Izabrana proza

The edition Selected Prose (Izabrana proza) by Slavko Kolar, published in 1975 (as part of a series of representative works for school and general reading), presents a carefully curated selection of the finest short stories and novellas by one of the greatest Croatian humorists and satirists of the 20th century. An agronomist by profession, Kolar possessed an intimate knowledge of the mentality, daily life, and challenges of the Croatian countryside—an expertise that enabled him to craft exceptionally vivid and convincing literary characters. The collection includes canonical works such as Master of One’s Own Body (Svoga tela gospodar), The Birch (Breza), and We Stand for Justice (Mi smo za pravicu), in which the bitter tragedy of rural existence, the constraints of poverty, and harsh traditional customs are interwoven with the author’s signature humor and satirical edge. Kolar does not romanticize reality; rather, with deep empathy—yet also an unerring grasp of human flaws—he exposes the pettiness, bureaucracy, and social injustices that weigh upon the "common man." This 1975 edition offers an invaluable look at the pinnacles of Croatian prose from the interwar and postwar periods. The book remains an essential text for understanding the rural mentality—both in the Mediterranean and continental regions of Croatia—and serves as a testament to how masterful satire retains its freshness and relevance across the decades.