The Invention Of...

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More History Than You Can Consume!

20260406

Churchill may have said that the Balkans produce more history than it can consume, but in this episode Misha Glenny and Miles Warde head out to discover if it's true. This is a road trip through Bosnia, Belgrade and northern Greece. The aim? To explore the collapse of the Ottoman empire and see how it fed into the start of World War One. There's also a also pause for sausage in Serbia, while they find themselves in a massive street protest in Thessaloniki. This is history from the ground, and features contributions from Dubravka Stojanovic, Ivan Krastev, Maria Todorova, James Heneage and Hannah Lucinda Smith, author of Hinterlands. And at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle they meet Dr Konstantinos Papanikolaou and Vangelis Kansizoglou.

This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond.

Misha Glenny is the author of McMafia and The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers. The producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans on a 19th-century road trip.

Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are.

Why did the slow disintegration of the Ottoman empire lead to war in the Balkans? Misha Glenny finds out.

[LISTEN NOW]

Taiwan

20240911

At the beginning of this year the president of the Chinese People's Republic, Xi Jinping, claimed that people living on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should reunite 'and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation'. But is Taiwan really a part of China, and could this question lead to war? Misha Glenny and producer Miles Warde have been to the capital Taipei and also Tainan City in the south to find out about their relationship with the Chinese mainland.

I've obviously been following the situation in Ukraine, and it strikes me that before our eyes we're seeing the rapid development of a new Ukrainian consciousness and national identity. What's struck me about coming here to Taiwan is the same process is underway.' Misha Glenny

Contributors include Amanda Hsiao senior analyst of the Crisis Group and Chris Buckley, the chief China correspondent for the New York Times now relocated to Taipei. Plus you'll hear from long time resident of Taiwan Chris Taylor, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Tibet. 'All Xi Jinping understands is complete control - he's given up on what the Taiwanese call the silver bullet, promises of great trade opportunities and get rich, join us. Nobody's buying that. So the only way he's going to get it is by force of some kind.

Taiwan is episode 57 of How to Invent a Country on BBC Sounds, the series that has previously travelled to Germany, Brazil, Turkey and Russia. Misha Glenny is a former Central Europe correspondent for the BBC and the author of McMafia. The producer for BBC Studios Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde.

When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on what is happening in Taiwan now.

Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are.

They look so sturdy on the map, but what is a country and when do they begin to take shape? Misha Glenny travels to this small island off China to find out.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Birth And Death Of Yugoslavia

20260413

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans to report on the birth and death of Yugoslavia.

With contributions from Lea Ypi, Radina Vucetic, Ivan Veyvoda, Tim Heneage, Jelena Dureinovic, plus former soldier turned writer Faruk Sehic in Sarajevo. Includes archive of Fitzroy Maclean and Steed Wickham, plus an interview with the scientific director of the Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki, Xenia Eleftheriou.

This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond.

The producer is Miles Warde

Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are.

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, travelling from Sarajevo to Belgrade to explain the creation and then the destruction of Yugoslavia.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Death Of Yugoslavia

20260413

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans to report on the birth and death of Yugoslavia

With contributions from Lea Ypi, Radina Vucetic, Ivan Veyvoda, Tim Heneage, Jelena Dureinovic, plus former soldier turned writer Faruk Sehic in Sarajevo. Includes archive of Fitzroy Maclean and Steed Wickham, plus the scientific director of the Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki

This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond.

The producer is Miles Warde

Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are.

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, travelling from Sarajevo to Belgrade to explain the creation and then the destruction of Yugoslavia.

[LISTEN NOW]

What Are The Balkans?

20260330

June 28 1914 - a young Bosnian on a street corner in Sarajevo fired a shot that triggered World War One. Why is this region so unstable, and what lessons can we learn from that event. Misha Glenny was a famous reporter during the wars of the 1990s, well-placed to find answers in a region he's travelled for years. Is the violence the fault of the people who live here, or are there bigger, outside forces at work?

This is the latest from the team behind The Invention of ... series which has recently been to China, Russia, Turkey and Hungary. Much of it is recorded on location, and contributors include Vesna Goldsworthy, Maria Todorova and Tim Butcher, author of The Trigger: Hunting the Assassin Who Bought the World to War.

Misha Glenny is the outgoing rector of the IWM in Vienna and presenter of In Our Time. His reporting from Yugoslavia won a Sony Gold in 1993.

The producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde. This is series eighteen and other contributors include Hannah Lucinda-Smith, Ivan Krastev, James Heneage, Lea Ypi, Faruk Sehic and Dubravka Stojanovic. Locations include Sarajevo, Belgrade and Thessaloniki in northern Greece and the team occasionally pause for lunch.

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, powder keg of eastern Europe.

Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are.

Have the Balkans always been unstable? Misha Glenny returns to the powder keg of Europe to find out.

[LISTEN NOW]

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Comments
More History Than You Can Consume!	20260406	Churchill may have said that the Balkans produce more history than it can consume, but in this episode Misha Glenny and Miles Warde head out to discover if it's true. This is a road trip through Bosnia, Belgrade and northern Greece. The aim? To explore the collapse of the Ottoman empire and see how it fed into the start of World War One. There's also a also pause for sausage in Serbia, while they find themselves in a massive street protest in Thessaloniki. This is history from the ground, and features contributions from Dubravka Stojanovic, Ivan Krastev, Maria Todorova, James Heneage and Hannah Lucinda Smith, author of Hinterlands. And at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle they meet Dr Konstantinos Papanikolaou and Vangelis Kansizoglou. This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond. Misha Glenny is the author of McMafia and The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers. The producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans on a 19th-century road trip. Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are. Why did the slow disintegration of the Ottoman empire lead to war in the Balkans? Misha Glenny finds out. [LISTEN NOW]
Taiwan	20240911	At the beginning of this year the president of the Chinese People's Republic, Xi Jinping, claimed that people living on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should reunite 'and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation'. But is Taiwan really a part of China, and could this question lead to war? Misha Glenny and producer Miles Warde have been to the capital Taipei and also Tainan City in the south to find out about their relationship with the Chinese mainland. I've obviously been following the situation in Ukraine, and it strikes me that before our eyes we're seeing the rapid development of a new Ukrainian consciousness and national identity. What's struck me about coming here to Taiwan is the same process is underway.' Misha Glenny Contributors include Amanda Hsiao senior analyst of the Crisis Group and Chris Buckley, the chief China correspondent for the New York Times now relocated to Taipei. Plus you'll hear from long time resident of Taiwan Chris Taylor, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Tibet. 'All Xi Jinping understands is complete control - he's given up on what the Taiwanese call the silver bullet, promises of great trade opportunities and get rich, join us. Nobody's buying that. So the only way he's going to get it is by force of some kind. Taiwan is episode 57 of How to Invent a Country on BBC Sounds, the series that has previously travelled to Germany, Brazil, Turkey and Russia. Misha Glenny is a former Central Europe correspondent for the BBC and the author of McMafia. The producer for BBC Studios Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde. When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on what is happening in Taiwan now. Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are. They look so sturdy on the map, but what is a country and when do they begin to take shape? Misha Glenny travels to this small island off China to find out. [LISTEN NOW]
The Birth And Death Of Yugoslavia	20260413	Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans to report on the birth and death of Yugoslavia. With contributions from Lea Ypi, Radina Vucetic, Ivan Veyvoda, Tim Heneage, Jelena Dureinovic, plus former soldier turned writer Faruk Sehic in Sarajevo. Includes archive of Fitzroy Maclean and Steed Wickham, plus an interview with the scientific director of the Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki, Xenia Eleftheriou. This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond. The producer is Miles Warde Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are. Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, travelling from Sarajevo to Belgrade to explain the creation and then the destruction of Yugoslavia. [LISTEN NOW]
The Death Of Yugoslavia	20260413	Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans to report on the birth and death of Yugoslavia With contributions from Lea Ypi, Radina Vucetic, Ivan Veyvoda, Tim Heneage, Jelena Dureinovic, plus former soldier turned writer Faruk Sehic in Sarajevo. Includes archive of Fitzroy Maclean and Steed Wickham, plus the scientific director of the Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki This is series eighteen of The Invention of ... on Radio 4, following on from previous visits to Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and beyond. The producer is Miles Warde Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are. Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, travelling from Sarajevo to Belgrade to explain the creation and then the destruction of Yugoslavia. [LISTEN NOW]
What Are The Balkans?	20260330	June 28 1914 - a young Bosnian on a street corner in Sarajevo fired a shot that triggered World War One. Why is this region so unstable, and what lessons can we learn from that event. Misha Glenny was a famous reporter during the wars of the 1990s, well-placed to find answers in a region he's travelled for years. Is the violence the fault of the people who live here, or are there bigger, outside forces at work? This is the latest from the team behind The Invention of ... series which has recently been to China, Russia, Turkey and Hungary. Much of it is recorded on location, and contributors include Vesna Goldsworthy, Maria Todorova and Tim Butcher, author of The Trigger: Hunting the Assassin Who Bought the World to War. Misha Glenny is the outgoing rector of the IWM in Vienna and presenter of In Our Time. His reporting from Yugoslavia won a Sony Gold in 1993. The producer for BBC Studios is Miles Warde. This is series eighteen and other contributors include Hannah Lucinda-Smith, Ivan Krastev, James Heneage, Lea Ypi, Faruk Sehic and Dubravka Stojanovic. Locations include Sarajevo, Belgrade and Thessaloniki in northern Greece and the team occasionally pause for lunch. Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, powder keg of eastern Europe. Misha Glenny investigates the histories and the people that make nations what they are. Have the Balkans always been unstable? Misha Glenny returns to the powder keg of Europe to find out. [LISTEN NOW]