Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lanham, Md., Scarecrow, 1997. lvi 355p. (European Historical Dictionaries, no.25). $45.00. ISBN 0-8108-3344-1

     This historical dictionary is a welcome reference source among the numerous new works about the region’s history and political situation. Cuvalo’s work conforms to the standard arrangement of titles in the series–a lengthy introduction, a detailed chronology, and an extensive bibliography in addition to the encyclopedic entries themselves. The bulk of the text is concerned with persons, events, and places in Bosnia. The entries cover more than 200 pages and provide an excellent background (especially for recent history), and include entries for Westerners who have made an impact on Bosnian history (e.g., Cyrus Vance, General MacKenzie). Entries for broad terms (economy, literature, political parties) are as much as seven pages in length. The bibliography, almost 100 pages long, is a well-organized collection of articles and monographs published in the last few decades; it is especially worthwhile for undergraduates who will rely on these primarily English-language sources. There is no comparable reference source. Highly recommended for all libraries. I. Tomlianovich, Dickinson College CHOICE, March 1998 Vol.35 No. 7

     Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ante Cuvalo. Scarecrow Press. Lanham, MD and London 1997.lv + 353 pp. ISBN 0 81083 344 1 342 1. 42.75.European Historical Dictionaries series, no. 25. UK distribution by Shelwing Ltd, Folkestone. Keywords Bosnia and Herzegovina, History/ LCSH Bosnia and Herzegovina – history – dictionaries

      Who was it who said a country with no history is a happy country, or words to that effect? Whoever it was, he certainly knew what he was talking about. Bosnia-Herzegovina has suffered too much history, and who can be sure it is not about to suffer a lot more? But, apart from the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand in Sarajevo at the end of June 1914, the spark which ignited the First World War, but which in fact could have happened anywhere in Europe although the odds were that it would take place somewhere in the Balkans, not much of Bosnian history has directly impinged on Western Europe until December 1995, when NATO forces moved into Bosnia to enforce the Dayton peace accord. It could be said that Bosnia was less known and even further away than Czechoslovakia was at the time of the Munich crisis 50 years earlier.

     General histories of Bosnia in English are in short supply Even Noel Malcom’s (1994) authoritative work Bosnia: A Short History, a narrative history in 16 chronological and thematic chapters, now needs updating in the light of events in the last five years. So, Cuvalo’s Historical Dictionary, which brings the story down to February 1997, undoubtedly fills a gap.

     Like other titles in Scarecrow’s admirable European Historical Dictionaries series, it presents informative entries, of varying and appropriate length, on crucial events, on the influential leaders who initiate and/or profit from these events, on political institutions, and on significant locations like Mostar or Sarajevo. Inevitably, the emphasis is on the current situation and the recent past, but that is not to say earlier historical periods are neglected, there being sufficient entries to put the present into its equally eventful historical context. Economic, social, cultural, and religious affairs are also covered. As the series editor, Jon Woronoff, points out in his foreword, these only make sense when read in conjunction with other entries delving into earlier periods. Attitudes everywhere have deep roots and nowhere deeper than in the Balkans. It is here, of course, that the dictionary arrangement is in danger of collapsing but Cuvalo liberally sprinkles his pages with (qv)s to avert possible confusion. In any event he includes a 50-page Introduction dealing with Bosnia-Herzegovina’s territory, population and name, its physical features and climate, and a long historical survey from prehistory, through the medieval period and the Ottoman conquest, the Austro-Hungarian period 1878-1918, to the creation of the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes at the Versailles Peace Conference (surprisingly, there is no entry for Versailles), World War II, and the turbulent history of post-war Yugoslavia. A 45-page chronology, 38 pages of which are devoted to events since 1990, help to keep track of who’s who and when through all this.

     A massive bibliography (pp. 255-353), of items in Western and Balkan languages, is arranged in 19 sub-divided form and thematic categories, including encyclopedias and handbooks, bibliographies, travel and description, regional histories, and histories of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

     Following previous comments in these columns on the standard of Scarecrow’s maps, it is pleasing to report that the four included here, Medieval Bosnia, After The Congress of Berlin 1878, After 1945, and After The Dayton Peace Accord November 1995, all have the appearance of having been specially drawn for this Dictionary, and not simply a job lot of illegible, scaled-down maps lifted from other books and atlases.

     In better, that is more substantially funded, times no doubt these historical dictionaries would be on standing order for all decent reference collections; but times being what they are… Alan Day Editor-Compiler, Walford’s Guide RR/98/51Area studies/Reference Reviews 12/1 [1998] 42-43.

     ANTE CUVALO, Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lanham, Md., Scarecrow, 1997. lvi 355p. (European Historical Dictionaries, no.25). $45.00. ISBN 0-8108-3344-1

     Although this useful handbook is designated as an historical dictionary, it is actually much more. About one-half of the pages in this volume are devoted to entries for historical terms, persons, and events that are centrally relevant to the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The other half of the book contains materials that will be of great use to anyone studying these countries [sic]. After a brief introduction, the author provides a 50-page chronology of major events in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina and maps relevant to this chronology. Prior to the entries of historical terms, an overview of the geography, religious orientation, and history of this region is given. Following the entries for the historical terms, Cuvalo has compiled a multilingual bibliography of Bosnia and Herzegovina that also includes regional histories and other works relevant to that history.

     This work delivers much more than the title indicates. It will be of use for anyone doing research on Bosnia and Herzegovina during any time period. ROBERT H. BURGER American Reference Books Annual (ARBA), Vol. 30, 1999/Area Studies / Europe/

     CUVALO’S BOOK RECOGNIZED Ante Cuvalo’s book, Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was selected by CHOICE magazine as an Outstanding Academic Book(OAB) of 1998. CHOICE – Current Review for Academic Libraries, a monthly published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, is the leading book review periodical used by academic librarians and the scholarly community at large. The first OAB list selected by CHOICE was published in 1965.

     The 1998 Outstanding Academic Books list was published in the January 1999 issue of CHOICE (Vol. 36, No.5). Its
editorial, among others, states: “The 1998 list of Outstanding Academic Books follows in the same honorable tradition. The 623 titles on the list were carefully selected by the CHOICE editorial staff as among the most outstanding of the 6,500-plus new titles (excluding Web resources) reviewed during the previous year. Representing roughly 9 percent of the titles reviewed by CHOICE in 1998, and less than 3 percent of the titles submitted for review, this year’s OAB finalists are truly the ‘best of the best.’ CHOICE salutes the authors and publishers of these outstanding works and congratulates them on their achievement.”

     Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina ($ 45.00 ) can be order from the author. Tel/Fax (708) 895-5531 or e-mail: cuv@netzero.com