<b>Web Extra</b>: Hear Simon's 1993 report, 'Sarajevo Pets'
In the early 1990s, NPR journalist Scott Simon reported from war-torn Sarajevo. Those experiences formed the basis for his debut novel, Pretty Birds, the story of a 16-year-old girl who adapts to her violent times.
Offered a chance to become a sniper and take retribution against Serbs, half-Muslim Irena Zaric finds her place in the conflict. The novel tells of her complicated life in a dramatically changing city.
Simon, host of NPR's Weekend Edition, has covered 10 wars. He has also won every major broadcasting award, including the Peabody and the Emmy. His other books include a best-selling memoir, Home and Away, as well as a biography of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
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