Hearts Grown Brutal

Roger Cohen's 1998 book chronicles the Bosnian War and genocide through his firsthand reporting as a New York Times correspondent. The narrative centers on four families - Muslim-Serb, Muslim, and Serb-Croat - whose lives intersect during the conflict. The book traces Yugoslavia's history from the aftermath of World War I through its violent dissolution in the 1990s. Through personal stories and journalistic investigation, Cohen documents how neighbors and longtime friends became enemies, and how daily life transformed under the pressures of war. Cohen examines the roles of key political figures like Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadžić, as well as the international community's response to the crisis. The narrative pays particular attention to the United States and United Nations' actions and policies during this period. The work stands as both historical record and meditation on how ethnic nationalism can destroy the bonds between communities. By focusing on individual families rather than just political events, the book reveals the human cost of civil war and the breakdown of multicultural society.

Readers found Cohen's firsthand reporting and personal stories helped illuminate the complex human dimensions of the Balkan conflicts. Many appreciated how he wove together historical context with individual narratives of both victims and perpetrators. Readers liked: - Clear explanations of the ethnic and political forces at work - Detailed accounts of specific towns and families - Balance between academic analysis and emotional impact Readers disliked: - Dense writing style that some found difficult to follow - Complex web of names and places that could be overwhelming - Length and level of graphic detail Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (72 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (31 reviews) Notable reader comments: "Helps make sense of a seemingly senseless conflict" - Goodreads reviewer "Sometimes gets bogged down in minutiae" - Amazon reviewer "The personal stories stick with you long after finishing" - LibraryThing review

Safe Area Goražde by Joe Sacco A graphic novel account follows one Bosnian town through the war, blending journalism with visual storytelling to document the siege and survival of its residents.

The Fall of Yugoslavia by Misha Glenny BBC correspondent Glenny traces Yugoslavia's collapse through firsthand reporting and interviews with participants at all levels of the conflict.

Love Thy Neighbor: A Story of War by Peter Maass Washington Post reporter Maass chronicles his time covering the Bosnian War, focusing on the transformation of communities from peace to ethnic cleansing.

Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation by Laura Silber BBC journalists provide a comprehensive history of Yugoslavia's dissolution through interviews with key political figures and citizens caught in the conflict.

Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West West's classic 1941 account of Yugoslavia combines travel writing with history to explain the ethnic and cultural complexities that later erupted in war.

🔸 As The New York Times' Balkans bureau chief during the conflict, Roger Cohen witnessed firsthand many of the events he chronicles, including the siege of Sarajevo. 🔸 The book's title "Hearts Grown Brutal" comes from a line in W.H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939," reflecting on how war transforms ordinary people. 🔸 The Bosnian War (1992-1995) resulted in approximately 100,000 deaths and created over 2.2 million refugees, making it Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. 🔸 One of the families featured in the book includes a Muslim woman and Orthodox Serb man whose mixed marriage represented the multi-ethnic fabric of pre-war Yugoslavia. 🔸 The book covers the infamous Srebrenica massacre of 1995, where over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in what was later ruled a genocide by international courts.