although i have read previously some books by the world's most renowned scholar of comparative religion, this one struck me as a particularly outstanding collection of stories. "doctor honigberger's secret" is, please allow me to say, stunning for the fact that you are compelled to read it more than once. at the end, you feel like you have watched the film eyes nailed shut, as you, most probably, would feel with each eliade narrative. "rejuvenated by lightning" is a pleasant piece of fiction, notable for both its taste of irony and its authentic inventions.

A lot of books about Romania's recent history make allusions to the pervasive fear Romanians had of Securitate (the national secret police), and how the megalomaniacal leader of the country literally buldozed homes and churches to make way for his palace. A lot of it sounds unbelievable, or at least greatly exaggerated.

Dan Antal's story gives a first-hand look at the reality of life under a paranoid, totalitarian regime, and the reality is a lot more sick than even the "exaggerated" stories might have led one to believe. While his style is sometimes less than perfect, the people he recalls, and the situations he relates, more than make up for it. As a Romanian kid interested in western things -- the Beatles, English-language studies, glossy magazines -- he becomes a target for the local Securitate bullies. Since he won't give in to their "deprogramming," his career and personal life suffer. However, he lives to see the day when the ergime is overthrown -- only to discover that it's a different show, but the same actors.

As I have a personal interest in recent Romanian history, and have read a lot of more scholarly or political works, this was a great look at how a "common man" experienced events before and after the revolution. It filled in a lot of details, and personalized what might have been just facts and figures before.

Compiled and written by Romania's foremost expert on the ancient history of Dobrogea Adrian Radulescu (former director of the Museum of History and Archeology in Constanta), Ovid In Exile is a informed and deftly presented study of the life and works of the Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso. Born in central Italy in 43 B.C., Naso was an aristocrat and a practitioner of law whose verse (especially his erotic poetry), left an indelible influence in western literature down through the centuries. A welcome addition to Romanian History and Roman Literary Studies, extensive research and unique insights hallmark this thoughtful and very highly recommended examination.

In December 1989, the Romanian people overthrew their communist dictator. He left behind a country with no democratic tradition, an economy in ruins, and corrupt ex-communists still in charge. Two years later the author met Radu, the head of a Romanian university, at a meeting in Washington DC. He invited her to come to his country as a teacher. She accepted his invitation that day and with good language skills but no knowledge of Romanian made her plans to live and teach in Timisoara. Within six weeks of her arrival, her sponsor Radu was ousted in a rigged election, leaving her to survive on her wits. This book tells of her survival and seven years of teaching, with only brief return visits to the US. Ostensibly she taught English but informally she also taught democracy and business ethics. She also learnt to love the Romanian people. In turn they adored her.

This short book, one hundred pages of sparkling prose, is almost impossible to put down. It captures both the squalor of a post-Stalinist country but also the charm of its citizens, their curiosity about the West, their great performances of classical music, their food ranging from awful in the hotel to simple but delightful in private homes. Above all it is an account of a US citizen who acted as an unoffical ambassador for our country. Would that all our official ambassadors could meet her standards.

When I was 14, I met Sabina Wurmbrand when she and her husband came to my church. There were flocks of people around but she looked through them and came to me and smiled her wonderful sweet smile and said "You will be a wonderful woman of God." Her book is just like that. It breaks through the crowd and clamor of life and brings you to a place where God is personal and real. The story is vivid in its detail of what she and the other women experienced and how they dealt with them. It is the story of a miraculous life and worth reading!

"The Phantom Church" is an excellent book for introducing the American reader to the rich Romanian folklore and literature. The book offers great insights into the Romanian society from the second World War up to the present times.

This is the first truly comprehensive and objective study of the Russian army's military control of Romanian territory during the years 1940 to 1941, and its occupation of the country from 1945 to 1958. The Red Army In Romania draws from archival sources as the authors discuss the geopolitical and historical conditions that enabled the Russians to occupy Romania, the consequences of the occupation for the country (especially on the political life of the citizenry), and the establishment of a totalitarian Communist regime. The authors also deal with the consequences of the Red Army's stationing on Romanian territory, its impact on the evolution of social relations in the country, and the opposition of romanian society to the military occupation. Detailed attention is given to the economic aspects of the occupation . The Red Army In Romania is very highly recommended for students of Cold War Romanian history and European focused international studies

Revelations Of Byzantium: The Monasteries And Painted Churches Of Northern Moldavia by Alan Ogden (with an historical introduction by Kurt W. Treptown and enhanced with original illustrations by Octavian Ion Penda), is an impressive and informative survey of the architecture and artwork of Moldavian religious institutions dating back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Splendid full-color photography offers compelling visual testimony of the grandeur and faith behind these stunning works of architecture and their impressive interior murals. The informed and "reader friendly" text offers both historical and critical background of the religious institutions and their remarkable artworks. Revelations Of Byzantium is a strongly recommended contribution to personal, professional, and academic Architectural History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

A necessary book for a better understanding of the complex history of the Balcans. The fact that the book is written by well known historians just adds to the value.

This new addition to the 'Enchantment of the World' series provides color photos, original maps, and interactive sidebars of facts and information on a country which too rarely receives its own book. Facts about the country are numerous and outline the peoples, culture, and economic and political changes of the nation.