'The most original of First World War centenary books; it is a travel narrative of rare resonance and insight' Sunday Times

On a summer morning in 1914, a teenage assassin fired the starting gun for modern history.

It was a young teenage boy named Gavrilo Princip who fired that fateful shot which killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo and ultimately ignited World War War. A hundred years later, Tim Butcher undertakes an extraordinary journey to uncover the story of this unknown boy who changed our world forever. By retracing Princip's journey from his highland birthplace, through the mythical valleys of Bosnia to the fortress city of Belgrade and ultimately Sarajevo, he illuminates our understanding both of Princip and the places that shaped him while uncovering details about Princip which have eluded historians for more than a century.

'A masterpiece of historical empathy and evocation...This book is a tour de force' Guardian

A trek through the Balkans, an exploration of the life of an assassin (the teenager who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and so triggered the First World War), and a journey into the history of this complex and fascinating part of the world...

About the Author
Tim Butcher is a best-selling author who blends travel with history. His first book, Blood River, was a number one bestseller, a Richard & Judy Book Club selection and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, while his next, Chasing the Devil, was longlisted for the George Orwell Prize. A journalist with the Daily Telegraph from 1990 to 2009, in 2010 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Northampton for services to writing. Born in Great Britain, he is based in Cape Town with his family.

Reviews
The most original of First World War centenary books; it is a travel narrative of rare resonance and insight * Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times *
Superb... Highly readable but profoundly researched -- Ben Macintyre * The Times, Books of the Year *
A triumph... A marvellously absorbing book on the nature of one man's political grievance and its terrible aftermath -- Ian Thomson * Observer Books of the Year *
The most imaginative and singular book on the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War to date... This is expeditionary journalism at its best - a historical inquest radiated through the mind and experience of an outstanding reporter -- Robert Fox * Evening Standard *
A masterpiece of historical empathy and evocation... This book is a tour de force -- Christopher Clark * Guardian *



Book Information
ISBN 9780099581338
Author Tim Butcher
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Vintage
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 245g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 21mm