A story that has given back far more than it took to write.

Here's the inscription I received from Andjelija & her grandfather, Matija Bećković.

Here's one of my hosts in Belgrade... Seppel.

That's pronounced as if he were a German airship.

[Scatha agreed to allow another kitty on her blog...]

And here's this fellow-

unsavory as he may appear,

he's been an excellent ambassador in the preparations for bridge-building,

and been praised and appreciated everywhere he's been so far in Serbia.

Attached to this photograph is the following, which has appeared in the International School of Belgrade's newsletter to faculty and parents:

Kirk Barrett, an author and university student spoke to our grade 11 class this past Wednesday during ISB time.  He is traveling this summer in the former Yugoslav Republics on a research grant from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  He has published articles and short fiction concerning the Siege and the Yugoslav Wars.  His current research involves critical theory and the effects the wars had on art, literature, and individuals.  He clarified that he is not interested in the political/military history and blame for events but rather his focus is the place literature has in telling the stories of history so that the military/political version is not the only one to be remembered.

His grant came as the result, in part, of a story that he published and received a number of awards for.  If you are interested in reading “Sarajevo Roses” (which Kirk read to our students) or learning more about him and his work, please visit his blog at:

http://kirkesque.blogspot.com/p/sarajevo-roses.html

Or, visit the high school library and check out the copy of Press 53 Open Awards Anthology 2009, which Kirk has generously donated.

Also, please note that as a scholar and generally a curious soul, Kirk would love to hear from anyone in our community that too has a story to tell about the history of this region.

Please feel free to contact him at:

kirkesque@gmail.com

With many thanks to Kirk, for sharing his story with my students and showing them that literature is found off the page…

we look and listen first, only then can we tell. 

Ms. Slough

~*~