About this title: Living and working in Rumania, Guy and Harriet Pringle are forced to evacuate to Greece before the steady advance of the German army. "The Balkan Trilogy" is the portrait of their marriage, an evocation of a vanished way of life and an ironic comedy of manners in a breaking world.
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Binding: PAPERBACK
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140059366ISBN:0140059369
Description: Fair. Paperback, larger format, a good reading copy. Your book will be securely packed and promptly dispatched from our UK warehouse. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140059366ISBN:0140059369
Description: Good. Overall rather worn but still a useful readable copy. No major defects-unabridged, clean, complete, not falling apart; some light wear. A perfectly good reading or reference copy. read more
Description: Good in None Issued jacket. 924 pages. Book is in general good condition. There is some light reading wear present, but still a presentable copy. A remarkable portrait of a marriage-a vivid and exciting re-creation of civilian life in wartime Europe. read more
Description: Acceptable. Ships from the UK. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Your purchase also supports literacy charities. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Penguin Books, England softback 2986 5" x 8" 924pp. ISBN 0 14 00 5936 9...
ISBN-13:9780140059366ISBN:0140059369
Description: V. G, . -softback-colour illustration by Maire Smith to both covers-orange spine with black lettering-minor sunning to some page edges. ` read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 01/11/1981
ISBN-13:9780140082968ISBN:0140082964
Description: Used-Good. Book in good or better condition. Dispatched same day from warehouse. Please email with any questions for quick response. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 01/11/1981
ISBN-13:9780140082968ISBN:0140082964
Description: Used-Good. Book in good or better condition. Dispatched same day from warehouse. Please email with any questions for quick response. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140059366ISBN:0140059369
Description: Good. Small inscription inside front cover. All orders are dispatched from our UK warehouse within one working day. Established in 2004. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. read more
Description: Very good; Collectible. No writings/underlines/highlights. Inside pages are very nice and clean. Free track. Fast! Satisfaction guaranteed! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Date Published: 1988-01-01
ISBN-13:9780140109962ISBN:014010996X
Description: Good. 3 Complete Novels in 1 Volume: The Great Fortune, The Spoilt City, and Friends & Heroes! 1988 Reprint Edition Penguin Books (Publisher; NY) Trade Paperback; text clean/UNMARKED; paper just starting to tan w/age around rims; color cover mild rubbing w/few minor surface scratches + coupla minimal little bends/light edge wear w/corners curling; spine remains strong while bowed + creased; NOT x-library; No remainder mark; Not book club; 924 pages; text is the 3 novels: Fortune (280 pages, 4 ... read more
Description: Good. 014010996X Good condition. May have some markings & or shelfwear. All pages intact. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780140082968ISBN:0140082964
Description: New. Brand new books, maps and cd's available immediately from a reputable and well rated UK bookseller; despatched promptly and reliably worldwide. read more
"I got bored with this. I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters which doesn't help me when I'm looking for something to grab me in a read. I think I even gave up before the end. Some people have described it as a classic portrayal of the unravelling of europe during the second world war but I just couldn't get past not warming to anyone portrayed in the novel and therefore not caring what happened to them."
"Balkan Trilogy presents a number of unforgettable characters caught in a difficult historical period - World War II. The two main characters, Harriet and Guy Pringle, are in Romania. They are newlyweds - Harriet has come from England, and Guy teaches at the University. The book is rife with political intrigue, and probably the most interesting character is Prince Yakimov. It's the kind of book that grows on you and creates its own universe that keeps pulling you in.
The book is a good snapshot of the history of the period with some very real humans trying to live through it honorably and meaningfully. The sequel is called the Levant Trilogy."
"The whole time I'm reading this book, I'm feeling like it's a roman a clef. If it is, it's a really bad case against her husband, who, if he's anything like he was in the book, is a bit of a prick.
I didn't find this book terrifically exciting either. I suppose, like the experience of war, it consists of a lot of waiting around and a few exciting events. I did read it to the end to find out what happened to everyone, but it was a 50/50 split between putting it down and finishing it after the first part. The characters are very well-drawn, which is why I still gave it three stars."
"Partly based on Olivia Manning's own experiences during World War II, The Balkan Trilogy is the first part of a set of trilogies (the second being The Levant Trilogy). Harriet Pringle and her husband, Guy, (recently and hurriedly married due to the war) live in Bucharest as King Carol II tries to keep Romania free of the war. The first two volumes of the trilogy follow their lives as British expatriates trying to belong in an foreign land. The third volume follows the Pringles to Greece after they are forced to evacuate Bucharest. Despite the danger and violence surrounding them, their marriage does not exactly grow stronger - Harriet discovers just how little she knew about Guy before they married, and struggles with the reality of living in a dangerous time while her husband fills his time with projects that do not include Harriet. Their relationship is tried time and again by the rumors that surround their marriage as well as Harriet's friendships with other men (and Guy's friendships with other women).
I thought at first that Manning's realistic characters was what made the story so darn addictive, but then realized that they would have to be as detailed as the environment in which they lived. It is clear that the author had similar experiences from which to draw and she manages to do it beautifully. While giving each character (and there are several) a well-rounded life and story Manning managed to also be able to illustrate a growing fascist environment while discussing the politics of the late '30s/early '40s.
At times Harriet's co-dependency wore me down, as did Guy's flippant attitudes (and my personal problem of only picturing John Cassavetes, the actor playing Guy Woodhouse in the movie, Rosemary's Baby - what is with the name 'Guy' being so popular in the '60s??). No character is without some serious faults, which actually made their story all the more believable. Harriet's need for companionship is sadly all too familiar and is exacerbated by the background of war and uncertainty - she latches on to safe characters, generally men, and even a couple of animals. Guy's need for work and projects keep his mind occupied and is, most likely, a way for him to remain emotionally detached from his wife.
The second narrative The Levant Trilogy apparently details their life as the war forces them to move on to Egypt. I look forward to reading it as well, hoping it lives up this first trilogy."
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