The Romanian
Bruce Benderson
'History follows a trail of sputtering desire, often calling upon the delusions of lovers to generate the sparks. If it weren't for us, the world would suffer from a dismal lack of stories.' In this brutally candid memoir, writer, translator and journalist Bruce Benderson recounts his unrequited love for an impoverished Romanian whom he meets while on a journalism assignment in Eastern Europe. Rather than retreat, Benderson absorbs everything he can about Romania, its culture and its history and discovers a mirror in it for his own turmoil: the wild affairs of its last king, Carol II. Free of bitterness, nastiness, or any desire to protect himself, he is sustained throughout by little white codeine pills, a poetic self-awareness, a sense of humor, and an unwavering belief in the perfect romance, even as wild dogs chase him down Romanian streets.
Reviews
More than just a memoir, The Romanian is also a fascinating travelogue of a country dense with mystical traces and decay...A grand, if disturbing adventure. --The Village Voice
Published Jan 02, 2006 • 320 pages • ↑ 129mm • ISBNs: 978-1-905005-18-5 •