the end and the beginning of history

September 19, 2024 10:51 AM

"It is not often that one in the process of learning of, or reading, a book develops three different opinions about the book. I have heard of Lea Ypi’s Free after it became an international bestseller. I was even then somewhat intrigued by the topic, an autobiographical story of growing up in Albania at “the end of history”, given that Albania was somewhat of a black box (because of the isolationist policies followed by its long-time president Enver Hoxha). Yet since I had a uniform negative view about any personal reminiscences coming out of Eastern Europe, I was almost sure not to read the book? Why such mistrust?" Branko Milanovic with a thoughtful review of Lea Ypi's awardwinning Free: Coming of Age at the End of History.
posted by mittens (3 comments total)

Sounds promising. I'll be picking up a copy from my local library this weekend.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 1:39 PM on September 19 [2 favorites]

I *just* read it last week in about three sittings. It's an amazing book!

There's a short ARTE documentary on her life I'd recommend:

Deep Thought: In Conversation with Lea Ypi

Ypi is also a frequent contributor to several David Runciman hosted podcasts of the London Review of Books:

Free with Lea Ypi
What if… The Berlin Wall Hadn’t Fallen?
The Great Political Fictions: Lea Ypi on The Wild Duck
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Liberation Movements
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Existentialism and Psychoanalysis
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Anarchism and Nihilism
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: What is the Free Market?
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Kant, Enlightenment and Peace
The History of Freedom w/ Lea Ypi: Machiavelli and Political Liberty
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: The Ancients - Socrates, Seneca & Jesus
The History of Freedom w/Lea Ypi: Why Does It Matter?
The End of Enlightenment
Democracy Q&A w/ Lea Ypi
Democracy vs Nationalism w/ Lea Ypi
Rethinking Democracy w/ Lea Ypi
Living Behind the Iron Curtain
posted by Omon Ra at 2:12 PM on September 19 [5 favorites]

I loved that book! Growing up in a 'communist' country also, I have so many childhood memories that match up with hers in almost eerie ways. There are episodes in the book that are just brilliantly written, like the fight with their previously-close neighbor over the provenance of an empty Coca-Cola can. That story is both bleakly humorous and touching in a most human way.

(In fact when NYT was letting readers to nominate their own 'best of this century' reads, this was my first entrance.)
posted by of strange foe at 8:36 AM on September 20 [1 favorite]