History Books on Croatia

Here’s a choice of some of the history books on Croatia, on both the war in the country in the 1990s, and further into the country’s history.

A Journey into the Levant as It Once Was

John & Renata Fox

By the Early Modern Age, travel had gained a new meaning – it was now a way to knowledge. For the British gentleman who travelled abroad to learn about other people, heading into the Levant to see the Turks was an essential journey – but also an arduous one. London was months away from Constantinople, the Levant was rife with plague, and it was a very expensive undertaking. Still the British gentleman went. 

Based on the travelogues of thirteen British gentlemen, the book takes you on a journey into the Levant as it once was. Making your way from London to Constantinople, the book will allow you to visit cities, towns and islands, meet people and learn about ways of life. You will also get to know a British gentleman for whom travel was the “sweetest of all the pleasures in the world”. The book tells a story about a past when a journey into the Levant was an experience to last a lifetime. It is a cultural account of a world long lost; it is an alternative to the traditional travel guide.

Much of the book is focused on ‘the East Adriatic’ and Croatia – Dubrovnik in particular. The book’s cover (displayed here) shows a 16th century painting from the monastery in Slano, near Dubrovnik.

Available to buy below:

Croatia: A History from the Middle Ages to the Present Day 

Marcus Tanner

A first-class book for those interested in Croatia, its history and its struggle for independence from the former Yugoslavia – if you have an interest in the subject matter, we recommend you get your hands on this tome.

The book tells the story of Croatia from its beginnings when the Croats settled in the region in the 7th century, through its long associations with Austria and Hungary up to its struggle for independence in the 1990s. Everything is well-researched and covered in great detail. One of the first history books solely about Croatia, Mr Tanner has done a marvellous job filling a long-existing gap in books on this small central-European country.

The author was the Balkan correspondent for the British newspaper The Independent from 1988 to 1994 and still occasionally writes on the subject for the same newspaper he is now an editor of.

This is an updated version of Croatia’s history on the below book, which was one of the first excellent history books on the country.

Croatia A Nation Forged In War

Marcus Tanner

This is Marcus Tanner’s original history book on Croatia. If you have a strong interest in the subject, we would recommend you seek this book out for in interesting perspective on the country’s history from the late 1990s.

Croatia : A History

Ivo Goldstein, Nikolina Jovanovic (Translator)

Written by a Professor of History at Zagreb University. Totally unbiased account of the history of this small, Central European country since the Croats in that area settled up to the present day. Midwest Book Review says the book “…presents a welcome and scholarly history providing an invaluable, authoritative view of Croatian culture and national character, both in its own terms and in relation to its immediate neighbours.

Dubrovnik: A History

Robin Harris

Dubrovnik has had a truly remarkable history, and this book goes into it in great depth. A must for those who want to know more about this fascinating place.

Croatia: Aspects of Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage

John Julius Norwich