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kristy_k's review
4.0
3.5 Stars
This was such an interesting story about a slice of recent history I feel few know about. Szablowski tells stories related to the dancing bears in the first part and former citizen’s opinions of the fall of the USSR in the second.
Dancing bears were a part of Bulgarian gypsy customs for a while, when the Soviet Union collapsed this cultural performance was no longer acceptable.
Their handlers would de-teeth these bears, get them addicted to alcohol, and many times abuse them. Sadly, this wasn’t even illegal. One man (or really a few) had bears as pets and attempted (and believed) they could domesticate them. Later, all of the bears get rounded up and sent to nature reserve to reacclimate them to the wild.
The second part of this novel takes a look st people who were previously under Soviet Russia rule. Some felt (and did) fair better under the USSR than in their new capitalist or democratic environments. Others were proud and glad for their new independent nations. It was interesting to hear both sides.
While I absolutely loved part one, part two wasn’t as engrossing to me, although it was still interesting to read about.
This was such an interesting story about a slice of recent history I feel few know about. Szablowski tells stories related to the dancing bears in the first part and former citizen’s opinions of the fall of the USSR in the second.
Dancing bears were a part of Bulgarian gypsy customs for a while, when the Soviet Union collapsed this cultural performance was no longer acceptable.
Their handlers would de-teeth these bears, get them addicted to alcohol, and many times abuse them. Sadly, this wasn’t even illegal. One man (or really a few) had bears as pets and attempted (and believed) they could domesticate them. Later, all of the bears get rounded up and sent to nature reserve to reacclimate them to the wild.
The second part of this novel takes a look st people who were previously under Soviet Russia rule. Some felt (and did) fair better under the USSR than in their new capitalist or democratic environments. Others were proud and glad for their new independent nations. It was interesting to hear both sides.
While I absolutely loved part one, part two wasn’t as engrossing to me, although it was still interesting to read about.
broccsi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.5
Mal abgesehen davon, dass der Autor Kommunismus und Sozialismus synonym zueinander benutzt und denkt, dass es "kommunistische Staaten" gibt- worum ging's überhaupt? Viel geschrieben, aber nichts gesagt
cgreenstein's review against another edition
informative
sad
slow-paced
The first half is pretty full of discriminatory stereotypes and carelessly pejorative language about Roma, and while if that happened only in direct quotes from interviewees, then it would be a potentially worthwhile presentation of real-world sentiment, it unfortunately is also present in the author's own descriptions and commentary, which in turn serves as an uncontextualized and uncontested endorsement/validation of this anti-Roma racism.
The second half, however, was mostly interviews with people in a whole host of largely post-communist countries, and it was fascinating. I'm considering assigning short excerpts in classes to help students understand some of the aspects of post-communist life and nostalgia that they have no knowledge of or framework for understanding. The interview chapters in the second half of the book happen country by country, and they're quite short, so I think that could work.
The second half, however, was mostly interviews with people in a whole host of largely post-communist countries, and it was fascinating. I'm considering assigning short excerpts in classes to help students understand some of the aspects of post-communist life and nostalgia that they have no knowledge of or framework for understanding. The interview chapters in the second half of the book happen country by country, and they're quite short, so I think that could work.
Content Warnings
Lots of anti-Roma racism
itsgg's review
3.0
This book was a lot more about bear rescue than it was about life after communism. It’s a great mission, but I have a hard time hearing about animals being treated inhumanely, and a lot of it was upsetting to read — especially when it comes to the bears’ lingering psychological damage.
lauren_endnotes's review
4.0
In Dancing Bears, Szabłowski investigates the Romani dancing bears - kept and trained for centuries to perform and serve as the livelihood for the traveling peoples. When Bulgaria joined the European Union this practice of bear-keeping became illegal, and the bears were gathered up and placed in a reserve where they were allowed to live their days "as bears", even though they didn't know how. They were taught to hunt, to eat by themselves, to hibernate, and to live in this new way. Some made it, but many did not.
Szabłowski employs this metaphor of the dancing bears for various people groups after the fall of Communism. He travels to Cuba and several Eastern European communities, interviewing people about their lives, their nostalgia for that life "under tyranny", and their distaste for the current ways and structures.
The first half of the book focuses solely on the bears and their Romani handlers. This was the strongest section of the book, with Szabłowski sharing the stories of many bears, the veterinarians who care for them in the new reserve, and the Romani stories of before and after the bears were confiscated. The second half of the book seemed less organized and polished, but nevertheless intriguing, and linking back to the central theme of longing and nostalgia.
Sidenote: The English translator (Antonia Lloyd-Jones) made the decision to translate the people group discussed in this book as "gypsy". I am not sure if this is something specific to the Polish language, or other languages represented in the book (Bulgarian?), but in American English this is considered a derogatory term. In the context of the stories, it seemed like a name and a title that the people gave themselves, said without derision. I am curious to learn more about her reasoning for this word choice, but there was no discussion of that in my copy of the book. If you have any insight, please feel free to comment / DM me.
Szabłowski employs this metaphor of the dancing bears for various people groups after the fall of Communism. He travels to Cuba and several Eastern European communities, interviewing people about their lives, their nostalgia for that life "under tyranny", and their distaste for the current ways and structures.
The first half of the book focuses solely on the bears and their Romani handlers. This was the strongest section of the book, with Szabłowski sharing the stories of many bears, the veterinarians who care for them in the new reserve, and the Romani stories of before and after the bears were confiscated. The second half of the book seemed less organized and polished, but nevertheless intriguing, and linking back to the central theme of longing and nostalgia.
Sidenote: The English translator (Antonia Lloyd-Jones) made the decision to translate the people group discussed in this book as "gypsy". I am not sure if this is something specific to the Polish language, or other languages represented in the book (Bulgarian?), but in American English this is considered a derogatory term. In the context of the stories, it seemed like a name and a title that the people gave themselves, said without derision. I am curious to learn more about her reasoning for this word choice, but there was no discussion of that in my copy of the book. If you have any insight, please feel free to comment / DM me.
critterbee's review
1.0
More depressing and obvious than incisive and heartbreaking, and for the first half, I was struck by the feeling that those being interviewed were not being truthful, or perhaps were reciting their particular brand of truth. I did not enjoy reading about people held captive with no power of any choices in their lives, who could not adapt to freedom once it was theirs. The bears I can understand, as they probably do not understand what has happened to them or why, but the people in this book at least believe that they know right from wrong, and that the world is a practical place while simultaneously honoring beliefs that clearly are not realistic or rewarding.
The Estonian Russians, victims of the policy to send Russians to live in all the areas they have taken, and stranded after the collapse of the USSR, are salt fish in pure water. They have lived there for ages, but do not belong. Not accepted as Estonian, and not wanting to be Russians. Lost their privilege after the collapse, and unable to cope.
Mainly, reading the first half just angered me. I feel like the author surveyed only people who were sulking about having to deal with the real world, or who could not understand that their lost privilege, which they had accepted as their due, was at the expense of others and not their natural born right.
*eARC Netaglley*
ATW 2018 Estonia
The Estonian Russians, victims of the policy to send Russians to live in all the areas they have taken, and stranded after the collapse of the USSR, are salt fish in pure water. They have lived there for ages, but do not belong. Not accepted as Estonian, and not wanting to be Russians. Lost their privilege after the collapse, and unable to cope.
Mainly, reading the first half just angered me. I feel like the author surveyed only people who were sulking about having to deal with the real world, or who could not understand that their lost privilege, which they had accepted as their due, was at the expense of others and not their natural born right.
*eARC Netaglley*
ATW 2018 Estonia