The Unofficial Black Lamb and Grey Falcon Audiobook Companion

James Snyder
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Dame Rebecca West (1892-1983) wrote Black Lamb and Black Falcon, a Journey through Yugoslavia, over five years and published in 1941. One of the great works of 20th century English literature, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon has been cited, quoted, critiqued, and enjoyed by readers, writers, travelers, politicians and diplomats for decades, bracketing the history of Yugoslavia itself. This podcast is based on a series of articles marking the book's 80th anniversary published in 2021. I encourage you to visit jamesthomassnyder.com to explore maps, photos, and new scholarship that present this book in a new light.

  1. 10/26/2025

    Bonus Episode - The Judgment of Rebecca West

    I wrote this article for the Los Angeles Review of Books in 2017 marking the 75th anniversary of Black Lamb and Grey Falcon's publication in 1941. It is repurposed here with permission of the Los Angeles Review.

  2. 09/16/2025

    Welcome!

    Welcome to the Unofficial Black Lamb and Grey Falcon Audiobook Companion. I am your travel guide to this monument of 20th century English literature.

  3. 09/15/2025

    Acknowledgments

    The Unofficial Black Lamb and Grey Falcon Audiobook Companion

  4. 09/15/2025

    Bosnia

    In this episode we explore Bosnia and especially Sarajevo as Rebecca West examines the legacy of the 1914 assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the first shots fired of the Great War.

  5. 09/15/2025

    Epilogue

    In this final episode, the Epilogue follows Rebecca West back to her normal life where she augurs the cataclysm to come.

  6. 09/15/2025

    Herzegovina

    In this episode we return to the narrative in Herzegovina and particularly Mostar, Rebecca West's first encounter with Islam in Yugoslavia.

  7. 09/15/2025

    Macedonia

    In this episode we travel to Macedonia where Rebecca West's party observes Orthodox Easter and encounters the sacrificial Black Lamb of the title.

  8. 09/15/2025

    Montenegro

    In this episode we end the main narrative of Black Lamb and Grey Falcon in Montenegro where Rebecca West's party picks up ominous rumors of war.

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About

Dame Rebecca West (1892-1983) wrote Black Lamb and Black Falcon, a Journey through Yugoslavia, over five years and published in 1941. One of the great works of 20th century English literature, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon has been cited, quoted, critiqued, and enjoyed by readers, writers, travelers, politicians and diplomats for decades, bracketing the history of Yugoslavia itself. This podcast is based on a series of articles marking the book's 80th anniversary published in 2021. I encourage you to visit jamesthomassnyder.com to explore maps, photos, and new scholarship that present this book in a new light.

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