Customer Reviews

Romania (Reaktion Books - Topographics)

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After living for two months in the Romanian region of Oltenia, I came home obsessed with the place. I wanted to know everything I could about its history, culture, language, and people. This book was on my wish list for quite a while before I went ahead and bought it myself. Smartest thing I've done all year. It is a highly informative read about the history of the land, all the way from Rome's Trajan to the present day, and the aftermath of Romania's extremely destructive bout of communism. Boia writes candidly about the spotty past of the country, even to the extent of sometimes portraying Romanians unfavorably. A lot of emphasis is put on the relatively recent history of post-WW2 events, and goes into depth about Ceausescu and his appalling legacy. The only thing about the book that I was slightly disappointed in was the focus of attention on Bucharest. It was not an area of the country I spent much time in, and I wish Boia would have spread out and explained more about Oltenia and the Banat; but it was still very intriguing. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the country.

For someone who plans on visiting Romania or is simply fascinated by this country's unique and complex position in Southeastern Europe, for those interested in its culture, history and people (and the events and phenomena that have helped to define this history) or for those, like myself, who are attempting to piece together the puzzle of their national identity by going back to their origins.... this is a wonderful point of departure. Boia's narrative is very powerful, as he takes the breathless reader on an unforgettable journey through the various (both necessary and unfortunate) stages in the protagonist's development, in order that the reader may try to understand the complex, and often conflicting, make-up of this fascinating land (and, in the process, as was the case with me, gain a better understanding of oneself).
Unlike traditional historians, Boia doesn't just list facts; he analyzes Romania's condition throughout the ages and the events, ideologies and people that have made it what it is today, and at the same time, urges the reader to analyze them and to draw his or her own conclusions.
(I simply could not put down this book until I finished it.)

For someone who plans on visiting Romania or is simply fascinated by this country's unique and complex position in Southeastern Europe, for those interested in its culture, history and people (and the events and phenomena that have helped to define this history) or for those, like myself, who are attempting to piece together the puzzle of their national identity by going back to their origins.... this is a wonderful point of departure. Boia's narrative is very powerful, as he takes the breathless reader on an unforgettable journey through the various (both necessary and unfortunate) stages in the protagonist's development, in order that the reader may try to understand the complex, and often conflicting, make-up of this fascinating land (and, in the process, as was the case with me, gain a better understanding of oneself).
Unlike traditional historians, Boia doesn't just list facts; he analyzes Romania's condition throughout the ages and the events, ideologies and people that have made it what it is today, and at the same time, urges the reader to analyze them and to draw his or her own conclusions.
(I simply could not put down this book until I finished it.)

I thought the book was especially useful because Lucian Boia tells us right off the bat that there is not one, but many histories, of Romania. This is one of those histories, fortunately it's one that is well-researched. Some histories have been doctored to present a particular ideology while others try to be more objective. I suppose it's up to the reader to ultimately choose which history they want to believe. But at least this author was willing to admit that he didn't know everything, but was still willing to present the story of Romania's past to the best of his ability. I found that a refreshing change from those historians who pretend to have the ultimate answers.

This was recommended as a companion buy for the book I originally wanted to order. I found it very interesting and thoughtful; really excellent.