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Entries Tagged as 'Books'

Out of Ceausescu’s Hell: a Romanian at Cambridge

February 25th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE

In 1968, the Romanian geophysicist Constantin Roman defied Communist restrictions and travelled to England on a NATO travel grant. Under Ceausescu’s dictatorship, obtaining a passport was short of a miracle and in the first chapter we are let into the secret of how this was made possible.
I must confess I admired your inventiveness, perseverance and tenacity with which you focused on your goals, the courage you displayed in approaching influential people, without prior introduction, the manner in which you presented logical arguments in obtaining what you were about to achieve

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Vera ATKINS – a Romanian MATA HARI in the services of the SOE

February 16th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, Reviews

Before the occupation of France Vera enrolled as a student in modern languages at the Sorbonne, followed by one year course at a finishing school in Lausanne, a privileged education in an incubator reserved for the young ladies of upper class families. This background was going to keep her in good stead as an intelligence operative during WWII, a role defined by Ian Fleming in his classic retort:

“In the world of spies, Vera Atkins was the boss.”
In 1940 Vera returned to England, where her career as an SOE operative took off under Maurice Buckmaster (1902-1992). During her career as an SOE officer the indomitable Atkins sent 470 agents including 39 women behind enemy lines into German-occupied French territory. Her spying persona inspired film makers as she became Miss Moneypenny in a James Bond movie and also the main character in Genevieve Simms movie Into the Dark.

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Curierul Romanesc, Suedia (nr 4, 2009): Interviul luat de Silvia Constantinescu autorului Antologiei ‘Blouse Roumaine -the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women’ (partea III-a):

February 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, Reviews

Pentru cititorul strain Antologia este menita sa demonstreze ca Romania a avut in mod permanent un rol activ in contributia unor valori asa cum a avut si in asimilarea unor valori din exterior.

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Curierul Romanesc, Suedia (nr 4, 2009): Interviul luat de Silvia Constantinescu autorului Antologiei ‘Blouse Roumaine -the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women’ (partea II-a):

February 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, OPINION, PEOPLE, Reviews, Uncategorized

Cum a întâmpinat Institutul Cultural Român si alte institutii de cultura din România aceasta lucrare? Ai primit vreun sprijin?

C.R.: Institutului Cultural Român si editurile din România au aratat un dezinteres total!Explicati-mi, va rog, ce anume s-a schimbat în mentalitatea Tranzitiei, chiar dupa ce am intrat cu oistea româneasca în gardul Europei?

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Curierul Romanesc, Suedia – Interviul luat de Silvia Constantinescu despre ‘Blouse Roumaine’ – o Antologie a Femeilor din Romania (Partea I-a)

February 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, International Media, PEOPLE, Reviews, Uncategorized

Silvia Constantinescu, editor, “Curierul Romanesc”: În meseria mea de bibliotecar de informatie în Suedia, am întâlnit zilnic elevi, studenti, cercetatori care s-au izbit de lipsa de informatii despre acea Romanie care n-a fost creatia ”partidului comunist si a lui Ceausescu, fiului cel mai iubit al poporului”, ci despre adevarata Românie, care dainuie de secole, înaintea comunismului si a ”eliberarii” tarii de catre armata rosie.”
Lucrarea lui Constantin Roman si-ar fi capatat, desigur, un loc în istoria literaturii române, dar ar fi ramas limitata la aria limbii române, falindu-ne noi între noi cu personalitatile feminine din istoria noastra. Lucrarea lui Constantin Roman si-ar fi câstigat, desigur, un loc în istoria literaturii române, dar pe plan international n-ar fi ajutat sa se împrastie ignoranta cititorilor despre o tara despre care informatiile existente sunt numai despre ”Dracula, Ceausescu, orfelinate, coruptie si infractiune”, informatii primite prin scurtele buletine de stiri din ziare, de la radio sau TV.

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SFIDAREA IDIOCRATIEI, Constantin ROMAN, Prefata – John F. DEWEY (Recenzie Partea III)

February 9th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Books, Diaspora, Reviews, Uncategorized

Ca si gastronomia placerea infinita care rezulta din admirarea arhitecturii, picturii si ale gradinilor care il inconjoara reprezinta un fundal mereu prezent: aceste toate formeaza un comentariu, ca un hemiciclu, sau o tema muzicala, o reflectie permanenta a fiecarei miscari, o bucurie pe care autorul o impartaseste pe indelete cu cititorul, pe masura ce intoarce paginile cartii.

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SFIDAREA IDIOCRATIEI (Partea II – Recenzie) Constantin ROMAN, Prefata – John F. DEWEY

February 9th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, Reviews

Valentin Lipatti, fratele pianistului, a calificat incercarea tanarului roman de a face un doctorat in Occident drept:

“o optiune politica a carei persepectiva, in cel mai fericit caz, nu ar fi rezultat decat in aceea de a ajunge chelner de restaurant”.

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SFIDAREA IDIOCRATIEI, Constantin ROMAN, Prefata – John F. DEWEY (Recenzie – Partea I)

February 9th, 2010 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, Reviews

Universul din care provine Constantin ROMAN este estompat de sita vremii. Odata ajuns in Anglia, meleagurile lasate in urma sunt distruse de sistematizarea revolutiei culturale ale lui Nicolae Ceausescu, iar ruinele lor raman dincolo de frontiere ostile.

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Sfidarea Idiocratiei (I) – Memorii din Romania si Anglia

December 3rd, 2009 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, Reviews, quotations

CRITERII DE DISCRIMINARE (fragmente):
(…)
Prima tentativa de a obtine un pasaport a fost la varsta de 14 ani, la eliberarea primului meu buletin de identitate, cand am crezut ca in mod automat sunt indreptatit sa obtin si pasaport. Pentru ca aveam niste strabuni cehi,  eram nerabdator sa descopar familia indepartata din Cehoslovacia.
M-am dus la sediul [...]

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Cambridge Memoir (II) – Peterhouse

December 3rd, 2009 · No Comments · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, Uncategorized, quotations

Cambridge Memoir (II) – Peterhouse
17. Lord Dewar’s rescue
No sooner that I accepted, with great glee, my Presidency of the Peterhouse Grad. Soc. the style of leadership had to change. New blood was needed to inject some tonus in the proceedings and I was determined to encourage more social contacts amongst its members, [...]

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