content: Andric outlines the history of Bosnia in a series of episodes over three centuries, from the Turkish kidnapping of the young Serbian boy who became an Ottoman vizier to the bridge's destruction in World War I by Austrian artillery. The bridge dominates life in the Bosnian town of Visegrad and, in Andric's hands, assumes a personality. Memorable episodes include the story of Radislav, a Serb ferryman who tries to preserve his livelihood; the beautiful Fata, who uses the bridge to escape an arranged marriage; and the gambler, who bets his life and soul against the devil. The Swedish Academy did not err when it picked Andric for the Nobel Prize. This is a magnificent achievement, and it should not be missed.