Hi, I'm interested in reading a book that focuses on the history of socialist Yugoslavia: Tito, conflicts with Stalin, regular folks' lives and jobs, public works projects, production and consumption of culture, that kind of thing.
Most books I've seen recommended here and elsewhere seem to either focus on the breakup and resulting conflict, or they seem to be longer historical overviews of the entire Balkans. Those are great, and I'll probably read Mazower and/or Glenny as well. But I'm wondering if there's something suitable to my more narrow interest too.
Do you read either German of BCSM? If so, I have so really great recommendations for you. English is a bit more... difficult in regards to what you are looking for since in all my studies my distinct impression has been that English language scholarship on socialist Yugoslavia, especially when focusing not on the high politics stuff is a bit underdeveloped.
Lorraine M. Lees' book Keeping Tito afloat details the relationship between Yugoslavia and the United States throughout the Cold War and goes especially into both the Marshall Plan in Yugoslavia and the times when Yugoslavia was close to joining NATO in the 1950s and makes for a good read but, as so many English language lit, focuses on Yugoslavia and the West rather than life in Yugoslavia.
Stefan K. Pavlowitch's book on Tito, aptly titled "a reassesment" is also interesting and tries to be as objective as possible but Pavlowitch is steeped in early 90s Balkan politics and it is really a very short book with only 119 pages.
Jozo Tomasevich gives a great overview of Yugoslavia and WWII in his both volumes but again, that only focuses on WWII.
Sabrina Ramet and her book on the three Yugoslavias is once again an overview work but might come closest to what you are seeking since she deals specifically with state building and legtimization in the 20th century and that goes into a lot of detail of internal political decisions.
Generally, Ramet, who has been called the most prolific scholar of Yugoslavia writing in English, is probably your best bet. Her books on Nationalism and Federalism in Yugoslavia expand on her above book somewhat too and also deal with the internal politics of socialist Yugoslavia.
Other than that, I am afraid, there only is older stuff from the time that Yugoslavia still existed. There is one great German scholar of Yugoslavia, Holm Sundhaussen, but he hasn't been published in English so far from what I can tell (he would be exactly what you are looking for though). There is also is stuff in BCSM but, again, not translated....
Sorry, I can't give you more than that.