The Cellist of Sarajevo

This book is simple, and yet so complex and profound. It's based on a real-life incident in Sarajevo during the awful war that was going back then. During those awful times, a man would brave snipers and bombs in the middle of the street to play the cello. The book is centred around the individuals who were affected by his reckless but brave act.
The writing was beautiful, unpretentious and filled with pathos. I was particularly arrested by the chapter where a character remembered how Sarajevo was like before the war ... while he walked the streets to work. Such a simple, normal act was fraught with danger because there is a sniper in the hills who randomly choses his victims. Yet, he had no choice as if he didn't get to work, he didn't get to eat. And as he braved the streets, hoping that he won't be sniper's chosen target today, he remembers how it was like before evil took over the world.
This book will make you ponder about humanity, about the love we're capable of and the casual cruelty we inflict on the world and on others.