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Café Europa: Life After Communism

Original edition:

Abacus, London, 1996

In this brilliant work of political reportage, filtered through Slavenka’s own experience, we see that Europe remains a divided continent. The Berlin Wall is gone, but there is still a chasm between East and West, consisting of the different way people continue to live and understand the world. Little bits—or intimations—of the West are gradually making their way east: boutiques carrying Levis and tiny food shops called “Supermarket” are multiplying on main boulevards. Even though Drakulić can find a Cafe Europa, complete with Viennese-style coffee and Western decor, in just about every Eastern European city, the acceptance of the East by the rest of Europe continues to prove much more elusive.

Insightful…The book not only helps to illuminate the political and social problems facing much of Eastern Europe, but also sheds new light on the daily life of its residents, their emotional habits, fears and dreams.
The New York Times
Drakulić is a perceptive and amusing social critic, with a wonderful eye for detail.
The Washington Post
Profound and often bitingly funny…you’ll never think about capitalism, modern history, or your perfect , white American teeth in the same way again.
Elle

Editions

2021

U KAVANI EUROPA: ŽIVOT POSLIJE SOCIJALIZMA

Fraktura, Zagreb

2021
2020

КАФЕ ЄВРОПА

Yakaboo Publishing, Kiev

2020
2014

KAFE EUROPA

Gormanpublishing

2014
2006

CAFE EUROPA: LIFE AFTER COMMUNISM

Business Weekly Publications, a Division of Cite Publishing Ltd., Taiwan

2006
1999

CAFE EUROPA

Penguin Books, New York

1999
1997

CAFE EUROPA

Norstedts Pan, Stockholm

1997
1998

CAFE EUROPA

M. Nagaba, Japan

1998
1997

CAFE EUROPA

Akti-Oxy, Athens

1997
1997

CAFFE EUROPA

il Saggiatore, Milano

1997
1997

CAFE PARADIES

Aufbau Tascenbuch, Berlin

1997
1997

CAFE EUROPA

de Prom, Baarn

1997
1997

CAFE EUROPA

W.W. Norton, New York

1997
1996

CAFE EUROPA

Norstedts, Stockholm

1996

Essays & Reviews About Book

CAFÉ EUROPA

Abacus, London, 1996
  • Walkowitz, Rebecca. (2006) Immigrant Fictions: Contemporary Literature in the Age of Globalization. Contemporary literature, 47, No. 4. The University of Winsconsin Press.
  • Simmons, Cynthia (1998). Review: Cafe Europa: Life After Communism. THE SLAVIC AND EAST EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Summer, 1998), pp. 343-345
  • Ashley, Julie (1997). The insidious ways ideology and economics affect our lives. Review, THE PRAGUE POST, July 2-8
  • Persky, Stan (1997). Homely details turn into a big picture of Eastern Europe. Review, THE VANCOUVER SUN, January 10, p. A21
  • (1996). Read of the week: Cafe Europa, Slavenka Drakulic. Review, EAST, December 20, p. 23
  • (1996). Cafe Europa by Slavenka Drakulic. Review, THE OBSERVER, December 1, p. 18
  • Hall, Liz (1996). Family troubles and ties picked apart. Review, WESTERN MORNING NEWS, November 8
  • Altham, Joseph (1996). No paradise yet. Review, LITERARY REVIEW, October
  • Seaton, Matt (1996). Did the European vision die in the Balkan killing fields?. Article, THE EUROPEAN, September 19
  • O'Callaghan Gertie (1995). Currently reading: Slavenka Drakulic. Interview, THE GUARDIAN, September 15

CAFÉ EUROPA

Norstedts, Stockholm, 1996
  • Hammar, Inger (1997). Café Europa. Review, GOTLANDS ALLEHANDA, February 10
  • Korsström, Tuva (1996). Livet i halvkommunismen. Review, HUFVUDSTADSBLADET, December 22, p. 8
  • Jansson, Ake (1996). Café Europa. Review, SÄFFLE-TIDNINGEN, October 31
  • Björklund, David (1996). Längtan efter Europa. Review, SKÖVDE NYHETER, November 6
  • Falkenhaug, Ingvild (1996). Europeiska bilder från lägtans café. Review, VÄSTERVIKS-TIDNINGEN, October 28
  • Palm, Mimmi (1996). Vardagsliv i Östeuropa. Review, FINANSTIDNINGEN, October 29
  • Mallik, Ira (1996). Drömmen om ett nytt Europa. Review, SKANSKA DAGBLADET, October 27
  • Ostwald, Kerstin (1996). En uppgörelse med den fascistika nationalismen. Review, GOTLANDS TIDNINGAR, October 24
  • Uttervall, Mats (1996). Tryfflarna på Trastfältet. Article, DAGENS POLITIK, October 18
  • Salö, Örjan (1996). Identitet och längtan. Review, ÖRNSKÖLDSVIKS ALLEHANDA, October 14
  • Ekelin, Annelie (1996). Säker skildrare av öst. Article, BLEKINGE LÄNS TIDNING; KARLSHAMNS ALLEHANDA; SÖLVESBORGS-TIDNINGEN, October 11
  • Persson, Maria (1996). Motsägelsefull Drakulic. Review, NORRA SKANE, October 10
  • Polvall, Tomas (1996). Livet fortsätter som vanligt. Review, KRISTIANSTADSBLADET; HALLANDSPOSTEN, October 3
  • Liden, Sture (1996). Längtan efter ett annat Europa. Review, AVESTA TIDNING-AVESTA POSTEN; SALA ALLEHANDA; FAGERSTA-POSTEN, October
  • Rundgren, Lars (1996). Så kan historiens lönger skapas. Review, FOLKBLADET NORRKÖPING; ÖSTGÖTEN, October 2
  • Wistrand, Sven (1996). Om Europa i brytningstid. Review, HALLANDS NYHETER, October 2
  • Edwardson, Ake (1996). Angelägen läsning. Review, JOURNALISTEN
  • Bondestam, Tinna (1996). De vanliga människorna. Review, NYA WERMLANDS-TIDNINGEN, September 30
  • Abrahamsson, Örjan (1996). Slavenka Drakulic x 2. Interview, GÖTEBORG TIDNING; ARBETARBLADET; NYA WERMLANDS-TIDNINGEN; METRO; VÄSTERBOTTENS-KURIREN, September
  • Milles, Ulrika (1996). På maktens balkong. Review, GÖTEBORGS-POSTEN, September 30
  • Österman, Owe (1996). Drakulićs Europa. Review, UPSALA NYA TIDNING, September 30
  • Hedmark, Maria (1996). Östereuropéerna - barn av sin tid. Review, NORRA VÄSTERBOTTEN, September 30
  • Sommelius, Sören (1996). Satir och beska sanningar. Review, HELSINGBORGS DAGBLAD, September 30
  • Bergström-Edwards, Pia (1996). Det privata är politiskt. Review, AFTONBLADET, September 30
  • Gellerfelt, Mats (1996). Det lilla livet nyckeln till den politiska gåtan. Review, SVENSKA DAGBLADET, September 30
  • Lundin, Immi (1996). De färska spåren sopas igen. Review, SYDSVENSKA DAGBLADET, September 30 Matković, Ivan (1996). From the Second World War to this war: Croatian literary life between ideology and nationalism. TriQuarterly, September 22nd, 130-141.
  • Hansen, Stig (1996). Slavenka Drakulic får oss att se. Review, SUNDSVALLS TIDNING, September 30
  • Thor, Clas (1996). I de små detaljerna speglas det stora Europa. Review, NERIKES ALLEHANDA- NERIKES TIDNINGEN, September 30
  • Karlsson, Jan (1996). Europa - en hägring. Article, ÖSTGÖTA CORRESPONDENTEN; BOHUSLÄNINGEN MED DALS DAGBLAD, September 30
  • Hessler, Ole (1996). Tonårslandet. Review, DAGENS NYHETER, September 30
  • Nydahl, Thomas (1996). Dagens katastrofer fortsätter att engagera. Review, KVÄLLSPOSTEN, September 29
  • Wictorsson, Brigitta (1996). Förklarar med vardagsbilder. Review, ÖSTERSUNDS-POSTEN, September 27

CAFÉ EUROPA, W. W. Norton, New York, 1997

  • Millington, Sheree (2019). What ro read where: the best books by destination. Article, LONELY PLANET. June 26. Available at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/what-to-read- where?fbclid=IwAR1vJ1XUNVyvemffTJzm3hq1whopnzrSes-XBbUuYSlcyhMqBumZ55_ZUaE
  • McNamee, Dardis (2010). Witness for the west. Article, THE VIENNA REVIEW, November, p. 9
  • Veale, Scott (1999). Café Europa. Review, THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 11, p. 40
  • Ifkovic, Ed (1997). Drakulic, Slavenka: Café Europa. Review, MULTICULTURAL REVIEW, September, p. 78
  • Shane, Scott (1997). After communism: how sweet to forget. Review, THE BALTIMORE SUN, September 2
  • Dobbs, Michael (1997). Profits and loss. Review, THE WASHINGTON POST, March 24
  • Anderson, Alison (1997). The free world can be a daunting place. Review, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, March 16
  • Gould, Jennifer (1997). Café Culture. Review, VILLAGE VOICE, March 11, p. 55
  • Baudoin, Patsy (1997). Chez Slavenka: sweet and sour dispatches. Review, THE BOSTON BOOK REVIEW, March, p. 31
  • Fisher, Barbara (1997). Café Europa. Review, THE BOSTON SUNDAY GLOBE, March 2
  • Kukutani, Michiko (1997). Soul of Croatia is bared in its teeth. Review, NEW YORK TIMES, February 21
  • Schneider, Bethany (1997). After the fall: reinventing Europa. Review, ELLE, February, p. 66
  • Merrill, Christopher (1997). Breaking away. Review, LOS ANGELES TIMES, February 16, p. 11
  • Zacharek, Stephanie (1997). Café Europa: Life after communism. Review, SALON MAGAZINE, February 13
  • (1996). Café Europa. Review, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, December 16, p. 51-2
  • (1996). Drakulic, Slavenka: Café Europa. Review, KIRKUS REVIEWS, December 15

CAFÉ PARADIES

Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin, 1997

CAFÉ EUROPA

M. Nagaba, Japan, 1998
  • (1998). Review, TOSHO SHIMBUN, November 28
  • (1998). Review, TOKYO SIMBUN, September 27
  • (1998). Review, DOKUSHO-JIN, October 16
  • (1998). Review, SEIKYO SHIMBUN Vol. 11

CAFÉ EUROPA

Penguin books, New York, 1999
  • (2016). Best books about Croatia: your 10 thrilling holiday reads. Blog ZAGREB HONESTLY, May 5. Available aat: https://travelhonestly.com/best-books-about-croatia/
  • (1999). New and nothworthy paperbacks. Review, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, April 11, p. 40