Yugoslav Short Stories

This rare London first edition showcases the literary traditions of the former Yugoslavia through carefully selected and translated short stories. Svetozar Koljević's selection and introduction provide crucial context for understanding the region's literary heritage.

The collection presents diverse voices from Yugoslav literature, encompassing various ethnic and cultural traditions within the region. Koljević notes that the underlying theme connecting nearly all stories is resistance—to poverty, hardship, natural elements, foreign conquest, and moral evil—achieved through love, defiance, cunning, and humor.

This collection introduced English-speaking readers to the rich literary tradition of the Balkans during a period when the region received limited attention in Western literary circles. The stories provide insight into Slavic cultural values, historical experiences, and narrative traditions that influenced later Yugoslav and post-Yugoslav literature.

Svetozar Koljević was a respected Serbian literary scholar and translator who played a significant role in bringing Yugoslav literature to international attention. The collection's emphasis on resistance themes proved prophetic given the region's subsequent political upheavals. The book represents one of the few comprehensive English-language collections of Yugoslav short fiction from this era.