Nizvodne i uzvodne priče

Downstream and Upstream Stories (2024) is a literary work by the renowned Croatian writer, journalist, and ethnographer Davor Grgurić. In this collection of short stories, the author returns to his signature themes: regional identity, pristine nature, and profound human destinies inextricably linked to the landscape the characters inhabit. The titular metaphor of the river’s flow—downstream and upstream—symbolizes the duality of human existence: the acceptance of the passage of time and the constant struggle against the current to preserve one’s roots and values. Grgurić’s narrative style is distinguished by vivid imagery, warmth, and rich descriptions of landscapes and local traditions. Through a series of striking vignettes and stories, the author chronicles oral traditions, forgotten lives, encounters, and the memories that shape the individual. His characters are authentic people from the karst regions and riverbanks, whose lives are filled with both quiet joys and arduous trials. Downstream and Upstream Stories is a valuable work that blends a deep connection to one’s homeland with literary maturity. The book invites the reader to slow down and return to fundamental human values, offering a moving tribute to the native region, tradition, and the unbreakable bond between humanity and nature.