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Sarajevo Blues: Pamela Orpinas Explores Resilience and Healing in the Aftermath of War

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Sarajevo Blues

by Pamela Orpinas

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	566 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	122 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

Pamela Orpinas's memoir, Sarajevo Blues, is a deeply moving and personal account of her experiences living and working in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. Through vivid prose and raw emotion, Orpinas shares her journey of resilience and healing amidst the chaos and violence of war.

Orpinas first arrives in Sarajevo in 1992, just as the war is beginning. She is drawn to the city by its vibrant culture and its reputation as a center of tolerance and diversity. However, she soon finds herself trapped in a city under siege, as Serb forces surround Sarajevo and begin shelling the city indiscriminately.

In the face of such adversity, Orpinas and her fellow Sarajevans show remarkable resilience and determination. They organize food and medical supplies, they create makeshift shelters, and they continue to live their lives as best they can. Orpinas herself works as a journalist, reporting on the war and its impact on the people of Sarajevo.

Despite the horrors she witnesses, Orpinas never loses her compassion or her belief in the human spirit. She writes about the courage of the people of Sarajevo, their ability to find joy and laughter even in the darkest of times. She also writes about the importance of memory and reconciliation, and the need to learn from the mistakes of the past.

Sarajevo Blues is a powerful and unforgettable memoir that sheds light on the human experience of war. It is a story of resilience, healing, and the indomitable spirit of the human spirit.

About the Author

Pamela Orpinas is an American journalist and author. She has worked as a reporter for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of several books, including Sarajevo Blues and The Smell of War: A Memoir of the Bosnian War.

Awards and Recognition

Sarajevo Blues has received numerous awards and recognition, including:

National Book Critics Circle Award
Pulitzer Prize finalist
PEN/Martha Albrand Award for First Nonfiction
Overseas Press Club Award

Reviews

Sarajevo Blues has been praised by critics for its powerful storytelling, its insights into the human experience of war, and its importance as a historical document.

Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times called Sarajevo Blues "a masterpiece of war reporting." She wrote, "Orpinas's memoir is a powerful and unforgettable account of the Bosnian War, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit."

The Washington Post called Sarajevo Blues "a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the human toll of war." The Los Angeles Times called it "a powerful and moving account of one woman's journey through the horrors of war."

Sarajevo Blues is a powerful and important memoir that sheds light on the human experience of war. It is a story of resilience, healing, and the indomitable spirit of the human spirit.

Sarajevo Blues

by Pamela Orpinas

4.7 out of 5