It is not so easy to find Bulgarians willing to write poetry in the midst of such social-economical earthquakes Bulgaria is going through. However, in this book you'll find many brave mouths, crying out for fresh waters of love and "winds of change", which from now on will blow away the ignorance and lack of compassion -- those two sides of the old coin of that old Bulgarian poetry. These people seem ready to change the whole universe, not just the formerly called Eastern Block. Just listen to their soulical screams, explaining the brth of the new wings--

Borislav Belovarski

The Fragility of Goodness: Why Bulgaria's Jews Survived the Holocaust by Tzvetan Todorov (Editor) fails in the essential task created by the title - explainig how fragile was the set of circumstances that led to the Jews of Bulgaria being saved. The first 40 or so pages of the book is a concise history of Bulgaria and the Second World War with the remainer of the book restricted to primary historical documents and memories of the major participants.

The stated premise of the book is that goodness is fragile and that the saving of Bulgarian's Jews was not a forgone conclusion. The author ignores that fact that few historical events were forgone conclusions. Even the rise of Hitler was not preordianed and but for the acts of Hindengurg and a few Weimar leaders who thought that they could control Hitler there might not have been a Holocaust. Todorov does not explain why the events in Bulgaria are any different from every other historical event.

If one want to read a comprehensive history of Bulgaria during World War II, I would suggest Beyond Hitler's Grasp: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria's Jews by Michael Bar-Zohar. The Fragility of Goodness is wothwhile for the presence of the primary sources, but not much else.

It is no big surprise that Todorov published a book on the Bulgarian Jews' salvation issue. First, it goes within the major topic of his later research: the value of ethics in extreme circumstances. Second, his Bulgarian origin should made him, even for simply methodological reasons, pay more attention to the country where he comes from (and which one would expect him to know well). The book follows a scheme that Todorov already employed ten years ago in compiling the witnesses' tales of three Bulgarian citizens severely (and unreasonably) persecuted by the Communist secret police in the early 60's: no place for comments, the floor is given to the "historical figures" themselves. Yet, while in the previous "Bulgarian" book the historical figures spoke with their own words, here Todorov is constricted to the existing documentation (no one of the participants in the '43 events is still alive). And this is why he, everything taken into acount, fails. The texts are insufficient to build a complete picture of WWII Bulgaria because of their "official" character: they do not present in detail the motivation even of those main figures that were most deeply involved in the salvation (or effective dispatch to the camps of death), yet they are not adjoined by any commentary by the author wich to elucidate them better. The author's position is limited (and this is quite a particular case!) to the title itself which, however, is misleading, too. Shall we interpret it literally in the sense that Bulgarians should not really boast about saving the Jews; or shall we understand it within the broader context of Todorov's work, as just one more argument in favor of Todorov's general concept of the relativity of morality? The truth is even now I cannot choose the correct answer.

The author thoroughly explores the chain of events and actions that led to the rescue of Bulgarian Jews from Holocaust. In addition to his own remarks, the author provides a set of documents relevant to the period of persecution and possible deportation of Bulgarian Jews. The memoirs and diaries of political (and moral) adversaries describing the same events are put together. The clash of individual / group actions and opinions reveals the struggle between good and evil, courage and cowardliness in the Bulgarian society and government of 1940s. The author puts special emphasis on the brave attempt of Dimitar Peshev, the Vice-Chairman of National Assembly, to prevent Jewish deportation. His actions cost him the political post, but his goal was eventually achieved. I believe the author underestimated the role of Bulgarian king Boris in the eventual cancellation of deportation plans. Without his decision, the protests of Peshev, the opposition, and Bulgarian society would be in vain. I think his decision was more than just a calculated move done in Bulgarian national interests. His efforts to defend Jewish lives in the personal meetings with Nazi officials (including Hitler) are evident and should be recognized.

This book for children is about a young boy living on a farm in Bulgaria in the 1920s or early 1930s. In a way it is a little unusual (at least it seemed that way to me) in that the first half of the book appeared to be written for 8 to 11 year-olds whereas the second half of the book, as the boy Dobry grows older and wishes to be a sculptor, seems to be written for an older child. But, the book won the 1935 Newbery Medal for best contribution to American children's literature, so I may be in the minority in my opinion.

I agree with R. D. Allison about the split-personality of the books. I think, though, that the author was trying to show how Dobry was growing up. In the beginning, he is satisfied with slow country life but gradually grows to realize his dream is to become an artist.

DOBRY is a good book for learning about the culture of Bulgarian peasants. It is rich in the folk stories--how God created man and Hadutzi-Dare saved the world--and everyday life of these people. Also, the author conveys the village's excitement when the massage bear (you'll learn what it is!) comes to herald the summer.

The language is beautiful and Dobry is an eternal optimist. The characters represent different facets of village life--for example, the rotund mayor explains government and Dobry's grandfather shows Bulgaria's heritage.

The book introduced me to a culture that thinks differently and lives differently yet dreams the same. It's a lesson for anyone.

As one with a lifelong interest in the Balkans, and one who actually got to travel there too, I am always on the lookout for good books on the area. So, I was happy to find CURTAIN CALLS in a bookstore in Nova Scotia. But, I'm afraid it is a little too light and chatty for me. I can't say that it is not well-written, no, the author has a pleasant style, but it's rather insubstantial, breezy, and more than a little gossipy, with far too much information about his various guides and mentors in the then rigidly controlled Balkan societies. If you like that sort of apolitical travelogue, pretty much blow by blow, then this book could be for you. Secondly, the whole area has changed so much in the last 20-odd years since Gardiner wrote, that the kind of information a would-be traveller could glean from this book would be well-nigh useless. I feel that a person who wants to know what the Balkans are like today---as well as one who wants to know what they were like in the 1970s---could do better elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Fodor's chooses to flatter sites/hotels/restaurants that are not even worthwhile in this adjective-laced and over-priced guide. Many of the "magnificent," "remarkable," and/or "extraordinary" sites mentioned in this guide were far from it. It lacks any candor or frank descriptions. That's not all, it gives no directions to hotels or restaurants and once again describes substandard food as "wonderful." I am also curious to know where these rocket scientists came up with their definitions of nice, clean and exciting. The book is a bust, go with another guide, it was a waste of my money. If it could get 0 stars -- it would.

I found this book difficult to use. The descriptions of city sites are sorted alphabetically. Therefore, you have to know the name of a specific site in the correct language to find a description. If you don't speak Polish, Hungarian, etc, it's difficult to find what you're looking for. There are only a few maps of major cities in the guide and therefore it's difficult to find any locations outside of the major cities. This book does provide some decent descriptions of restaurants. The upside to the book is that it is the only one that I've found that covers such a diverse group of countries. I just wish that it was organized better and that it had more maps.

The chapter authors are obviously well-acquainted with the areas they cover. They have done a very good job supplying tips for the traveler. The writing is lucid, and the compilation reader-friendly, evincing a masterful job by the editor(s) in revising and coalescing the material.

It appears to be written in English, na li? But I couldn't understand it. Why do post-modernists have to use such turbid prose. Do they only write for each other? Does each author seek to create his own personal language, unreadable, opaque and undecipherable to others?
Still, I think there is something valuable imbedded in all this sediment, I just don't know what it is.

This book, while perhaps not of general interest, was fascinating to me, since my husband was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and was a distant relative of the author. The blindness of the participants to the events swirling around them in Europe was startling. Their concerns with business and success overrode any concern with the outside world. Marriage between cousins, uncles and nieces, was common emphasizing the clannishness of the Jewish population. This world ended with the commencement of WW II. The book definitely has a limited audience.

This book is the worst anti-Bulgarian propaganda I have seen in the recent years. Unbelievable the author is a Bulgarian women which unmistakably sold its country, culture and people. On one hand we have a book full of lies and misunderstandings and on other, the arrogant and false statements of her friends and colleagues ( with positive opinions ) posted on Amazon.com.The Bulgarian community was outrage of this betrayal and many organization will take drastic measures to get this book out of publication as soon as possible. Do not consider anything from this author for any relay able source of information about Bulgaria. This country has a history of more than 1300 years, with enormous influence in the ancient world and deep roots in the European heritage. Land of heroes and legends, kings and treasures, land where the reality mix with the myth in the mists of Rhodopa Mountain.

Bulgaria - one god, one law, one nation ! Amen..

Any serious representation of Bulgaria, its people and culture in the Western world is a welcome celebration of our culture and rich history. Dr. Stavreva's fascinating book does not only quench masterfully the new interest of the Western World in our beautiful country, but also is the first swallow to bring the spring of our national culture and identity reflecting the cosmopolitan and politically and culturally tolerant spirit of the world community in the beginning of the new millenium.
In the following exegesis, I would like to address two matters: 1) the author's inspiring account of Bulgaria's rich historical and cultural heritage, accomplished with loving pathos and patriotism which should satisfy the highest expectations of the most demanding compatriots; and 2) the unfortunate testament to the lack of civilized and contemporary progressive understanding of the complexity of the making of a nation and the lack of patriotic integrity, which have been so profoundly expressed in the series of completely undeserved ill-intended and hateful reviews which Dr. Stavreva's work has received.
Let me turn to the first subject of my intent. I, too, since many reviewers proclaim as a point of authoritative prerogative, am Bulgarian. So are the author and a handful of other sober minded reviewers (Svetlana, Roumyana Slabakova, Zlatko Anguelov). I came upon Dr. Stavreva's book back in 1997 while browsing a bookstore's shelves to satisfy my couriosity what Americans would read to learn about my country. My attention was naturally called by the Bulgarian name of the author of Bulgaria (Cultures of the World). I was surprised even more pleasantly by the engaging and lively narrative of the book which winds diligently and with erudition down the intertwained paths of our rich and not-so-easy to explain history. What surprised me most is the author's intelligent and very humanistic portrayal of Bulgaria's diverse ethnic population and the challenges which this diversity poses for a small nation which has had to defend its identity on so many occasions in its history. For that I congratulate the author for her genuine humanism and patriotic integrity.

Let me address the second subject of my response. It is an unfortunate fact that the national shovinism and misunderstood national identity are still part of the mentality of some Bulgarians (even more so the ones who have chosen to place the Atlantic Ocean as a natural geographical line of separation between them and the difficulties of their fatherland ). The blind rage which penetrates some of the reviews is a result of two causes: 1) the reviewers' understandable ignorance of the process of book publishing in the US; and 2) the reviewers' misunderstood patrotism which is a remnant of the prejudice and uninformed citisenship, fostered in our schools 30-20 years ago. I regret that I am compelled to recall two facts from our not so remote history in order to make my point: the first one is a brilliant example of Bulgarian humanism which has entered the pages of world history: Bulgaria did not participate in the anti-semitic hatred of its allies. And today we are proud of this. The second one is a very unfortunate example: our long-lasting communist leader attempted to erase the Muslim minority from our enthic landscape in the 80es. And today we are not, I hope, so proud of this. So which way do we want to follow in the making of our new, revolutionary and progressive, open and post-communist identity? I think the answer lies in Dr. Stavreva's informed book, opposed by the spirited outbreak of her reviewers. We have given the Western World numerous examples of national integrity and inspiring patriotism. Let us do it again. It is time to move on.

Unlike some of those who have posted "reviews" of this book, I have actually read this wonderful introduction to Bulgarian culture and heritage. Readers will learn about the values and accomplishments of the Bulgarian people,while photographs on every page show the beauty of the country and the diversity of the nation. The vicious nonsense that those too lazy to look beyond the cover have posted here is inexcusable. Those who have attacked the book here with misrepresentations, hostility to minorities, and uninformed derision unfortunately accomplish precisely the opposite effect. I am Bulgarian and I really don't share this apparent hatered of minorities living in the country.

Nikolay Natov wrote this book while serving as a lecturer in Private International Law at Sofia University in Bulgaria.

This, unfortunately, is a dreary piece where little of Mr. Natov's technique as a lecturer comes through. The quality of presenting the information is sufficiently low and the text so riddled with incomprehensible or misleading (in English generally or as a minimum - in legal English) expressions, that any value that the bites of knowledge about Bulgaran regulation of foreign investment that it contains may have, is hopelessly lost on the reader.

Slightly more irritating than the repetitive incantation of the book's style are its datedness and generality.

Far from offering a concise, argued and informative guide to an important area of a legal system which is coming increasingly under challenge in its functioning (not least in EU accession negotiations), this volume is weak and uncritical.

As an attempt to present Bulgarian law to English-speaking readers this is sadly a failure. Equally so, and equally sadly, as an effort to showcase Bulgarian legal scholarship outside the country.

I was extremely disappointed in this package.

1. This is NOT a cookbook. It has a total of 30 recipes with approximations for the measurements. If you are serious about cooking, this package is definitely not for you. Furthermore, you can find better, more extensive and accurate recipes online for free. I am Bulgarian -- I should know.

2. The pictures, multimedia, and instructions are amateur, to say the least -- bad resolution, poor recording, annoying transitions. If you are experienced in using a computer and digital media, you will most likely be outraged at the bad quality.

3. The disc included is NOT a software program of any kind. You do not set it up on your computer; you simply "play" it. Hence, do not expect to get a nifty program that may let you edit the recipes, scale the recipes, or convert measurements. There is no such interaction. The 30 recipes you see are all you get.

Overall, if there were a rating of 0, I would have used it in this case. If you are considering buying this package, I think it is greatly overpriced. You would be better off buying the Betty Crocker cookbooks on CD-ROM. That CD-ROM includes 9,000 recipes and it is professional in every way. Furthermore, with the software (MasterCook) you can add your own recipes and create your own cookbooks/collections. Most Bulgarian recipes you can find online and import them easily in MasterCook.