Border summary

Exploring a Borderland

In Border, Kapka Kassabova takes us on a journey across the borderlands of Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. She starts with her own personal history, having grown up in Bulgaria during the Cold War. She remembers the Iron Curtain, the border that separated her homeland from the rest of Europe, and the fear and mystery that surrounded it.

In the first part of the book, Kassabova explores the Bulgarian-Turkish border, an area with a complex history. She meets people who have lived their entire lives in the borderlands, enduring the tumultuous changes brought on by the fall of communism, and witnessing the influx of refugees from the Middle East. She also encounters the remnants of a tragic past, such as the Thracian tombs and the ruins of the Iron Curtain.

Myths, Spirits, and the Past

As Kassabova delves deeper into the borderlands, she uncovers a rich tapestry of myths, legends, and ancient rituals. She introduces us to the fire-walkers, people who believe they can communicate with spirits, and the Orpheus myth, which is deeply rooted in this region. She also explores the enigmatic Strandja Mountain, an ancient forest that is said to be inhabited by spirits and demons.

In the second part of Border, Kassabova moves to the Greek-Turkish border, an area marked by its own set of conflicts and tensions. Here, she encounters the descendants of the Greek refugees who fled Turkey during the Greco-Turkish War, and the Turkish minority who still live in Greece. She also explores the eerie ruins of the abandoned Greek villages, a haunting reminder of the violent exchange of populations that took place almost a century ago.

Migration and the Modern Border

The third part of the book focuses on the modern-day border crisis. Kassabova meets with Syrian and Iraqi refugees who risk their lives to cross the border into Europe. She listens to their harrowing stories of war and displacement, and their desperate attempts to find a better life. She also talks to the people who live in the borderlands, who are caught in the crossfire of this humanitarian crisis.

Throughout Border, Kassabova reflects on the concept of borders and their impact on people's lives. She examines how they divide and define us, how they shape our identities and our sense of belonging. She also contemplates the idea of freedom, contrasting her own experience of escaping the Iron Curtain with the refugees who are still trapped by modern-day borders.

The Border as a State of Mind

In the final part of the book, Kassabova returns to Bulgaria, her journey across the borderlands complete. She reflects on the lessons she has learned, the people she has met, and the stories she has heard. She concludes that the border is not just a physical line on a map, but a state of mind, a place where the past and the present intersect, and where the human spirit is tested and transformed.

In Border, Kapka Kassabova offers a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of the borders that divide us, and the connections that bind us. She reminds us that while borders may be physical, the human spirit is borderless, and it is our shared humanity that ultimately transcends all divisions.