The Cellist of Sarajevo

By: Steven Galloway

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Sarajevo, in the 1990s, is a hellish place. The ongoing war devours human life, tears families apart and transforms even banal routines, such as acquiring water, into life-threatening expeditions. Day after day, a cellist stations himself in the midst of the devastation, defying the ever-present snipers to play tributes to victims of a massacre. A true story of a cellist's resistance helps to form this pivotal event in Steven Galloway's extraordinary novel. Against this, the author touchingly describes three ordinary townspeople and their efforts to retain their humanity, sanity and autonomy as war takes hold of their lives. This bestselling novel is immediate, vivid and deeply affecting on audiobook, fully immersing the listener in the havoc of war.

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©2010 Naxos Audiobooks (P)2010 Naxos Audiobooks

Excellent book

Having been to Sarajevo post-war, I appreciated the emotional descriptions of how everyday life must have been there

The Decisions of War

The individual stories of Sarajevo's citizens bring the reality of war to light....the understanding as to why some fight, some hide, and some are defiant. A simple act of cello playing for 22 days for each of the killed citizens...even as snipers threaten to kill him...brings each of the other individuals to decide how they will mindfullly...not mindlessly...respond to war.

A compelling read

This character driven story is not a fast story. Galloway has focused on using the characters and their day-to-day existence to explore the human impact of war, especially in a contemporary context. A compelling story that is tinged with sadness and an underlying resilience.

A war story

Although a war story, this book is a story of people who find meaning in a war ravaged city. Quite a different take on war, filled with everyday people with hope.

Reality of the longest siege.

Difficult subject but so relevant to the situation in so many places today. Very well told and narrated- without the musical interludes I think the story might have been almost too difficult to bear. Excellent example of the audio book making the story more realistic.

The ending

I absolutely loved the ending of this audio book. Her last words with the music following after was perfect.

One wonders if humans will ever be civilized

I'm very pleased to have the experience of this book. The cello music adds much to this particular story. It gives room for thought when the voice of the cello is there instead of the words.

The book is well crafted to make one think. The performance is excellent.

Could I be the cellist? What kind of life is my life? How would I behave? What makes any of us worthy of life, love, food, water, music? With war everywhere in all times, one can almost feel the weight of evil pushing from all directions. This book takes ideas of life, hope, and fear and braids them into some understanding of what war really is.

The ending made the book worth reading.

I didn’t enjoy this book until towards the end when the resolution of characters was more satisfying. So much pontification of feelings that i felt were unduly extrapolated. But I’m glad I listened to the end.

moving and engaging

I didn't want to get out of my car I was so engrossed in this novel.

A moving tale of the horror of war and human dreams of and peace

This book is incredibly moving. Very sad. But uplifting at the same time. I am happy to have heard it on audible thee addition of the cello between chapters adds a note of sadness as well as beauty. The reader is excellent with exactly the right into nations. Such a testament against war.