The Cellist of Sarajevo

By: Steven Galloway

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

Sarajevo, in the 1990s, is a hellish place. The ongoing war devours human life, tears families apart and transforms even banal routines, such as acquiring water, into life-threatening expeditions. Day after day, a cellist stations himself in the midst of the devastation, defying the ever-present snipers to play tributes to victims of a massacre. A true story of a cellist's resistance helps to form this pivotal event in Steven Galloway's extraordinary novel. Against this, the author touchingly describes three ordinary townspeople and their efforts to retain their humanity, sanity and autonomy as war takes hold of their lives. This bestselling novel is immediate, vivid and deeply affecting on audiobook, fully immersing the listener in the havoc of war.

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The civil war in Sarajevo told through the eyes of 3 characters.

This book poses questions which are dealt with differently by three characters and the cellist in the book. It's a heartfelt, and compassionate look at the moral dilemma of being at war with your own former neighbors, the personal struggle to keep on living under intolerable circumstances and what living under siege does to a person. The acceptance of cruelty and inhumanity, the fear, despair and small glimmers of hope mark each character in its own way.
I really liked this book because it made me think about this war and others, and how politics, greed and corrupt leadership can destroy the lives of a countries' citizens in a way they never asked for.

Excellent book

Having been to Sarajevo post-war, I appreciated the emotional descriptions of how everyday life must have been there

The Decisions of War

The individual stories of Sarajevo's citizens bring the reality of war to light....the understanding as to why some fight, some hide, and some are defiant. A simple act of cello playing for 22 days for each of the killed citizens...even as snipers threaten to kill him...brings each of the other individuals to decide how they will mindfullly...not mindlessly...respond to war.

A compelling read

This character driven story is not a fast story. Galloway has focused on using the characters and their day-to-day existence to explore the human impact of war, especially in a contemporary context. A compelling story that is tinged with sadness and an underlying resilience.

One wonders if humans will ever be civilized

I'm very pleased to have the experience of this book. The cello music adds much to this particular story. It gives room for thought when the voice of the cello is there instead of the words.

The book is well crafted to make one think. The performance is excellent.

Could I be the cellist? What kind of life is my life? How would I behave? What makes any of us worthy of life, love, food, water, music? With war everywhere in all times, one can almost feel the weight of evil pushing from all directions. This book takes ideas of life, hope, and fear and braids them into some understanding of what war really is.