The author of this compilation, Miroslav Jovanovich sums it up in the following words: «During the past 15 years Serbian people have lived through a chain of dramatic political and military defeats and a heavy general social and economic collapse». This is precisely what the book is about. Foreign policy affairs, inner politics, economics and social sphere are the subject spectrum of the book. Jovanovich has chosen a number of Serbian authors who are the least opinionated and who were able to reflect in detail and with impartiality on the principal processes that had place in Serbia: starting with the situation in Kosovo and the relationship between the authorities and the opposition, and ending with the problem of hyperinflation and «brain-drain».

«Serbia about itself» collected articles is meant to introduce clarity to our understanding of the Serbian question avoiding the polarities of the righteous and the guilty or the division into black and white. However it was impossible to avoid a measure of journalistic bias. Thus the authors never tire to put blame for what happened on the Serbian leadership and personally Slobodan Milosevic. Jovanovich writes: «The use of radical political means unambiguously reveals feebleness, lack of talent and ideological commitment and impracticality of the Serbian elite»

The book is meant to dismantle the stereotypes of Serbs being the «butchers of the Balkans», «natives of the Middle Ages» and «bugaboos for all kind of political hawks all over the world». The authors are free of self-idealizing, which they are calling «self-megalomania and destructive self-delusion». Professor Jovanovich writes that Serbs will have to choose between the USA and the European Union, while the best slogan for short and mid-term perspective would be for Serbs «to live like normal people». Vladimir N. Tsvetkovich writes: «Serbian society is once again and for the umpteenth time finds itself standing on historic crossroads. This time there is practically no dilemma at all: we have to «open up», i.e. adapt ourselves to the global alignment of forces no matter how just or unjust it would appear to be now or ever with regard to our legitimate interests».

The collection is lacking name index with page navigation. The translation is not always precise; obviously the book was made in a hurry. Finally, we should mention the fact that it pays too little attention to the Serbian relations with Russia. It is not only a matter of common Slavic roots and the Orthodox Creed, it is crucial that under no circumstances should we repeat the Serbian mistakes. It would only be fair and appropriate to insert an article that is treating the «Russian question» from the Serbian point of view. Alas, it is only briefly that the authors touch upon the Russian factor in the Yugoslavian crisis: «… Russian «mediation»… added up to mere impotence and putrefaction».

"NG – Ex Libris"