A Book About South is a collection of 23 previously published or unpublished essays that deal with European South (Mediterranean), Central European South (Adriatic) and Croatian South (Dalmatia). Text from books discuss various topics of contemporary Mediterranean, from industrial heritage to rising monoculture of tourism. They explore the collective 20th century past and antropology of Eastern Adriatic, from the cultural history of bora wind to role of Renault 4 in Dalmatia, and from social history of weekend cottages to destiny of now derelic factories or hotels. Book also includes travelogues from Crete, Bosnia and Macedonia, text on Yugoslav partisan monuments and history of factory and basketball club that share the same name: Jugoplastika. The book also discusses two important personalities of Dalmatian 20th century history: football trainer Tomislav Ivić and author of the most famous Dalmatian cookbook, Dika Marajanović Radica.
Pavičić's book fills the half-empty shelf in Croatian culture with a tag: Mediterranean, Mediterran, Mediterranism. Although Croatian cultural elites insist on Croatian mediterranism, that belonging remains manly declarative and undescribed. There are very few meaningful texts wich authentically- without stereotypes and adoration to monuments of tradition – discuss what Mediterranean in "us" truely is....
Katarina Luketić (Tportal)
With this palimpsest, Pavičić assembled an essayistic paramount of the Dalmatian literature. From the chaos of the media coverage he destilled all the essencial layers of Dalmatia.
Željko Ivanjek, Jutarnji list
"Book About South" is equally interesting to those who are familar with Pavičić's newspaper columns, and those who are just discovering his writing.
Emir Imamović Pirke, Forum.tm
A book that observes South with new, different eyes.. Unique vision of the Adriatic coast which we, as tourists, usually don't see. I recommend this book!
Samo Rugelj (Delo, Slovenia)
