In his characteristically light-hearted style, Patrick O'Neill takes us on a bike trip across the Balkans - that neglected spit of Europe the rest of the world forgot about after the Bosnian War.

But what begins as a playful romp through unfamiliar landscapes slowly unravels into something more troubling, as he faces wild dogs, sleepless nights, segregated towns, and an uncomfortable sense that "peace" here doesn't look the way outsiders might imagine.

Whether chatting with sex workers, priests, or ex-soldiers, O'Neill is bursting with snappy observations on everyday life in the Balkans. Blending humor, history, and the messy realities of post-war life, Bosnia by Bike offers a vivid, human introduction to a place still learning to heal from its past.

This pithy examination of a post-war society has many lessons to teach us about areas facing internal conflicts today, including what they can expect when the dust settles and life is supposed to go back to normal.

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