.antologijasrpskeknjizevnos...

Bernardijeva soba by Slobodan Tišma

Bernardijeva soba nije samo roman kao događajnost, već priča koja je pronašla i autora i čitaoce, i vozi nas i vozi u čudesnoj naizmeničnosti uzlaznih i silaznih lukova na Jadranskoj magistrali. Ispresecanost putanja fenikscrvene bube i tamnog mercedesa, u tamnoljubičasto more, u veliki hladni Okean. Roman koji je kantata raspričava se kao muzika - i na planu doživljaja. R Bernardijeva soba nije samo roman kao događajnost, već priča koja je pronašla i autora i čitaoce, i vozi nas i vozi u čudesnoj naizmeničnosti uzlaznih i silaznih lukova na Jadranskoj magistrali. Ispresecanost putanja fenikscrvene bube i tamnog mercedesa, u tamnoljubičasto more, u veliki hladni Okean. Roman koji je kantata raspričava se kao muzika - i na planu doživljaja. Reč je o prozno-poetskom melanžu, pripovesti i refleksijama, muzici i slikama, alhemijskim pretapanjima događaja, razmišljanja, boja i oblika, nameštaja, sobe, grada i okeana. Naracija nije linearna, nego isprekidana, muzikalna, ponavljajuća, dijalektička; ne putanja, nego mnoštvo skretanja i susretanja ... Novi roman Slobodana Tišme pojavljuje se kao netipična proza, kao pasivni otpor i rezignacija, kao remećenje klasične naracije (sistema u kojem živimo) i prepuštanje alhemiji zgušnjavanja doživljaja i događaja. Slojevi radnje su slojevi zanosa koji želi da bude neprekidna afirmacija, dijalektička afirmacija, ,,Da ali Ne! Ne, ali Da! Uvek Da, ali sa zadrškom“. Stoga je priča=doživljaj ovog romana ona kućica koju nosi svaki/a umetnik/ca. Bernardijeva soba je svačija vlastita soba, mesto subjekta koje je titranje praznine između talasa Okeana, soba koja nas prazni od nas samih.

Duge noći i crne zastave by Dejan Stojiljković

Tri viteza. Dva carstva. Jedna bitka koja će promeniti sve. Autor bestselera Konstantinovo raskršće. Oluja se približava... I tri viteza joj kreću u susret. Prvi da bi sačuvao tajnu svog gospodara, drugi da bi dobio ruku žene koju voli, a treći da bi zario bodež u samo srce te oluje... Proleće 1386. godine. Granice Srbije potresaju upadi osmanlijskih pljačkaških hordi. U jedn Tri viteza. Dva carstva. Jedna bitka koja će promeniti sve. Autor bestselera Konstantinovo raskršće. Oluja se približava... I tri viteza joj kreću u susret. Prvi da bi sačuvao tajnu svog gospodara, drugi da bi dobio ruku žene koju voli, a treći da bi zario bodež u samo srce te oluje... Proleće 1386. godine. Granice Srbije potresaju upadi osmanlijskih pljačkaških hordi. U jednom takvom prepadu, brzi osmanlijski konjanici uspevaju da iz pograničnog manastira ukradu kivot čija je sadržina poznata samo srpskom knezu Lazaru Hrebeljanoviću. Lazar odlučuje da pošalje poteru i za taj zadatak bira dvojicu pripadnika viteškog Reda Zmaja – svog kuma, topličkog vojvodu Milana, i njegovog pobratima, čuvenog mačevaoca Ivana Kosančića. Njima se pridružuje i mladi, svojeglavi vitez Miloš Obilić, koji je zaprosio ruku najmlađe Lazareve kćeri. Trojka kreće u potragu prateći krvavi trag pljačkaša – od Lazareve prestonice Kruševca do Prilepa gde ih čeka stari prijatelj, kraljević Marko Mrnjavčević. U Prilepu nalaze trgovca starinama za koga se priča da je u dosluhu sa demonima. U isto vreme, silna osmanlijska vojska čeka utaborena kod Serdike, a kada glasovi predaka šapnu na uvo emiru Muratu da je kucnuo čas, on se odlučuje na pokret. Prvo na udaru je pogranično utvrđenje Pirot, čiji je kapetan Lazar Musić, knežev rođak, rešen pre da umre nego da Osmanlijama preda tvrđavu. Na samoj granici hrišćanstva, na bedemima ispred kojih se vijore crne zastave i ratni bubnjevi odjekuju u dugim noćima, bitka za kapije Evrope može da počne. „Stojiljković ume da ispriča sjajnu priču. Živopisan i visoko narativan stil, koji u umu slika i te kako dugotrajne slike.“ Markus Ejgar, Wild Rooster

Veliki Rat by Aleksandar Gatalica

Veliki rat je epski velik, a savremen roman o najvećem istorijskom preokretu na početku dvadesetog veka. Nije to samo portret izvanredno mnogo ljudskih sudbina, već ubedljiva slika sloma velike nade u srećnu budućnost čovečanstva. Usred tog potresnog događaja nižu se neodoljive epizode o nečemu što je i stvarno i neverovatno, i izmišljeno i proživljeno, trijumfuju ljudska Veliki rat je epski velik, a savremen roman o najvećem istorijskom preokretu na početku dvadesetog veka. Nije to samo portret izvanredno mnogo ljudskih sudbina, već ubedljiva slika sloma velike nade u srećnu budućnost čovečanstva. Usred tog potresnog događaja nižu se neodoljive epizode o nečemu što je i stvarno i neverovatno, i izmišljeno i proživljeno, trijumfuju ljudska osećanja i senka pobede ostavlja svoj trag. Prateći sudbine preko sedamdeset junaka, na svim zaraćenim stranama, Gatalica je oblikovao pobednike i poražene, generale i operske pevače, vojnike i špijune, male, obične ljude uspevajući da obuhvati čitavu epohu. Ima u ovoj knjizi nesvakidašnje ambicije, tužnih i veselih sudbina, primera neviđenog, ali i sasvim uzaludnog heroizma. Veliki rat nijednog trenutka ne postaje istorijska hronika jer se od dokumenta razvija do neverovatnih otkrića gradeći jaku, upečatljivu priču pravog romana i velikog umetničkog dela.