A Balkan Journey Book

In A Balkan Journey, Chris Leslie invites the reader into a profound, 24-year visual odyssey across the war-torn landscapes of the former Yugoslavia and their aftermath. Beginning in 1996 with his volunteer work in the devastated Croatian town of Pakrac, Leslie depicts not only the physical destruction left by conflict but also the emergent, resilient communities rebuilding their lives. Alongside striking black-and-white and colour photographs, the book includes essays — notably by writer John McDougall — that deepen the narrative by charting how memory, trauma and renewal intertwine in places such as Sarajevo, where Leslie’s “Camera Kids” project gave children the tools to document their city after its long siege.

What makes the book especially compelling is its dual role—as both a personal evolution of the artist and a larger commentary on Europe’s unhealed fissures. Leslie doesn’t just record ruin; he approaches his subjects with sensitivity to their humanity, and to the passage of time in a region that continues to grapple with its past. The work’s bilingual format (English with Bosnian/Croatian translations) emphasises his commitment to accessibility for those whose lives are featured in the book, making A Balkan Journey not just a photographic document, but a respectful platform for shared reflection and dialogue.