Julian Alps & Lake Bled

A portrait of a country and a people in turmoil, of how Communism both creates and devours its sons." Kis is one of the major writers of the second half of the century. . . . Kis preserves the honor of literature."

A generous anthology of poetry, expository prose, and fiction that reflects Slovenias embrace of socialism (following the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), experience of WWII, declaration of independence from Yugoslavia (in 1991), and ongoing state of internecine conflict and struggle for individual liberty.

Who really was Lea Kralj? What was the truth about the beautiful, mysterious, passionate diva who was admired and feted throughout her career and who thrilled opera house audiences in cities across Europe? What was her relationship with her mother? And what really happened behind the curtains of her fourth-floor flat by the river, at the height of her fame, during her last summer in Ljubljana? The only person who may be able to shed further light on the enigma of Lea Kralj is the narrator of this novel, a young Frenchman who first met her, in curious circumstances, in Madrid, and pursued her obsessively to Paris, Milan and eventually to Slovenia. Their relationship, neither sexual nor sycophantic, but one of mutual dependency, remains inexplicable to him. All he knows is that he will forever be dazzled by his memories of Lea Kralj's voice, her radiating presence and her beauty, and by certain aspects of her life, as tragic and doomed as any of the stage heroines whose roles she sang.

This volume of essays explores the historical, cultural, political, and economic origins of the drive for Slovenia's independence; the intellectuals, pacifists, punk rockers, feminists, and trade unionists who created the social movements of the Slovene Spring; and the prospects for this new nation in central Europe.

The range and quality of outdoor activities in Slovenia make it something of a recreation magnet. This comprehensive guide includes 54 maps and covers all the fun along with historical, cultural, and practical information. Learn how Lake Bled escapted being drained and having its clay made into bricks, hit the piste with the people who invented skiing 400 years ago, frock up in sheepskins, horns and feathers - and get away with it - at Kurentovanje, discover why the dragons on Zmajski most wag their tails when some people pass.

In 1991, for the first time in the history of Slovene people, an Independent Slovenian state came into being. Yet, the history and culture of the Slovenes began long before there was a Slovenian state and to this day continues to embrae significant populations outside the borders of that state when it was formed. Jointly written by two scholars whose studies over a number of years have embraced aspects of Slovenian history, politics, society and culture.

In 1945 Slovenia, 6,000 civilians and 12,000 members of the anti-Communist Home Guard, the "domobranci", fearing punishment for their wartime resistance to their Partisan enemies, fled to southern Austria. But there, the British 8th Army loaded them into trucks, purportedly to take them to Italy, only to deliver them straight back to Tito's Partisans. The Partisans tortured and then executed them. The remaining civilians were spared due to the brave revolt of the British Red Cross and Quaker aid workers. John Corsellis witnessed and took part in these protests and in this book reconstructs the survivors' stories. These are vivid tales of wartime cruelty, of the revival of battered communities in refugee camps, and of emigration to Argentina, the U.S., Canada and Britain. In this unique volume, the authors call on more than half a century of research and an unsurpassed knowledge of the Slovene migrant communities around the world to tell their stories.

There are few books in English on Slovenia and Cox does a very good job revealing the treasures of Slovenia and its civilization and culture. Over the past century Slovenia has rapidly developed from being a collection of provinces in the southern part of the Habsburg Empire, to a republic within Yugoslavia, to establishing itself as an independent state and becoming a member of the European Union. The book provides a concise introduction to contemporary Slovenia, offering an overview of Slovenia's historical background and intellectual history, and detailed analyses the major political, economic and cultural developments since 1991.

Bogomil Ferfila traces the course of the political economy of Slovenia from its position as a constituent republic of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia through independence to its present status as an independent nation emphasizing Slovenia's transition from a socialist self-managed economy to a social market economy, its approach to Europe, and consequent transformation of its economic institutions.