Reviews (1)

A great bio of one of the last great queens
I recently re-read Hannah Pakula's spectacular bio of the British princess Marie who became the iconic queen of Roumania and I enjoyed it even more than I did twenty years ago when I first read it. Queen Marie exemplified what was best about royalty, a woman who through her training at the hands of her mother (who was daughter of the Tsar) learned to put the needs of her people before her own happiness. Marie overcame the sorrows of a difficult marriage, the scandals of her own indiscretions, and the loneliness of being a foreign princess in an exotic land, to be the inspiration and advocate the Roumanian people needed in the dark days of WWI and its aftermath. One is thrilled to become acquainted with a woman who was intelligent, cultured, sophisticated, an international beauty, a writer, full of passion and integrity. I highly recommend this book as one that is worth having in any private collection of royal biographies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1875-1938    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. General    7. Marie,    8. Queen,    9. Queen, consort of Ferdinand I,    10. Queen, consort of Ferdinand I, King of Romania,    11. Queens    12. Romania    13. consort of Ferdinand I, King of Romania    14. Marie   

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Museum    5. Exhibitions    6. General    7. History - Contemporary (1945- )    8. Steinberg, Saul    9. Art / General    10. Individual designers    11. Romania    12. USA   

Editorial Review

In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Read more

Reviews (911)

Unforgettable Tale of Holocaust Horror
Beyond and essential read, Night speaks to the reader about fundamental questions at the heart of the human condition.A powerfully moving autobiography, the story of this teenager's journey through the most horrific death camps of Nazi Europe, strips away discussion of anti-semitism and hatred, to present the raw suffering of individual humans, stuck in situations beyond their control.From the establishment of a ghetto in Elie's home town of Sighet, the reader can only watch with growing horror as the young man and his family are swept up in the Holocaust.Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Gleiwitz: some of the most infamous places in modern human history, rise around Elie, as we watch him stripped of absolutely everything.The reader is swept along helplessly, as Hitler's "Final Solution" unfolds - death marches, starvation, selections, cattle-carts full of people, torture, floggings, mass-murder - and as Elie is gradually reduced to nothing more than a 'hungry stomach'.
must reading
this is a disturbing work in that it recounts a man's experience of the nazi death camps. Warning: this book will shake you up mentally, and emotionally.It is not for the faint of heart.Yet, it is a must read because of the exposure it gives to humanity at it's worst and humanity under it's worst.

Lost in Translation
The short novel Night has emotional power not only because of the dark subject matter, but because Elie Wiesel is a gifted writer who deftly reveals the spiritual and mental anguish of the main character.Generally considered autobiographical, the account follows a young man who feels he is losing not only God, but his humanity as the Nazi machine ravages Europe.The novel itself deserves 10 stars.
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Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. History - General History    6. Holocaust    7. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    8. Jews    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Personal narratives    11. Romania    12. Sighet    13. Wiesel, Elie,    14. Childhood and youth    15. Wiesel, Elie   

Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Eastern Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Politics and government    7. Revolution, 1989    8. Revolutionary    9. Romania    10. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -   

Editorial Review

"Little did the coauthors realize at the time they embarked upon this project over a glass of plum brandy in Bucharest more than twenty-five years ago, that their work would result in the discovery of the authentic, bloodthirsty prototype for Bram Stoker's famous novel Read more

Reviews (19)

The "real" dracula
If given the choice I would prefer to split this book down the middle, the first half being given fours stars and the second 1. I would have to say that the title of the books says this is a history of vampires as well as dracula. I think this is incorrect; there is one chapter on vampiric folklore which to be blunt is very vague and doesn't really tell you anything.
AN ESSENCIAL GUIDE OF VAMPIRES
I THINK THIS BOOK IS VERY NECCESSARY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERY THING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF DRACULA AND VAMPIRES, AS TO KNOW THE TRADICIONAL FOLK OF THE PEOPLE FROM ROMANIA.
interesting read
i enjoyed this book very much. it was an insightful read into the actual history of vlad the impaler and the legend of dracula. if you like history and vampires, then this is the book for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1430 or 31-1476 or 7    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Dracula, Count (Fictitious cha    5. Dracula, Count (Fictitious character)    6. Eastern Europe - General    7. Historical - General    8. History    9. History: World    10. III,    11. Occult Sciences    12. Occultism    13. Prince of Wallachia,    14. Romania    15. Vampires    16. Vlad    17. Eastern Europe    18. History / Europe / Eastern    19. Occultism & quasi-religious beliefs   

Reviews (30)

dracula ,barbaric murderer
Prince Dracula was a very unkind prince. He would impale anyone whom he thought was insulting him or going against him. Everyone hated him and feared him. it is a really good book to read. It describes the barbaric tortures and execution methods enjoyed by prince dracula.
Fascinating history of a very real man
Though much of the book is bogged down with, at times, needlessly wordy and overexplained histories and geneologies, the whole of it provides a compelling and objective window into the world of Prince Dracula.Investigating the misinterpretation and distortion of Dracula's deeds by various cultures who were directly affected by his handiwork we are able to paint a picture of Dracula the man, and easily understand how Dracula the legend was born.What is particularly fascinating about Florescu's and McNally's account is the radically different lenses through which Dracula is viewed, even in the modern era, by the different peoples he interacted with.A Romanian nationlist hero, defender of Christianity, crusader, cruel but just despot, demon, monster and at last vampire, Dracula truly was a "Prince of Many Faces".Vampire enthusiasts be warned, this book is not a tale of Satanic contracts and witchcraft.Dracula was a very real and influential political figure, this book is a great historical resource, not a fairytale.

Great biography of a brave but brutal antihero
This book offers a great portrait of Vlad Dracula as a misunderstood man of courage and vision, without whitewashing him or condoning the stomach-turning violence he was certainly capable of.It explains his rough childhood, how his own father sold him out to the Turks and he watched his weak-minded brother become sexual property.You learn all about how he was taken under the wing of the legendary John Hunyadi, a former enemy turned unlikely ally.During the later chapters of the book, you will be rooting for him in battle even though you definitely won't approve of everything he does.Some of it is quite disturbing.
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Subjects:  1. 1430 or 31-1476 or 7    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    7. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    8. Historical - General    9. III,    10. Kings and rulers    11. Prince of Wallachia    12. Prince of Wallachia,    13. Vlad    14. Wallachia    15. Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts    16. Biography: historical    17. European history: c 500 to c 1500    18. Romania   

Reviews (24)

Riveting read about unimaginable corruption by former Romanian Dictator
The Ceausescu "presidency" and "government" is revealed from the ultimate insider point of view, that of his former head of Intelligence, General Pacepa.Pacepa describes with frank methodology Nicolae Ceausescu's, along with his ankle biting wife Elena's, abuse of power.Hidden microphones, dissidents being "taken care of" in ways completely mind boggling, disinformation spread to allow Romania to shine in Western countries, even Jimmy Carter made to look foolish... it's amazing how far Ceausescu's "government" went to enrich it's humble leader.It is extremely fascinating, and shines new light on Yasser Arafat and Mikail Gorbachev, as well as making one question their own government and how perhaps other modern day governments are really run, especially North Korea.
An interesting look at Romania's Ceausescu regime
Anyone who spent even a few months in Romania when Ceausescu ran it knows that it was very poorly governed.Some symptoms of this were the long lines, the empty shelves in the food stores, the lack of so many consumer goods, the dollar shops, the Securitate, the eagerness of so many citizens to emigrate (and the difficulty of getting visas), the lack of Western newspapers and magazines and the weakness of currency by Western standards.There were also the searches for contraband items at the borders, such as calculators, Bibles, or coffee.Bribery appeared to be part of the culture.Yes, a few people in the government were relatively well off, but very few others were.
Fascinating!!!!
Red Horizons: Chronicles of a Communist Spy Chief is a fascinating book.Pacepa has insights that you will fine nowhere else.
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Subjects:  1. 1928-    2. Departamentul de Informa÷tii Externe    3. Diaries    4. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    5. General    6. History    7. Intelligence officers    8. Pacepa, Ion Mihai,    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Romania    11. Romania.    12. Sociology    13. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    14. Marxism & Communism    15. Political Science / General    16. Political oppression & persecution    17. Political structure & processes    18. c 1970 to c 1980    19. c 1980 to c 1990   

Subjects:  1. Campaigns    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Military    5. Military - Strategy    6. Military - World War II    7. Romania    8. Soviet Union    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. Battles & campaigns    11. European history: Second World War    12. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. 1989-    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. Economic Conditions    5. Economic policy    6. History    7. History: World    8. Politics and government    9. Post-communism    10. Romania    11. European history: postwar, from c 1945 -    12. History / Europe / Eastern    13. Political structures: democracy    14. Political structures: totalitarianism & dictatorship    15. Social history    16. Transitional economies    17. c 1990 to c 2000   

Reviews (9)

Persecuted by Fate
This is probably the definitive look at the strange horrors of Communist-era Romania, culminating in the 1989 overthrow and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu. Edward Behr's treatment is both an investigative report into key events, and a historical analysis into the long-term social forces that culminated in Romania's terrible hardships. A history of imperial subjugation and frustrated ambitions steered Romania down the road to dictatorship, in the form of the dim-witted and histrionic Nicolae, and his manipulative and vindictive wife Elena. Behr usefully analyzes the state terror and recrimination fomented by the Ceausescus, to perpetuate their incompetent cult of personality and thoughtless oppression of the people. Also, the Romanian communists were as prone to bitter factionalism and denunciations as their Soviet overlords, while Behr finds that yet another party conspiracy manipulated the popular unrest of late 1989, to force a tragic continuation of the people's suffering under a new regime. This book is a generally excellent political and historical analysis, though there are some problems with Behr's narrative that keep it from being a consistent winner. The travails of the common people are merely alluded to in passing, with almost no examination of the horrifying disease, starvation, and child abandonment that were all over the world news at the time. And more fundamentally, this book was written almost immediately after the 1989 revolution, probably to cash in before public interest in the subject waned. This is a problem because Behr frequently vows to analyze how the Ceausescu dictatorship would leave a sorry legacy in Romania for decades to come, but not enough time had passed for him to make more than thin speculations on those everlasting horrors. [~doomsdayer520~]

Fine history of a dismal 20th Century Romania
The 20th Century will forever be remembered as one of supreme cruelty, and few nations can speak to this better than those who fell beneath the Iron Curtain. Romania, a proud Eastern European nation with a mix of Italians, Bulgarians and Hungarians among the native peoples, was a centerpiece to this. At the close of WWII, Communist forces rose up in Romania and neighboring nations, installing a home-brewed oppression under the guidance and repression of the Soviet Union. Romania's Communist experience was punctuated by distinct periods, the worst of which was the Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu rule of the 1970s and '80s.
Excels at recounting the Ceausescus' last days
Released in 1991 by Villard, now out of print.
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Subjects:  1. 1944-1989    2. Ceausescu, Elena    3. Ceausescu, Nicolae    4. Ceau÷sescu, Elena    5. Ceau÷sescu, Nicolae    6. Contemporary Politics - Europe    7. History    8. Romania    9. Sociology    10. History / General   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Arts, Romanian    5. Avant-garde (Aesthetics)    6. Dadaism    7. History    8. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    9. History - Surrealism & Dadaism    10. Romania    11. Art / History / Modern (late 19th Century to 1945)    12. Surrealism & Dada   

Reviews (2)

A Great Book
I agree with the previous reviewer! Verdery's latest book makes the market transition studies of Nee, Keister, and Guthrie look obsolete, simplistic, uninformed, off-the mark, and BORING. (David Stark is somewhat better than the names listed above so I cut him some slack.) A must-read for students of social change AND policy makers! Great work!!!!

A definite account of postsocialism
To: Doug Guthrie, Lisa Keister, and David Stark: Please, spare publishing houses of your crap. Read this book and try to learn something from it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. General    5. History - General History    6. Land reform    7. Peasantry    8. Post-communism    9. Romania    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Transylvania    13. Transylvania (Romania)   

Reviews (4)

Romania by Boia
This was recommended as a companion buy for the book I originallywanted to order.I found it very interesting and thoughtful; really excellent.

I devoured this book!
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.

An informative, moving, well-written book. A great read!!!
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).Read more

Subjects:  1. Eastern Europe - General    2. Europe - General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    7. History / General    8. International relations    9. Multicultural studies    10. Romania    11. Social history   

Reviews (6)

A very interesting family
The family photo on the cover is a classic, and I first saw it as a child in a Time-Life series book.The condition has since been diagnosed as pseudoachondroplasia, a genetic disorder of the cartilage.
An unforgettable perspective on the nightmare of the Holocaust
Penned by a pair of Israeli journalists, In Our Hearts We Were Giants is the never-before-told true story of the Ovitz family, seven of them dwarfs, who experienced the horrors of the Holocaust - yet in an odd twist of fate, their dwarfism actually helped them to survive. Serving as popular entertainers until the Nazis deported them to Auschwitz in May 1944, the Ovitz family - widely known as the Lilliput Troupe - were separated from other Jewish victims. The notorious Dr. Josef Mengele, his diabolic "research" on twins and other genetically unique individuals already underway, took a special interest in the Ovitzes. Even as he arranged for vile experiments to be performed upon the Ovitzes, he developed a bizarre fondness for them and their will to survive. Pieced together from interviews with the last surviving Ovitz sibling and her relatives, medical documentation, archival lists, and original Auschwitz records, In Our Hearts We Were Giants is an unforgettable perspective on the nightmare of the Holocaust.
The Seven Dwarfs
The story of the Ovitz family's devotion to one other and to their religion is by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking. By now, many of us have read books, seen movies, and heard stories about extraordinary survival won through that extraordinary horror, the Holocaust. This book stands with the best of those stories because of its uniqueness -- seven of the 10 Ovitzes were dwarfs, and therefore the entire family became the special "pets" of the dreaded Dr. Mengele.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Dwarfs    4. Historical - Holocaust    5. History    6. History: World    7. Holocaust    8. Holocaust survivors    9. Human experimentation in medicine    10. Jewish Holocaust    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Romania    13. Transylvania    14. Vaudeville/Cabaret/Burlesque   

Reviews (5)

Not bad but less pricey books can be found
This is a nice scholarly book just teeming with footnotes and it made me feel like I was in college again.It could have contained a little more info and a little less footnote.It very well might have some snippets that the other books don't, but McNally and Florescu books have a wealth of information for much less money.For example "In Search of Dracula" is about $10 to $15 with shipping vs. this book at $40.00 or so.It is a good book, but not worth the price for the information that it contains.

Vlad III Dracula: The Life and Times ofthe Historical
Buy it! If you're a serious student (casual readers may be intimidated by the massive amount of footnotes), get this one. If one could own four books on Dracula they should be the Florescu-McNally books and this one. A scholarly biography
I'm a history professor who's teaching a course on Dracula next semester. I've already ordered Florescu's Prince of Many Faces and McNally's In Search of Dracula as required reading. I've attempted to read everything in English on Dracula.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1430 or 31-1476 or 7    2. Balkan Peninsula - History    3. Biography    4. Europe - General    5. General    6. History    7. History: World    8. III,    9. Kings and rulers    10. Medieval    11. Medieval World History (Circa 450 - Circa 1450)    12. Prince of Wallachia,    13. Vlad    14. Wallachia    15. Biography: historical    16. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    17. Romania    18. Dracula    19. Romanian history    20. 15th century   

Reviews (2)

Highly recommended
A most entertaining, witty, colorful, yet intelligent, articulate, and realistic account of the 1989 Romanian Anti-Communist Revolution. I highly recommend this book to anyone with the sligthest interest in the topic.
The Hole in the Flag--Trevor Landers
It was about 2.25 am in the morning when I finished Codresacu's riveting memoir The Hole in the Flag which I found poignant, fey, hopeful and insightful. Sometimes I read a book which demands that it be devoured voraciously and this book falls into that category. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. Biography    3. Codrescu, Andrei,    4. Eastern Europe - Romania    5. General    6. History    7. History: World    8. Personal narratives    9. Political Repression    10. Politics - Current Events    11. Revolution, 1989    12. Romania    13. Romanian Americans    14. Codrescu, Andrei   

Reviews (1)

A little self congratulatory but still interesting
The autobiography of Marie, Queen of Romania, is well written, but somewhat florid and self congratulatory in its attempts to describe her feelings about events, particularly her appointment as the "face of Romania" at the Paris talks that brought the end of world war one in 1919.Her style is best when she is most lacking in self consciousness.Her estimates of the various players at the peace conference are penetrating and probably correct.Certainly her description of the war torn countryside of Europe through which she passed are graphic and emotionally moving visions.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    5. Royalty    6. Women    7. Biography & Autobiography / Royalty    8. Biography: general    9. European history: from c 1900 -    10. Other prose: from c 1900 -    11. Romania   

Reviews (21)

Testament to the Faith
This is an excellent little book that tells the remarkable account of Richard Wurmbrand, a Lutheran pastor who was tortured for 14 years in Communist prisons for his steadfast adherence to Christ Jesus. His stories will doubtless move you to tears, but his purpose is not simply to tug at your emotional strings--nor is the emotion without a powerful message. His courageous stand for Christ and the tremendous love that he and so many other Christians displayed to their captors and torturers under the most horrendous conditions is a powerful witness to the all-surpassing love of Jesus Christ that is alive in every believer. Truly only the supernatural love that comes from knowing the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ crucified, could have produced such a love in the face of unrelenting hatred and persecution. Wurmbrand repeatedly shows through his stories and experiences how communism was intent on trying to destroy Christianity, and how some Americans are blind to the dangers of it. The book is very interesting and quick to read--the only downside is the disjointed narrative and flow of the story. This however, is to be expected after all the tortures he endured, and he admits as much.

America, can you see the underground church??
This book is an instrument and a tremendous blessing to all who read it. I just recently re-read it through tearful eyes, and I came to a conclusion that it is a wake up call for all Christians especially those in the West, which is ultimately America. Pastor Richard Wurmbrand speaks out about the underground church and their sufferings. His passion is clear; first to proclaim CHRIST no matter the cost and second to help the underground church.
The cost of being a Christian in certain countries...
Back in my preteen years, I first read Pastor Richard Wurmbrand's book Tortured For Christ.It had a big influence on how I viewed religious freedom in Soviet bloc countries.Wurmbrand wrote this book after his release from Romanian prisons in 1964, and he did so to share the story of how the underground churches in Communist countries have to operate in order to spread the Word and their faith.Rather than continue to minister to his countrymen, he was urged to leave and spread the news about the persecution.Wurmbrand probably did more to bring this situation to light than any other single person.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Christianity - Lutheran    5. Clergy    6. History    7. Lutheran Church    8. Lutheran Churches    9. Persecution    10. Political prisoners    11. Religion    12. Romania    13. Wurmbrand, Richard   

Reviews (4)

It could happen again
Although this is a book about a specific place during a specific period, what makes it so chilling is how it describes a descent of little steps into a nightmare world.For those who may even have lived through it thinking "it wasn't that bad," this book provides the opportunity to take a step back and realize "it was worse than we even imagined."Ms. Kligman's account is clarion call for the importance of taking a stand in every society in order to preserve the values we hold dear, but which are in fact as fragile as the weakest among us.

Vai, Alexandru, n-a fost atat de rau!
I'm an American woman living and working in Romania, and I have to disagree with Alexandru.From all I hear from my friends both male and female, this book isn't off-target at all.It IS true that many people sayCeasescu's policies didn't affect their lives "all that much",but the people who did have unwanted pregnancies or were harassed becausethey didn't have enough children were and are real people.I enjoyed thisbook and would recommend it to anyone interested in reproductive issues --in either Romania or the U.S.

Unprofessionally written, innacurate statistics
None ofthedata are believable! The statistics are made up and it lacks objectivity as if written by an emotional and nervous wreck. Originally from Romania, I can testify that data on births and abortion could not andcannot yet be obtained, also the reasoning behind data is consequentlyfalse. It is a collection offalse assumption. Too bad something like this(of substandard quality) has been published! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1944-1989    2. Abortion & Birth Control    3. Birth control    4. Discrimination & Racism    5. Eastern Europe - Balkan Republics    6. History    7. History: World    8. Jewish - General    9. Moral and ethical aspects    10. Politics and government    11. Population policy    12. Romania    13. Sociology    14. Abortion    15. Central government policies    16. Gynaecology & obstetrics    17. Human rights    18. Reproductive medicine    19. Social Science / Sociology / General    20. Social history   

Reviews (28)

A book to help us understand
Stanciu Stroia's memoirs are very important to all of us, because they help us understand what went on in Romania and throughout Eastern Europe before 1945, and what followed the fall of Communism in 1989. The book's web site [...] in itself is a valuable document.
A human being of regal character
I have read My Second University, which told the story of a man with strength of character that all of us should strive to achieve. As a doctor he was taught "to do no harm". Whether he was born with that humane instinct or acquired it after medical training is not important. What is important is how noble a man can remain after a period of harsh confinement. His life is a testament to our best possible behavior that few of us live up to. Not only did he defeat his enemies in his life time, he also left a legacy for his grandson to emulate. What more could a grandfather do for his grandson? From a man whose life has been enriched by reading about a human being of regal character,
A Doctor's Compassion
I've read several books by political prisoners of the Romanian regime. This one does not discuss as much the details of the physical horrors of the prisons. The concept of a person being visited by the securitate late at night, put into prison for years, and familial contacts severed, is horrible enough. This story is told by a doctor, who by very nature is compassionate and sworn by oath to heal others. Dr. Stroia lived by that oath. In the book he mentions a prison doctor who "prescribed" that his patient throw himself onto the barbed wire as a cure for depression. The patient followed his doctor's orders and was shot. Dr. Stroia's humanity not only remained intact, but it grew. His "second university" tore a giant chasm in his life, but his inner strength carried him through.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. General&n