For a Westerner, Romania is a fascinating place to travel, with fantastic skiing and hiking in the Transylvanian Alps, the richly ornate architecture of Bucharest and other cities, and the well-preserved peasant life in the rural villages.
But beyond this, Romanian culture is rich with tradition, patriotism, and high artistic achievement. The struggle of the Romanian people over centuries to free themselves from invading and corrupt powers, from the Turks and Hungarians, to the Russians, has brought out a strong national identity unique to the region.
V M Karren, an American novelist who has studied Romanian literature and culture, has written a novel based on the continued struggle for freedom and transparency in modern Romania. In this author interview he gives some insight into his new novel, From the Rooftops, set in both Romania and Ukraine, which is due for release on October 10, 2019.
