My upbringing in refined Bucharest, surrounded by books and Romania's rich folklore, as well as my youth excursions in the idyllic Transylvanian countryside, instilled in me a love for storytelling. Although I have a medical degree, my insatiable curiosity about historical figures' lives, journeys, and the landscapes they encountered has driven me to investigate and write about these enthralling tales. This allowed me to share the wonders of travel through historical and contemporary fiction with a strong historical foundation - and a dog or two. On my blog I share enchanting gems from Romania’s past, while on social media I promote Romania’s history and culture under the hashtag #Im4Ro.
I wrote
Dreamland: Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Transylvania, 100-WORD STORIES, Folklore and History
While I first discovered Stephen Fry's wit and humor through the Bones TV series, I was delighted to learn that he is also an accomplished author. And, while I don't know much about Greek mythology, his book Mythos welcomes readers with open arms and requires no prior knowledge of the subject.
Ancient Greek heroes' world has never sounded more appealing or approachable. Stephen Fry injects his trademark wit into the world of mythology, and it provides an engaging retelling of Greek myths, sprinkled with a touch of anachronistic language for added amusement, which tickled my funny bone.
Stephen Fry's Mythos helped me overcome a narrow view of traditional tales by providing multiple interpretations and perspectives.
STEP INTO ANOTHER WORLD - OF MAGIC, MAYHEM, MONSTERS AND MANIACAL GODS - IN STEPHEN FRY'S MOMENTOUS SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, MYTHOS
'A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased' Times ___________
No one loves and quarrels, desires and deceives as boldly or brilliantly as Greek gods and goddesses.
In Stephen Fry's vivid retelling, we gaze in wonder as wise Athena is born from the cracking open of the great head of Zeus and follow doomed Persephone into the dark and lonely realm of the Underworld.…
Even though I may not be able to visit Italy anytime soon, I decided to go there in spirit.
This book was chosen because it contains a diverse range of literary talents from all walks of life in Italy (poets, musicians, teachers, scientists, and even politicians). Each short story was told in a lively Italian voice. This collection spoke to me about everything that is Italy: landscapes, passions, food, and the country's turbulent political life.
After diving into the first pages, I was immediately transported into the narratives, completely forgetting that I was reading a translation. I was captivated by the stories themselves, a testament to their masterful storytelling. This is a fascinating anthology for readers interested in learning more about Italian culture.
This landmark collection brings together forty writers that reflect over a hundred years of Italy's vibrant and diverse short story tradition, from the birth of the modern nation to the end of the twentieth century.
Poets, journalists, visual artists, musicians, editors, critics, teachers, scientists, politicians, translators: the writers that inhabit these pages represent a dynamic cross section of Italian society, their powerful voices resonating through regional landscapes, private passions and dramatic political events.
This wide-ranging selection curated by Jhumpa Lahiri includes well known authors such as Italo Calvino, Elsa Morante and…
I'd heard a lot about Norse myths on social media recently, but I was unfamiliar with them.
The idea of Gaiman weaving his narrative magic through the tapestry of these ancient tales intrigued me, and it surely made for an exciting read.
Even if you're unfamiliar with Norse mythology (as I was), this retelling will awe you with the strangeness and wonder of these ancient tales. Norse Mythology is more than a book; it's an invitation to a hypnotic world inhabited by gods, giants, undead goats, betrayals, a mischievous squirrel, elves, dwarves, and Valkyries.
This collection is an enthralling journey through a selection of Norse myths, narrated with Neil Gaiman's trademark wit and simplicity.
Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok.
In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin's son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki-son of a giant-blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.
Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the…
My home country, Romania, is a stone's throw from Turkey (or Türkiye), and its history has been heavily influenced by the Ottoman Empire. I yearned to read something with Turkish aromas and flavors.
Something as aromatic as Turkish delight and as rich as coffee.
This collection of short stories and poems is about the people who live there. It's a walk in the shoes of its common folk, with their hopes and flaws.
Read this collection of books to stroll through Istanbul's bustling streets, maybe stop for Turkish coffee, or embark on a short train ride or a blue cruise in the turquoise waters of Turkey's four seas, the Mediterranean, the Aegean, the Sea of Marmara, and (my childhood favorite), the Black Sea.
Sait Faik may well be named "the Turkish Chekhov". In Turkey, critics and readers regard him as their finest short story writer. Since his death in 1954 at the age of forty-eight, his stature has grown on the strength of his narrative art, which is both realistic and whimsical with a poetic touch. Suha Oguzertem, a premier authority on Turkish fiction, writes in his introduction to Sleeping in the Forest that "As an anti-bourgeois writer and fierce democrat, Sait Faik has always sided with the underdog" and that no characters remain " 'common' or 'ordinary' once they enter Sait Faik's…
When researching historical fiction, one often falls down many rabbit holes. One such gap led me to China, where printing technology was in use 150 years before Gutenberg was born.
These short stories, woven from the tapestry of ancient Eastern folklore, offer both entertainment and profound insights. They not only provide a rich education in Eastern literature, but they also highlight the timeless truth that humanity's essence remains constant, whether in the East or West, regardless of era.
People's daily lives are fraught with mysteries and uncertainties that transcend geographical boundaries. While the distinct Eastern cultural prism through which these shared human experiences are filtered, provides a beguiling and enthralling perspective.
This anthology is a must-read for anyone interested in Asian short stories.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is one of Japan's foremost stylists - a modernist master whose short stories are marked by highly original imagery, cynicism, beauty and wild humour. 'Rashoemon' and 'In a Bamboo Grove' inspired Kurosawa's magnificent film and depict a past in which morality is turned upside down, while tales such as 'The Nose', 'O-Gin' and 'Loyalty' paint a rich and imaginative picture of a medieval Japan peopled by Shoguns and priests, vagrants and peasants. And in later works such as 'Death Register', 'The Life of a Stupid Man' and 'Spinning Gears', Akutagawa drew from his own life to devastating…
Legends are brought to life in Dreamland: Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Transylvania, 100-word Stories, Folklore and History. Step into Dreamland, Romania's enthralling western territory that empires once dared to dream of, where the land itself tells mythical tales and centuries-old traditions have stood the test of time, forming a resilient community and providing solace to hopeful emigrants seeking refuge.
Dreamland is a captivating collection of fleeting impressions, lived truths, and vivid snapshots of a remarkable life. These stories are written with passion, lyricism, and a dash of wit, inviting you to travel back in time and experience history firsthand. Dreamland: Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Transylvania, 100-word Stories, Folklore and History, as told by a master storyteller, keeps the past's untouchable treasure alive in the most enchanting way.
This book (and its sequels) are about overcoming the odds; about learning to improve the skills and abilities you have, rather than dwelling on what you can't do. Conflict, plague, and scheming politicians are all featured along the way–but none of the characters are human!
When a plague kills half the Drax population, and leaves the hatchlings of the survivors with a terrible deformity – no wings – suspicion and prejudice follow. Continuously harassed by raids from their traditional enemies, the Koth, the Drax are looking for someone, or something, to blame.
Zarda, an apprentice Fate-seer, is new to her role and unsure of her own abilities; but the death of her teacher sees her summoned by the Drax Prime, Kalis, when his heir, Dru, emerges from his shell without wings.
A vision that Dru will one day defeat the Koth is enough to keep…
