Sinisa Jancan

When Bosnian-born Sinisa Jancan was only 4 years old, his home city of Sarajevo fell under attack during an “ethnic cleansing” effort by neighboring Serbia.  Jancan has recently published his memoir of his life from ages 4 to 8, chronicling incredible struggles and acts of heroism, including the resilience and persistence of his parents.  Shortly after the war ended, the Jancan family relocated to Louisiana.

 

Now 35 and living in Baton Rouge, Jancan’s book, Silence in the Quiet of Peace, is a gripping and harrowing tale of the horrors and suffering he saw as a child, and a cautionary tale for those Jancan says engage in “blind nationalism.”

 

When he arrived in the United States at age 9 with his parents, twin sister, and older brother, they had almost no knowledge of English.  In addition to ESL studies, Jancan immersed himself in American pop culture and English-language books, determined to master the tongue of his adopted home and to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a writer.  Silence in the Quiet of Peace – and Jancan’s conversational skills – reveal no trace of having learned English as a second language.

 

Today, Sinisa Jancan (pronounced SIN-isha YON-chon) works in the restaurant industry and spends time with his parents, Tibomir and Milena, who also reside in Baton Rouge and are both cancer survivors.

 

“I experienced things that no child should endure,” Jancan said.  “But my book is not mournful.  It is a sad story, yes, but it is also a story of resilience and resolve, and the heroism of my parents in ensuring we all survived the war and emerged with the opportunity to thrive.”