A Concise Bulgarian History for Curious Readers
For decades, I have read with curiosity numerous studies of our history before making the decision to write this book. And why did I get involved with it? There are so many books on Bulgarian history! But it seems to me, that they lack the story that the Bulgarian - not the expert on history, but the lover of the past of his/her people - deserves. Not a book that will nourish our false delusions of grandeur. And not one to cry over the lost chances and our plight today. I mean an interesting history, a history at least fairly honest and balanced, a history to be read as a novel. I wanted to paint a picture different from the one usually found in scientific explorations. I'm not sure how many of our compatriots can now look back at historical studies and say, "This is about me."
Ivan Ilchev
The book is written by the prominent Bulgarian historian Ivan Ilchev. He has lectured in Ohio State University, Wilson Center in Washington D.C., the University of Chiba, Japan, the universities of Leipzig, Thessaloniki, Oxford, Chicago and many other famous educational centres.
Ivan Ilchev was born on 25th of June 1953 in Sofia. He is a full professor in Modern Balkan History at the Sofia University. He teaches modern history of the Balkans (18th-20th centuries), social history of the Balkans, history of Bulgaria, international relations in the Balkans, theory and history of propaganda, history of advertising in Bulgaria, history and theory of nationalism in the Balkans.
At the beginning of November 2007, professor Ilchev was elected rector of the Sofia University. He is a corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as well.
Ivan Ilchev was a member of the Supreme Certifying Commission (1997-2002), Dean of the Faculty of History at the Sofia University and Chairman of the Scientific Board of the Faculty of History.
He has published thirteen books, two of them in co-authorship with other academics. The Rose of the Balkans is among the most renowned of them.
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