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Downfall Fall of Ceaucescus a

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About a third of this book is an overview of the Ceausescu regime, and it's basically what we've heard elsewhere. Most of this book is the 1989 revolution that overthrew the Ceausescu's, and the still controversial "miner's revolts" in the ensuing months, especially in June 1990.

The authors have done an excellent job interviewing all key players, high and low. Their access is remarkable: Iliescu, the first post-Ceausescu Romanian leader, as well as leaders of the revolution, the National Salvation Front, the opposing party leaders (Peasant's Party, Ecology Party, etc.), and miner's leaders (such as Miron Cozma -- who went on to serve 18 months in prison well after this book was published).

The authors have also interviewed all sorts of common folk: miners, students, demonstrators who were at the revolution in Bucharest and Timisoara, including Father Tokes.

There are even interviews from sideline players, which add much color to events. They interviewed professors of Marxism in the Communist Party Academy who, watching the revolution on TV, realized they'd soon be out of work. And a chapter on Ceausescu's massive public works project, the controversial Boulevard Of The Victory of Socialism, the authors interviewed people whose houses had been torn down, many of whom now live in the new apartments lining the Boulevard. The authors asked them how they like living on the Boulevard. (As has been reported elsewhere, many Romanians are proud of the Boulevard and House Of The Republic, despite the social and architectural costs, which they admit was not necessarily worth it.)

Although much of the pre-revolution info is reported elsewhere, this book offers new material there as well. For instance, this book includes contemporary (from 1990) photos of the three Ceausescu children -- Zoia, Valentin, and the controversial Nicu. The authors also interviewed all three children -- Nicu from his prison. Since Nicu died in 1996, there will be no new interviews forthcoming.

The authors traveled to the Jiu Valley to interview miner leader Miron Cozma, as well as opposition leaders. They even visited the mines.

A down side: in relating the events of the revolution, the authors drop many names of government officials, saying who was where, when, and what they say happened. But we're often told little of these people's backgrounds, career histories, politics, or why they were important. For instance, the book leaves unclear why so many people rallied to Iliescu so early. There are so many people discussed, perhaps the authors didn't want to add 100 or so extra pages with brief bios on everyone. But this lack of context makes it hard to judge or understand events.

This is not a history book, but a work of journalism. (The authors cite the old phrase: Journalism is history's first draft). But there's so much original research in this book, it should remain in print, and in hardback. Historians would find this a useful book. However, I don't think this 1991 British paperback has ever been released in the US, or anywhere in hardback.

Being a work of journalism, the prose is easy to read. It's exciting and informative (as opposed to many academic texts, which are turgid). Both authors are seasoned journalists. Galloway has written for The Guardian, Sunday Times, Evening Standard, Glasgow Herald, the Scotsman -- and he's an MP (member of Parliament). Labour Party, I'd assume. Bob Wyle is also a journalist and teacher; the book describes him as "formerly a prominent Marxist."

Although the authors are both men of the Left, they are not sympathetic to communism (and ironically, they seem to favor the Times' coverage of events to that of The Independent). The book gets all sides, but also admits to having an opinion. Regarding the post-revolution controversies, the authors are sympathetic to Iliescu and the miners. They do not believe accusations that the Iliescu regime was likely a front for Communists and Securitate members; and while they agree that the miners used excessive force, they are also sympathetic to the miners' plight, and agree with those who claim the June demonstrators (crushed by the miners) appeared on the verge of overthrowing Romania's first democratically elected government.

Much has happened since this book was published (the downfall of Iliescu and the imprisonment of Cozma), and events continue to unfold. It's interesting to read where the authors' speculations have proven correct and false. For instance, in 1991 they speculated that Eastern Europe may "return to the policies of the 1930s. Then the region was plagued with xenophobia, nationalism, territorial disputes, ethnic rivalries and Bonapartist dictators". This was true for Yugoslavia. But they were wrong when they suggested that "it is not fanciful to see [Romania] re-emerge as the most powerful and influential in southern Europe in the next decade."

This work of journalism is indeed a first draft of history, and there's much original info here for any historian, amateur or professional, who wishes a snapshot of Romanian politics and society from December 1989-June 1990.