Balkan Ghosts by Robert D Kaplan

A pessimistic overview of the history of the Balkans, from the beginning of World War I to the ethnic warfare of the 1990s, the Balkans have been rocked with poverty, struggle, and political dissent.

This political travelogue focuses on the trouble in the Balkans, specifically the depravities of human nature; religious and cultural cleansing, genocide, and massive corruption.