Slovakia: Fall in the Heart of Europe

by Marek Bennett

"With his trusty travel sketchbook and ukulele in hand, Rabbit stumbles into one adventure after another along the backstreets and breakfast tables of Eastern Slovakia. But as he hunts down old family stories, forgotten graveyards, ancient artwork, and modern fairy tales, he finds himself crossing hidden ethnic fault-lines with unexpected results..."

Genres: Travel

592 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Cartoonist, musician, & teacher Marek Bennett lives in New Hampshire and leads COMICS WORKSHOPS for all ages throughout New England and the world beyond.

Reviews

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up on impulse at MICE this year. It's lovely and deceptively simple. Bennett conveys so much spirit with his simple drawings. Love his depiction of his babka, the Roma cleaners, and many other characters. Many hilariously funny moments as well. A sweet and thoughtful story with a bit of magic to it. Wish I'd gotten it signed!

[Kari Percival · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished re-reading SLOVAKIA: Fall in the Heart of Europe. Thank you, Marek Bennett, for writing such a tender, thoughtful book. You area comforting narrator amid all the craziness. Re-reading it now, after all the recent events around the rise of white supremacist fascism here in the US, is even more relevant, and more themes come together in the book that I have new perspective on since the first time when it came out. All the layers of political unrest, past movements, racial violence, found amidst feeling for nuts with your feet, going to the church to draw, teaching drawing at an after school program, looking for what is missing.

I know it must feel like a million years ago that you wrote SLOVAKIA. I just wanted to thank you again for all that work. Isn't it amazing how books work like that? They keep going. I guess its the whole point.

[Grg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating travelogue through western Slovakia in the Fall of 2011. I learned a lot about the European reaction the Greek debt crisis and the struggles of the local 'gypsy' communities. My favorite parts were the looks at the daily life of small town workers and the author's long walks around towns and countrysides.

[Aña · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it is very Slovak - fine line between laughing and screaming. Loved Babka character! I could almost smell the fresh air, the forrest, Babka's garden, and walnuts from the pictures. Hopefully, the little rabbit will be there for new adventures in Slovakia 2.0, and I hope to witness it through his eyes once again.