The Cellist of Sarajevo

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cellistsarajevoby Steven Galloway

 

I
joined an organization called "Women for Women International" which
provides financial aid  in order to facilitate schooling for women who
have survived a war.  The woman I was set up with was Bosnian..  I
realized that I didn't know enough about this situation so I picked up
this gem.  In some ways, it reminded me of As the Great World Spins in
that it centers around one person's action which then involves much
behavior around that action.  In this case it's a cellist who witnessed
a shelling that caused the deaths of 22 citizens of Sarajevo.  Once
recovered, he goes out with a fold up chair and plays an Adagio for 22
days in a row in honor of the dead.  This is a city so besieged by
gunmen in the hills, that people are forced to scurry across unsafe
areas, weaving madly, or running full out, in order to not get shot.
Life's random nature becomes extremely apparent in this formerly
beautiful city.  The story involves 4 members of Sarajevo and how this
event affects their lives.  Superb.
I joined an organization called "Women for Women International" which provides financial aid  in order to facilitate schooling for women who have survived a war.  The woman I was set up with was Bosnian..  I realized that I didn't know enough about this situation so I picked up this gem.  In some ways, it reminded me of As the Great World Spins in that it centers around one person's action which then involves much behavior around that action.  In this case it's a cellist who witnessed a shelling that caused the deaths of 22 citizens of Sarajevo.  Once recovered, he goes out with a fold up chair and plays an Adagio for 22 days in a row in honor of the dead.  This is a city so besieged by gunmen in the hills, that people are forced to scurry across unsafe areas, weaving madly, or running full out, in order to not get shot.  Life's random nature becomes extremely apparent in this formerly beautiful city.  The story involves 4 members of Sarajevo and how this event affects their lives.  Superb.