For a country so beautiful, interesting and unusual as Slovenia, very little has been written about it – at least in English.
There are numerous books about Yugoslavia (most of which are war-related), there are travel guides to Slovenia from all the usual suspects, and there are several novels set in Slovenia, but non-fiction books focussing entirely on modern-day Slovenia are slim pickings.
So, where do you turn if you want to learn what makes Slovenia such a remarkable country? If you want to learn about everyday life in Slovenia? About Slovenes? About the trials and tribulations of living in Slovenia?
I have personally read all the books on this list, and I share my own thoughts about each. I aim to create the definitive guide to books on Slovenia (bookmark it!) so if there are any titles you think deserve a place here, let me know in the comments below.
Dormice & Moonshine by Sam Baldwin (published 2024)
This travel memoir is my own account of being seduced by Slovenia in the late ‘00s, buying a 300-year-old sausage-curing cabin in the hinterlands that came with 300 problems, and eventually, a decade later, moving to Slovenia after a breakup.
Dormice & Moonshine covers various areas including the struggles of learning Slovenian, the infuriating Slovenian bureaucracy, the kindness of Slovenes, Slovenia’s most popular non-contact sport: neighbour fighting, everyday life in rural Slovenia, everyday life in Ljubljana, renovating an old house, working for a Slovenian business, Slovenian characters such as honey makers, moonshine makers, bitcoin miners, home-butchers, dormice hunters, extreme mountaineers, extreme weather, wildlife, wild animals, plus various travels around the country.
It’s also a love story and a look at what happens when you take a chance, jump into the unknown, and chase a dream.
In 2025, the book was translated and published in Slovenian by Slovenia’s largest publisher and bookstore chain, Mladinska knjiga, as Polhi in kačja slina: Kako sem se zaljubil v Slovenijo (Dormice & Snake Saliva: How I fell in love with Slovenia), and is available in hardback throughout Slovenia.
The English version is available in hardback, paperback and ebook from all Amazon stores now.
Slovenology by Noah Charney (published 2017)
When I saw this book in a shop window in Ljubljana soon after I’d first moved to Slovenia, I immediately bought it. Back then I was so hungry for insight into life here that I virtually inhaled the whole thing, finishing it in a day.
Slovenology is a mixture of personal memoir and anecdote, insightful essays on elements of Slovenian life – education, the film and book industry, Slovene holidays for example – and part guide book, with recommended travel itineraries. There’s also a handy reference section with suggestions for books, art, and music that would appeal to anyone interested in Slovenia.
Charney, an American who chose to move to Slovenia after sampling life in several countries, has been a full-time resident for well over a decade. Having written a dozen books and having learned Slovene and appeared frequently on Slovenian TV shows speaking it, he is a well-qualified guide with deep love and knowledge of the country.
Slovenology jumps around but packs a lot in and provides bite-sized insights into aspects of the country. Recommended reading for any Slovenophile.
The hardback is beautifully produced, (but doesn’t seem to be available from Amazon), however it can be ordered from Slovenian bookshops, and the kindle edition is sold on Amazon.
Forbidden Bread by Erica Johnson Debeljak (published 2009)
Forbidden Bread is a memoir of an American woman who meets a Slovenian poet in New York and ends up moving to Ljubljana in the mid-90s, just as Slovenia is getting to grips with its new role as an independent country.
It’s very well written and covers Debeljak’s struggles learning Slovenian and the cultural differences she discovers in her new life. Running through the book is the story of her relationship with her poet partner, and later the family they start.
I think Slovenia has changed quite a lot since the period Debeljak covers but Forbidden Bread remains a very worthwhile read; a humorous, touching, and entertaining account of life for an American in Slovenia. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the challenges and rewards of coming to live in the country as a foreigner.
Alpine Warriors by Bernadette McDonald (published 2015)
Alpine Warriors is unlike the other books on this list in that it focuses on one important element of the Slovene psyche: mountains. Written by a Canadian author who has published more than ten books, it’s an excellent account of the rise of Slovenian climbers during a golden era in the 1970s and ‘80s, who quickly became some of the most respected alpinists in the world.
Amongst stories of high summits, north faces, avalanches, exposed ridges, alpinist in-fighting, first ascents, and frostbite, we also get a good feel for Slovenia’s (and Yugoslavia’s) history and culture, especially during WW2 and the post-war period.
Although Alpine Warriors will appeal most to those interested in adventures at altitude, it covers more than just mountains. There’s enough background and insight into Slovenia as a country to satisfy any Slovenia fan, even if you’re not a mountain climber yourself. And as mountains and mountaineering are such a big part of what it means to be Slovenian, this book helps us understand more about the Slovenian love of high places and what drives so many Slovenes to venture there. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Culture Smart Slovenia by Jason Blake (published 2011)
This little gem of a book is a great introduction to Slovenia and the Slovenes. It’s not a travel guide (although it does contain some information on travelling around the country) but a guide to what makes Slovenians Slovene.
Written by a Canadian who has lived in Slovenia since 2000 and speaks the language so well he works as a translator, it’s an informative and often humorous look at the country and its people. Amongst the more well-trodden ground of Slovenia’s history, landscape, customs and traditions, are lots of insightful observations on Slovenian values, attitudes, and mindset.
At 168 pages long, it’s a short read but it packs plenty in. I found myself nodding and chuckling at numerous points as I recognised behaviours (and sometimes learned the reasons behind such behaviours) that I’d personally experienced.
Written with an undercurrent of dry humour, it’s an accurate and interesting overview of what makes Slovenians tick and is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to quickly get an understanding of the quirks of Slovenia and the people who live here.
The Slovenians: An A to Z of History’s Great Slovenes by John Bills (published 2021)
For a country with so few people (there are only two million Slovenians), Slovenia has punched well above its weight when it comes to notable citizens. And author John Bills has done an excellent job of identifying and cataloguing 100 of the most important.
His well-researched compendium contains information on Slovenian inventors, artists, authors, musicians, mountain climbers, comedians, poets, doctors, feminists, ski jumpers and more. Many had their greatest impact within Slovenia; others went well beyond their borders to make a mark on the wider world.
Written with dry humour, The Slovenians is a must-have for any Slovenaphile wanting to go deeper than Lake Bled and learn more about the people who have made Slovenia such a fascinating country. No other book written – certainly in English (and possibly even in Slovene too) – contains such a detailed list of Slovenia’s ‘Top of the Pops’ humans.
The Slovenians is available as an ebook direct from the author’s site.
Sunny Side of the Alps by Roy Clark (published 2020)
This is a gentle memoir of two Brits in their mid-forties who upped sticks from their Scottish Highlands home and moved to Slovenia with their dog for a few years. The author, who has also written several hiking guidebooks, is a keen walker, and part of the narrative is about him writing these guidebooks.
The story is largely set in a small village in the east of Slovenia, and then later, near Jesenice, where the couple lived. It doesn’t go into great depth about the history, culture or language of Slovenia, but nonetheless, it’s another account of a foreigner living in Slovenia during the mid-00s.
The Slovenia – Top 100 Destinations (published 2023)
I won’t be including all the classic guidebooks (Lonely Planet et al) in this list but I will mention this one. Published by a Slovenian company, it’s a colourful catalogue of sorts, with locations presented in full gloss, alongside history and tips for travellers. What makes this guide different from most, is that several well-known characters – both Slovene and foreign – are profiled at the start, along with recommended events, souvenirs, and dishes, giving the book an extra angle.
The Slovenian is a coffee table book – almost a brochure – that doubles as an inspirational guide. When I first moved to Slovenia I bought a copy and often referred to it for ideas on where to visit.
The publisher has since expanded their line to include The Slovenia Lakes, The Slovenia Wine and The Slovenia Restaurants, and they publish in several languages.
Bizarrely, the book doesn’t seem to be available from Amazon at all, but can be purchased directly from the publisher’s website.
Know any other great books about Slovenia that belong in this list? Let me know in the comments below.
Slovenia: Life in the SLO Lane 
Great selection!
I’d also add: Culture Smart Slovenia. Very insightful (even though I was born and raised in Slovenia).
Thank you. Have just finished reading it – and you’re right – it deserves a place on this list – so have now added it.