Description
Book SynopsisThis is a historical study, taking as its narrative focus the life, death and posthumous fate of Vasil Levski (1837-1873), arguably the major and only uncontested hero of the Bulgarian national pantheon. The main title refers to the 'thick description' of the reburial controversy during the final phase of communist Bulgaria, which centered on the search for Levski's bones. The book gives a specific understanding also of the relationship between nationalism and religion in the post-communist period, by analyzing the recent canonization of Levski. The processes described, although with a chronological depth of almost two centuries, are still very much in the making, and the living archive expands not only in size but with the constant addition of surprising new forms they take.At another level, the book engages in a variety of general theoretical questions. It offers insights into the problems of history and memory: the question of public, social or collective memory; the nature of national memory in comparison to other types of memory; the variability of memory over time and social space; alternative memories; and, memory's techniques like commemorations, the mechanism of creating and transmitting memory.
Trade Review"An enjoyable but daunting volume; Maria Todorova entertains with straightforward prose while she tackles a subject that is in its breadth and depth unusually complex. Todorova's book arrives at a promising moment in the evolution of nationalism studies. The author engages several theoretical debates, and in doing so revives the quest for impartiality in academic research." * American Historical Review *
"A complex, clever, and compelling book. It is an excellent guide to a major nineteenth-century revolutionary figure, and it provides a fascinating study in the political exploitation and manipulation of legend and myth." * Journal of Modern History *
"This book is many things, but foremost it is a detailed analysis of the social and political processes that crafted a nineteenth-century Bulgarian revolutionary, Vasil Levski, into the most admired and revered hero in Bulgaria. Although the current representation of his revolutionary actions would suggest that this was inevitable, Maria Todorova shows that this was not necessarily the case. His ascendancy to the pinnacle of Bulgaria’s heroic pantheon was a result of continual contestation and debate from his death in 1873 through the 1920s. As his preeminence was consolidated, different groups with opposing political philosophies all tapped into his celebrity to advance their platforms, further enhancing his aura and elevating him toward saintly status. This is an impressive piece of scholarship demonstrating meticulous historical research with both primary and secondary sources combined with engaging personal expositions based on the author’s close connection to some of the major protagonists and events. It is an important contribution to scholarship in both method and content. It is also an important contribution to the literature on nationalism generally, particularly the growing interest in varieties of nationalisms. The book thus speaks to multiple disciplines, including history, political science, sociology, and anthropology. It is also augmented by a lovely collection of color prints that further enhance its readability. The result is an outstanding book that combines the best of the historian’s craft with novel innovations" * Slavic Review *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I. Bones of Contention or Professionals, Dilettantes, and Who Owns History 1.1 A A"social dramaA" at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 1.2 From breach to crisis 1.3 No redress, or where are Levski's bones? 1.4 A socialist public sphere? 1.5 A"ProfessionalsA" and A"dilettantesA" 1.6 Recognizing the schism or what is worse: bad professionals or good nationalists? Part II. The Apostle of Freedom or What Makes a Hero? 2.1 What is a hero and are heroes born? 2.2 The A"makingA" of Vasil Levski 2.3 A banner for all causes: appropriating the hero 2.4 Contesting the hero 2.5 The literary and visual hypostases of the hero 2.6 From hero for all to dissident and back Part III. The National Hero as Secular Saint: The Canonization of Levski 3.1 The split or how a bicephalous organism functions 3.2 The canonization and its implications 3.3 Levski and the Bulgarian church: memory and narration 3.4 The orchestration of a grass-roots cultus 3.5 Commemoration, ritual and the sacred 3.6 Heroes and saints: the dialectics of reincarnation Conclusion; Appendices; Index
