The Noble Truth of Suffering is one of the best stories in the Love and Obstacles collection by renowned writer Aleksandar Hemon. The short narrative tells a tale of a middle-aged Bosnian writer who makes his way back home after many years of exile in the United States. Upon arrival, the young writer is surprisingly invited to a party in honor of one of the prestigious novelist named Macalister.
The young Bosnian makes his way to the party, which is held at the U.S. ambassador’s home in Sarajevo. The Bosnian befriends Macalister who turns out to be a delightful character who seems to enjoy taking risks. The two become friends and end up drinking their way into the night. The next day the Bosnian asks Macalister to join him to a luncheon held in his parents’ apartment. Macalister readily accepts the invitation. Their newly found friendship continues but the Bosnian is awed by his friend's detachment, he wanted Macalister to enjoy being in Sarajevo and actually be aware of its beauty both in nature and the people.
Years later Macalister publishes a new book that the Bosnian is excited to read. He is however disappointed to learn that Macalister used the lunch in Sarajevo but not in a good way. He painted evocative portraits and included exact words used at the lunch.
All stories in this catalog bear a strong resemblance to the author’s qualities. In Szmura’s Room, the main protagonist is a young Bosnian who finds himself lodging with a Ukrainian-American felon in Chicago who has aspirations of joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In The Conductor, a young Bosnian writer makes his way out of his country after civil war breaks out. The young writer, however, details his long relationship with a poet who is brave enough to remain in Sarajevo to document the violence and desolation in the city.
In Death of the American Commando, Hemon describes the story of a young writer who is being interviewed by a college student about his childhood in Bosnia. The student to use this information in his class assignment.
