I finished the book and wanted to like it more than I did. I found it annoying in a way.

The author, an "exile" from the former Yugoslavia had much to criticize about the West. The essays in the book were primarily about writers and writing. I found the author's writing strongly negative and wondered what she found good about the West (both Western Europe and the United States). Some themes she covered were commercialism, the cheapening of respect for highly intelligent, literary writers, and the feelings of being an exile. I guess I disliked her expression of literary snobbery.

What I did like, though, was the opportunity to read a book by a Croatian author. The author was from a part of the former Yugoslavia in which my mother grew up. I guess I was looking for more writing about her native country.

After reading the essays, I found it hard to remember what she expressed even though I copied down some quotes. Nothing really stood out for me except the author's amazement that in the West anyone can be a writer. ( )