The Road to Kosovo: A Balkan Travel Diary

by Greg Campbell

Book Overview

This first-person, on-the-road travel adventure takes us through one of the most dangerous and hate-filled regions on earth--the former republics of Yugoslavia--and into a land still reeling from months of brutal combat. Told in a fast-paced, rollicking style that's funny, sad, thoughtful, and at times horrifying, The Road to Kosovo shows us war and the struggle for peace through the eyes of a young journalist.Two new concluding chapters, written...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813335892
• ISBN13: 9780813335896
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Good Start

I think this book details why politicians and large political / military organizations like NATO have such a difficulty in successfully performing low level military conflicts like the peacekeeping effort in the Yugoslavia region. This book details by representing the destruction and ongoing fighting, just how ineffective the peacekeeping process was at the start due to a half-hearted commitment by the political leaders. The military in the conventional sense, is not a police force or social working group, the purpose of the military is to destroy the enemy. When asking this force to go about a job they are not designed for with one hand tied behind their back and the constant fear of every decision being second-guessed, is there any surprise that the effort did not work for some time. I think this book provides one with a good start to understanding the civil war in Kosovo. I think one would need more details to have a better understanding of what will need to take place for this area to live in peace. A good follow up would be to read Waging Modern War by Wesley Clark.

Greg Campbell - You're a great writer

Well,first of all I must admit that I'm halfway the book now but I'm already able to recommend this book. I had a library copy at home when I bought this book and to be honest I was sorry I did that because I could read the book for free BUT in the very first pages thanks to the writing of Mr.Campbell I have congratulated this book for getting a place in the bookshelf of mine called "Only the best books I've ever read in my life". This book is so good as it tells things as they were.Mr.Campbell tells the truth and doesnt sympathise anybody except the justice. His writing is amazing and you wouldn't be surprise when you get transfered so easily into a strange world full of mysteries. I try to buy every single book about my country and I have plenty of those but "The Road to Kosovo" is the best one. I'll finish by saying -Even if you read 100 books in this subject you wont be able to find as much true information as in this one. And YOU'LL GET TO KNOW THE BOSNIA,KOSOVA AS YOU KNOW YOUR OWN COUNTRY - AND THAT'S ALL THANKS TO GREG CAMPBELL

A good quick read on the Balkans

The Road to Kosovo A Balkan Diary was a good fast read. I found his experiences similar to a "road trip" I had taken through the R.S. and Croatia with Bosniak License Plates while on vacation during my year working for the U.N. The book gives you a good feel for a foreigner's impression of the area.

Clear, well organized, and to the point.

I felt like I was there with Campbell as he tried to sort out the good guys from the bad guys without getting shot by either. His analysis of the Balkan quagmire, while presented in clear, logical language, does not give me much hope for a happy ending anytime soon over there. I understand Campbell is going back over there shortly. I look forward to reading what his take is on the changes that have occured since his last visit.

Excellent reading... most topical and timely on NATO war!

Most vivid account of the genesis of current crisis in Europe! Can be read as a great travelogue and adventure story also... It presents the current crisis in the recent and the medieval history of the region.In late 20th century Europe... this is also the story of how one post coldwar evil politician (Milosovic)'s detemination to succeed in his ambition and Western alliance (mainly Europe' earlier ambilvalence to confront Melosovic's genocidal politics) lead to 4 wars and unspeakable crimes against humanity in the heart of Europe at the most glorious moment in history of Western civilization (having just - in early 90s - won the long lasting political struggle against Soviet Union). Most relevant and topical book currently available on the most signicant and momentus event of post cold-war contemporary history... NATO's winning this war will not only shape the future of the Balkans and Europe but impact the geopolitcs equally significantly.In a presentation on BookTV, Greg Campbell conlcluded NATO's can win a war only with removal of war criminal and genocidal Slobodan Milosovic from Balkan political scene whether by overt or covert means! This indeed would be a very simple and inexpensive solution to long lasting war. Otherwise it will be a pyrrhoeic victory with all the attendant implication of the instability of central Europe remaining in place!A MUST for anyone interested in currrent events especially, - this one the most momentus event unfolding in our times!I.Sina