The Bridge On the Drina (by Ivo Andric)
There are some authors whose outlook of life, view of the world, the perspective they bring to bear on things, lends power, freedom and lifts the reader from the shallow bonds and bounds of daily existence. Andric has such a perspective. Which comes across perhaps less in quotes but just the by the way, the things the author assumes, takes for granted, works as a base from. It cheers you up, however low you feel. Lifts you up to a better perspective, a better seeing where the self is almost forgotten and life as Life is any random life, could be anyone, could be anything, just happens to be people in the story. And even things which are sorrowful and sad, somehow come out with quiet life affirming power, people moving forward with whatever resources they have, making the best of their circumstances. Doesn't it bind us all together? The random varied instances of life that we all are, spread around in different circumstances, each on a personal journey, yet each, still a human being, stumbling, fumbling, imperfect being, trying to make the best of the set of cards one plays with.
Another way to perhaps express it is it rises above the sentiment, the shallows of emotion, the highs and lows of any life, and takes it as a for granted base (that life is like this, for all living beings, everyone just at a different point of roller coaster, so horizontal comparisons are sort of senseless), and builds a beautiful work of literature on that life as we all know it base.
The book is around the bridge on Drina, a river in Bosnia, the town of Visgerad. Centered around the bridge, spanning across 300 years, it tells the history of lives and people living around it. Through it, a sort of rough human history of last few hundred years, although local to Eastern European base. Espisodes and short narratives, sort of loosely connected short stories but such a beautiful look into history, culture and lives of people. And perhaps many books do that, but few authors can elevate life and the reader the way Andric does.
I read his Bosnian Chronicles a while ago. Do not think I have much notes but was fascinated by the slow moving narrative yet rich and picturesque, a different time and world and yet, lifelike setting. But in this book, perhaps as I get back to reading goals, and open up my reading list and borrowed shelf to wider range, one realises again and again why classics be classics.
Loved it for its slow richness, and its quiet power. Perhaps it won't be out of place to say, that the noisy world we live in, we all can do with more such head clearing perspective and lifting up.