Tito

Life&Times
By Neil Barnett

During his life Tito could manage the internal tensions of his multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual country. But after his death in 1980 Yugoslavia’s institutions were revealed as rudderless and Lilliputian.  The break-up of Yugoslavia, the country Tito, the Croat turned Yugoslav had created was inevitable. The demon that he had spent his life containing, ethnic rivalry, was released after his death. The five wars that followed - some of them yet to be fully resolved - were Tito's nightmare, but they were in many ways the result of his own myopic egomania.

‘Entertaining and timely . . . Barnett makes good use of Tito’s official memoirs and recorded recollections . . .  While allowing the regime to speak with its own voice, Barnett also points out the fabrications, where ideological lessons upstaged factual accuracy.’
Neil MacDonald, The Financial Times

‘Neil Barnett’s engaging and elegant biography is an invaluable resource for diplomats, aid workers and peacekeepers who want to understand better the enigmatic statesman who bequeathed so many vexing national and territorial questions.’
John Phillips, The Tablet

Neil Barnett has covered the Balkans for The Economist and other major papers. He also worked in the Middle East and has reported extensively on the conflict in Iraq.