Istorijski roman: Zbornik radova.

Mihailovich, Vasa D.

The forty-five articles in the ambitious compendium Istorijski roman (The Historical Novel) deal with history in the novel, a theme that has always fascinated Serbian novelists. One of the conclusions culled from the book is that the historical novel has been present in Serbian literature, in various forms, from its beginnings. It is therefore quite understandable that the scholars represented here discuss history as it is presented in fictional form even when there are no novels to speak of - as, for example, in epic poetry or in the old Serbian biographies. The turbulent history of the Serbs has predisposed them toward historical fiction. Indeed, some of their best novels are based on history.

Most of the articles deal with contemporary Serbian literature, examining either historical novels per se or fictional novels based on historical events and characters. About one fourth of the articles examine one or more novels by such prominent writers as Ivo Andric, Milos Crnjanski, Dobrica Cosic, Slobodan Selenic, and Milorad Pavic. Other contributions treat various phases of the development of the genre, tracing the history of the historical novel in the process. A good number of the essays examine the theoretical aspects of the genre. For those interested in the theory of literature, such essays are especially enlightening.

A few articles deserve brief comment. Dobrica Cosic's musings about historicity in the novel throw fascinating light on his own treatment of history in Vreme smrti (Eng. The Time of Death). Aleksandar Petrov, in his article "Istorijski roman kao roman-bajka: O Drugoj knjizi Seoba Milosa Crnjanskog" (one of the five articles devoted to Crnjanski), sees this novel as a fairy tale, using the ideas of Vladimir Propp and Roman Jakobson, thus throwing a refreshing new light on the work. David A. Norris, one of the two non-native contributors, examines history and discourse in the novels of Ivo Andric and Crnjanski. Three scholars - Enver Kazaz, Zdenka Perkovic, and Davor Milicevic - deal with the novels of Slobodan Selenic, especially with Timor mortis. Jasmina Mihajlovic's "Neki istorijski izvori o Hazarima i njihova transpozicija u Hazarski recnik Milorada Pavica" offers a pithy treatment of this important aspect of Pavic's complex novel Dictionary of the Khazars. All the remaining articles have their own merits as well.

Ironically, the basic theme of the collection has found its echo in the strange history of the book itself. Istorijski roman was originally planned as the published proceedings of an international conference on the historical novel held in Sarajevo in November 1990. The ensuing fateful events prevented the scheduled publication of the book in Sarajevo, but the manuscript was preserved and has now been issued in Belgrade. Sarajevo has been subjected to horrendously traumatic experiences, and its original Institute for Literature is no more; yet it lives on through Istorijski roman as a fitting reminder of the unpredictability of human affairs and of all history.

Vasa D. Mihailovich University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill