The Monkey House

by John Fullerton

Book Overview

In The Monkey House , Sarajevo is a city besieged by the atrocities of war. Stadium walls that once shook with the roar of Olympic crowds have since collapsed under the screams of artillery. Police Superintendent Rosso and the ragtag remains of his Sarajevo police force, however, remain dedicated to preserving what is left of the city's civil order. In their Sisyphean quest to uphold the law, one of their key informants is mysteriously murdered in...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517706601
• ISBN13: 9780517706602
• Release Date: July 1996
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

a review of an excellent book (by charlotte)

Well all i can say is that this book is the by far the best book i have read this year. It is stunningly gripping written with obvious style and talent. It is not a book to be missed.

The Monkey House review

Fast paced and exciting this book will keep you on edge the whole way through.I couldn't get to sleep without finishing it.This writer has a lot of talent.

War's Hardship Clearly Portrayed

John Fullerton's excellent book "The Monkey House" clearly describes civilian hardship in Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. The author paints his story in shades of grey -- there are no highlights for civilians during wartime. Finding food and shelter while battling constant fear is exhausting. Decency is subordinated to staying alive, and patriotism is a luxury. Wartime permanently mars survivors. The attitudes survivors learn remain with them, and these attitudes affect survivors for the rest of their lives.This book describes police superintendent Rosso's investigation of a murder. The murder was ordered by a successful gangster, drug smuggler, and profiteer whose gang acts as wartorn Sarajevo's civilian militia. A subplot describes an American reporter's experiences in Sarajevo, and contrasts the reporter's affluent lifestyle with the lives of those around him. The Bosnian settling is relevant today because UN peacekeeping efforts continue in Bosnia today.John Fullerton has portrayed war's long-lasting hardship within a clearly written and interesting novel, an impressive accomplishment.

Good description of life during the siege on Sarajevo

The plot is OK, but this book gives you a great idea of what it was like to live through the harsh Sarajevo winters when the city was under siege and the western world didn't really care yet. I was posted in Sarajevo with SFOR for several months (after the siege-in 1997) and found the descriptions of the city very realistic

Very true book

Being a Sarajevan myself, I was sceptical about outsiders writing about my city and my war, However J. Fullerton did it very well. It is not a book one can enjoy , but it is a true book . I would recommend it to those who prefer truth to convenience.