Surviving Homecoming

It seems fair to say that the 1990s civil war in the former Yugoslavia can feel much closer to the vest for St. Louisans than it might to the rest of the U.S. After all, we're home to the largest population of Bosnians anywhere in the world outside Bosnia itself; many of us (this writer included) have worked here in St. Louis right alongside Bosnian refugees from the terrible fighting and have heard their harrowing stories firsthand. Kenan Trebincevic was a child during the hostilities in the Balkans. He survived, escaped Bosnia, and later returned to it in order to reckon with his past on the soil that shaped it. Now he's written a book about this spectrum of suffering and loss -- and, ultimately, forgiveness and a hard-won healing. Trebincevic discusses The Bosnia List: A Memoir of War, Exile, and Return tonight at 7 p.m. at St. Louis County Library Headquarters (1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Frontenac; 314-994-3300 or www.slcl.org). Left Bank Books sponsors the free event and will sell copies of the book for signing.
Tue., Feb. 25, 2014