The Cellist of Sarajevo (Reprint) (Paperback) by Steven Galloway

About the Book

I cannot imagine a lovelier, more beautifully wrought book about the depravity of war as "The Cellist of Sarajevo." Each chapter is a brief glimpse at yet another aspect of the mind, the heart, [and] the soul--ZZ Packer, author of "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere."

Book Synopsis

A spare and haunting, wise and beautiful novel about war and the endurance of the human spirit and the subtle ways individuals reclaim their humanity.

In a city under siege, four people whose lives have been upended are ultimately reminded of what it is to be human. From his window, a musician sees twenty-two of his friends and neighbors waiting in a breadline. Then, in a flash, they are killed by a mortar attack. In an act of defiance, the man picks up his cello and decides to play at the site of the shelling for twenty-two days, honoring their memory. Elsewhere, a young man leaves home to collect drinking water for his family and, in the face of danger, must weigh the value of generosity against selfish survivalism. A third man, older, sets off in search of bread and distraction and instead runs into a long-ago friend who reminds him of the city he thought he had lost, and the man he once was. As both men are drawn into the orbit of cello music, a fourth character--a young woman, a sniper--holds the fate of the cellist in her hands. As she protects him with her life, her own army prepares to challenge the kind of person she has become.

A novel of great intensity and power, and inspired by a true story, The Cellist of Sarajevo poignantly explores how war can change one's definition of humanity, the effect of music on our emotional endurance, and how a romance with the rituals of daily life can itself be a form of resistance.

Review Quotes

"An exquisite novel of war and loss...The book feels vividly created...an elegant and ever fragile work of art."
--"O, The Oprah Magazine"

"Compelling."
--"Entertainment Weekly"

"Elegant."
--"Los Angeles Times"

"Indelible imagery and heartbreaking characters."
--"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)

"Tense and haunting."
--"Publishers Weekly"

"Though the setting is the siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s, this gripping novel transcends time and place. It is a universal story, and a testimony to the struggle to find meaning, grace, and humanity, even amid the most unimaginable horrors." --Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner "and "A Thousand Splendid Suns"



"I cannot imagine a lovelier, more beautifully wrought book about the depravity of war as "The Cellist of Sarajevo". Each chapter is a brief glimpse at yet another aspect of the mind, the heart, the soul--altogether Galloway gives us fine, deep notes of human music which will remain long after the final page." --ZZ Packer, author of "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere"



"A grand and powerful novel about how people retain or reclaim their humanity when they are under extreme duress." --Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi



"A gripping story of Sarajevo under siege." --J. M. Coetzee, author of "Disgrace " and "Diary of a Bad Year"



"Steven Galloway's "The Cellist of Sarajevo " is a wonderful story, a tribute to the human spirit in the face of insanity." --Kevin Baker, author of "Dreamland " and "Paradise Alley"



?This gripping novel transcends time and place...a universal story.?
?Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner"

?An exquisite novel of war and loss...The book feels vividly created...an elegant and ever fragile work of art.?
?"O, The Oprah Magazine"

?Grand and powerful.?
?Yann Martel, author of "Life of Pi"

?A gripping story.?
?J.M. Coetzee, Nobel prize-winning author of "Disgrace"

?Compelling.?
?"Entertainment Weekly"

?Elegant.?
?"Los Angeles Times"

?Indelible imagery and heartbreaking characters.?
?"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)

?Tense and haunting.?
?"Publishers Weekly"

aThis gripping novel transcends time and place...a universal story.a
aKhaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner"
aAn exquisite novel of war and loss...The book feels vividly created...an elegant and ever fragile work of art.a
a"O, The Oprah Magazine"
aGrand and powerful.a
aYann Martel, author of "Life of Pi"
aA gripping story.a
aJ.M. Coetzee, Nobel prize-winning author of "Disgrace"
aCompelling.a
a"Entertainment Weekly"
aElegant.a
a"Los Angeles Times"
aIndelible imagery and heartbreaking characters.a
a"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
aTense and haunting.a
a"Publishers Weekly"

aI cannot imagine a lovelier, more beautifully wrought book about the depravity of war as "The Cellist of Sarajevo," Each chapter is a brief glimpse at yet another aspect of the mind, the heart, the soulaaltogether Galloway gives us fine, deep notes of human music which will remain long after the final page.a
-ZZ Packer, author of "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere"
aA grand and powerful novel about how people retain or reclaim their humanity when they are under extreme duress.a
-Yann Martel, author of "Life of Pi"
aSteven Gallowayas "The Cellist of Sarajevo" is a wonderful story, a tribute to the human spirit in the face of insanity.a
-Kevin Baker, author of "Dreamland" and "Paradise Alley"
aA gripping story of Sarajevo under siege.a
-J. M. Coetzee, author of "Disgrace" and "Diary of a Bad Year"

About The Author

Steven Galloway lives in British Columbia and teaches creative writing at the University of British Coumbia.