Author: Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic
| The world’s biggest truffle was found in Istrian peninsula in Croatia, weighing 1.3 kg!
The Croatian name for a cook is KUHAR. It is interesting that in Istria (important peninsula on western part of Croatian coast), near the town of Zminj, there is a small village of Kuhari (= cooks). Moreover, mr. Josip Pino Kuhar, born in the village of Kuhari, is outstanding kuhar in Croatia. |
Author: Nenad N. Bach and Darko ubrini
| Summary. Josip Joe Mikulec (1878-1933), Croatian globe-trotter, is probably the greatest one in history. The first of his two preserved books of autographs covers the period until 1924, while the second – from that year until his death in Genoa, Italy, in 1933. Both books contain more than 50,000 signatures, among them by six USA presidents and Nikola Tesla. The first book has 26 kg and 2896 pp. It was purchased only recently in the USA, in 2025, due to the initiative of Viktor imuni, the Mayor of Oroslavje near Croatian capital Zagreb. The second book was purchased in 2023, and is kept in the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb, as a national heritage. |
| The second of the two Mikulec’s books, pourchased in 1923 by the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb, is considered as a protected national heritage of the Republic of Croatia.
It has 1126 pp, and its weight is 25 kg. Marijan Oani: The time-line of travels of Joe Mikulec |
| The New York Times, Sept. 2., 1923
AUTOGRAPH COLLECTOR HERE IN WORLD TOURS; Joseph Mikulec, autograph collector, has covered several hundred thousand miles and twice traveled around the world to get signatures of prominent persons in all countries. In travel-stained clothes and with his huge book strapped upon his back, he went to the City Hall a few days ago and got the signature of Mayor Hylan. After visiting several local celebrities in financial, business, theatrical and political circles, Mikulec started West again. His leather-bound book, which weighs fifty-seven pounds, is the second he has carried to the far corners of the world. In it he proudly exhibits the signatures of five Presidents:
The book is heavy with the seals of many States and cities, and contains the names of Lloyd George, Lord Curzon, the Prince of Wales, Prince Lubomirski, the President of China, Admiral Togo of Japan, J. Pierpont Morgan, a long list of United States Senators, American Ambassadors, Ambassadors to the United States, many editors and noted writers. And Mikulec left his home in Stubica, Croatia, twenty-two years ago, when he was 23 years old, and began his long pilgrimage on foot, traveling from city to city in Central Europe. After several years of incessant travel on the Continent he visited the United States, making his home in Philadelphia and becoming a citizen in December, 1910. Later he returned to his wanderings and visited
Mikulec said he was now about ready to settle down. He hoped to see his autograph books placed in a position of honor in a museum. Then, he said, he would get a small farm of his own somewhere in the Middle West. Source New York Times Joe Mikulec did not settle down, as indicated near the end of the above 1923 article published in The NYT. He continued to travel until his death in Genoa, Italy, in 1933. He died at the age of 55. There is also another distinguished Croatian globe-trotter, Mate imunovi (1900-1969), nicknamed Mate Svjetski. We also mention Oskar Vojni (1864-1904), who even served as a chieftain in Samoa. |
Author: Zoran Orlic
Author: of Courage
CROATIAN BOOK CLUB OF NEW YORK
Our next selection for ‘book of the month’ is writer Mike Celizic. He writes regularly for MSNBCSports.com. Celizic is the author of Courage: True Stories of American Sports and the Biggest Game of Them All: Notre Dame, Michigan State, and the Fall of ’66. In addition, Mike Celizic co-wrote, Moments of Truth: Real Stories of Life-Changing Inspiration, Rudy’s Rules: Game Plans for Life from the Real Rudy! and The Winning Spirit.
Mike Celizic is a joy to read, even when you disagree with him. His parents are long time members of the Croatian Fraternal Union.
Moments of Truth: Real Stories of Life-Changing Inspiration is available in paperback for $2.95 at www.alibriss.com and at www.amazon.com .
Meeting place: Croatian Cultural Center
Address: 502 West 41st Street, New York, NY (between 10th & 11th Avenues)
Dates: Every Third Wednesday in the month, May 17th, 2006 at 6 p.m.
Next book selection: Moments of Truth by Mike Celizic
Please read the book in advance.
A Croatian Book Club is meeting in New York City to promote Croatian culture. Our club offers readers the opportunity to participate in spirited discussions considering diverse viewpoints about unique subject material.
Each month, the facilitator will choose a “book of the month? that will be read by members in advance and discussed later at the monthly meeting. The monthly meeting will last from approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the vitality of the discussion, size of the group and availability of space.
Below is a partial list of books that will be discussed:
* The Stone Fields by Courtney Angela Brkic
* Infidelities – stories of War and Lust by Josip Novakovic
* How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed by Slavenka Drakulic
* Neither Red nor Dead by Stevo Julius
* The Museum of Unconditional Surrender by Dubravka Ugresic
* The Banquet in Blitva by Miroslav Krleza
* The Bridge to Dalmatia – Search for the Meaning of Place by Francis Violich
* Delightful Dalmatia by Alice Lee Moque
* The Turk and My Mother by Mary Helen Stefaniak
* Sarajevo Marlboro by Miljenko Jergovic
* Croatian Tales of Long Ago by Ivana Brlic Mazuranic
* Anna Marinkovich by Edward Ifkovic
* Carrying the Farm on Her Back-A portrait of Women in a Village by Eva Skold Westerlind
* Healing the Heart of Croatia by Joseph Kerrigan
* Goodby Dear Old Homeland by Yasna Sikic Hood
* American Dream – a Guy from Croatia by Boris Miksic
* Thorn Lace – Mojmir – A Migrant’s Lot by Ina Vukic
* Moments of Truth: Real Stories of Life Changing Inspiration Mike Celizic
* The Labyrinth by Blanka Raguz www.blankaraguz.com
* You’re Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life from the Winner of the Apprentice by Bill Rancic
* Lovers and Madmen – a True Story of Passion, Politics and Air Piracy by Julienne Eden Busic
* Fix Our United States by Krist (Chris) Novoselic www.dwstudios.net
* Necessary Targets: A Story of Women and War by Eve Ensler
* www.admit2.net Natalija Grgorinic & Ognjen Raden
* The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric
* Don’t Call Me Rosie by Kathleen Thomas www.thomaswright.com
* Louis Adamic www.synapse.ne.jp/saitani/ or www.alibris.com
* A Single Step by Heather Mills McCartney (chapters on Croatia)
* Can You Hear Me Screaming? by Eric Obenauf www.twodollarradio.com or www.CroatiaGifts.com
* First Service by Andrea Jaeger (Maja Muric) www.firstservicebook.com
* Celestial Dancer by Anthony Shafer alias Peter Celich
* Letters to My Daughters by Mary Matalin (Tomasevich)
* Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country by Tony Fabijancic
* The Passion to Skate: An Intimate View of Figure Skating by Sandra Bezic
* Return with Honor by Scott O’Grady
* Pixletown: The World Found by Marija Miletic Dail
* The Survival League by Gordan Nuhanovic
* Tesla: Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney
* Zagreb, Exit South by Edo Popovic
* American Scream & Palindrome Apocalypse by Dubravka Oraic Tolic
* King of the Confessors by Thomas Hoving
* Mother’s Memoirs – Lucy Majnaric Marincel by Emily Marincel Amberg
* The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam re: Bill & Steve Belichick
* Zinka Milanov and Flora Tosca: Art, Love, and Politics by Bruce Burroughs
* Inlaid Pearl by Stacie G. Vesolich
* The Croatian Immigrants in America by George Prpic
* Bogdan Radica – out of print
Most of the above books are available free of charge at the Public Library or may be purchased at www.amazon.com and other discount bookstores.
Book Club discussion questions and topics:
· What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the book? What do you think he or she is trying to convey to the reader?
· Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
· What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
· How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
· In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?
· Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
· What did you find surprising about the facts introduced in this book?
· How has reading this book changed your opinion of a certain person or topic?
· Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does she or he achieve this?
· If the author is writing on a controversial issue, does he or she give proper consideration to all sides of the debate? Does he or she seem to have a bias?
· How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?
Facilitator:
Katarina Tepesh is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild. Her essays, “Father’s Funeral? www.quietmountainessays.org/Tepesh and “Babin Kuk? were published in Caprice and Quiet Mountain Essays. “Yearning for Freedom in a Land of the Free? at http://freeriverpress.org/Tepesh.htm Free River Press. A short story, “Anica, a Mail Order Bride from Croatia? at CROWN www.CroatianWorld.net . “Kolo Danced by Hundreds in New York City? www.puredance.org/pressNada.html ; “Josip Novakovich – Infidelities – Stories of War and Lust? www.lijepanasadomovinahrvatska.com/folder/tepesh_280905.htm
Katarina is also a member of the Storytellers – International Toastmasters Club, promoting writing, public speaking and leadership skills. Katarina comes from Zagorje region and now lives in New York City.
If you are interested in joining The Croatian Book Club (CBC) of New York, please contact Katarina by email [email protected] or telephone 212-744-1985.
Formatted for CROWN by Ivo Bach