December book selection: The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić

Places carry the stories of those who have lived there throughout the centuries...
In our December gathering, we will fly to Višegrad, a small town in Bosnia, shaped by centuries of history, conflict, and cultural change. At the heart of the story stands a magnificent stone bridge, silent witness to the lives, loves, hopes, and tragedies of generations.
Epic in scope yet deeply intimate, The Bridge on the Drina explores how history is experienced not only by rulers and armies, but by ordinary people whose lives unfold around forces far beyond their control.

About the Book
The Bridge on the Drina follows the history of its famous bridge across roughly four centuries, from the Ottoman period through the upheavals of the early twentieth century.
Built in the sixteenth century under the patronage of Mehmed Pasha Sokolović, the bridge becomes much more than a means of crossing the river. It is the center of community life: a place where people meet, celebrate, trade stories, fall in love, argue, suffer, and watch history unfold.
Rather than following a single protagonist, Andrić brings together a succession of memorable characters whose lives are connected by the bridge. Through their stories, we encounter the changing political and cultural landscape of Bosnia, including Ottoman rule, the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, religious and ethnic tensions, and the growing instability that culminates in the First World War.
The bridge itself becomes a powerful symbol of continuity and connection, but also of division and conflict. Through its enduring presence, Andrić asks how individuals and communities survive the passage of time—and what is lost when history transforms the world they once knew.

About the Author
Ivo Andrić (1892–1975) was a Yugoslav novelist, poet, and diplomat, born in Bosnia and raised in the multicultural environment of the region.
His writing was deeply shaped by the complex history of the Balkans, particularly the centuries in which different religious, cultural, and political communities lived alongside one another.
His work often explores the relationship between individual lives and the larger forces of history.
The Bridge on the Drina, published in 1945, is considered his masterpiece and one of the major works of twentieth-century Balkan literature. Its sweeping historical perspective is balanced by a profound interest in ordinary human experience, allowing small moments of tenderness, cruelty, humor, and tragedy to illuminate much larger questions.
In 1961, Andrić was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
His work was recognized for its ability to portray the history and culture of his homeland through stories of remarkable depth and humanity.

About the event: Commitment fee
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About the Location
We will meet in Merienda Haus, a wonderful cosy coffee shop offering Argentinean and Uruguayan specialities. I invite you to order something and enjoy their drinks and food menu :=)