false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174260261m/373745.jpg 373745 3 Winner of the 2004 Prix de Flore-one of France's most distinguished literary prizes-a wildly romantic, true-life love story <br><br> History follows a trail of sputtering desire, often calling upon the delusions of lovers to generate the sparks. If it weren't for us, the world would suffer from a dismal lack of stories," writes Bruce Benderson in this brutally candid memoir. <br><br> "What astonishes and intrigues is Benderson's way of recounting, in the sweetest possible voice, things that are considered shocking," wrote <i>Le Monde</i>. What's so shocking? It's not just Benderson's job translating Céline Dion's saccharine autobiography, which he admits is driving him mad; but his unrequited love for an impoverished Romanian in "cheap club-kid platforms with dollar signs in his squinting eyes," whom he meets while on a journalism assignment in Eastern Europe. <br><br> Rather than retreat, Benderson absorbs everything he can about Romanian culture and discovers an uncanny similarity between his own obsession for the Romanian (named Romulus) and the disastrous love affair of King Carol II, the last king of Romania (1893-1953). Throughout, Benderson-"absolutely free of bitterness, nastiness, or any desire to protect himself," wrote <i>Le Monde</i>-is sustained by little white codeine pills, a poetic self-awareness, a sense of humor, and an unwavering belief in the perfect romance, even as wild dogs chase him down Romanian streets. 363649 2004 The Romanian: Story of an Obsession total:40|5:16|4:13|3:9|2:2|1:0| 40 163 66 11 5 1 false false Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Thu Jul 12 18:36:09 -0700 2007 Thu Jul 12 18:36:36 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat May 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 12:45:11 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 12:56:26 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Sun Dec 09 13:36:49 -0800 2007 Mon Jan 21 10:36:54 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jul 07 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu May 28 10:30:18 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 14 22:29:33 -0700 2009
I found this memoir fascinating and beautifully written.
I was incredibly frustrated with the author. Nearly screaming through the first half of the book- 'This isn't love, Bruce Benderson.' Kn...more...]]> 2 0 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 13 19:36:03 -0700 2008 Fri May 01 17:37:41 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Feb 10 21:33:38 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 20 15:28:45 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Sep 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 16 12:26:46 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 16 12:32:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 0 0 false false Tue Sep 15 18:34:08 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 18:34:08 -0700 2009 http://lapetiteamericaine.wordpress.com/...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Wed Jan 02 20:50:04 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 13 15:51:56 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 30 21:53:19 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 30 22:12:48 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat May 26 19:26:50 -0700 2007 Sat May 26 19:31:10 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Sat Nov 28 02:53:52 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 28 02:53:52 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Sun Nov 22 04:15:22 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 22 04:15:22 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Nov 03 20:44:57 -0800 2009 Tue Nov 03 20:45:17 -0800 2009 3 0 false false Fri Oct 30 14:41:22 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 30 14:41:22 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Fri Oct 16 08:36:33 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 12:38:16 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 12:38:18 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Sep 29 10:57:52 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 29 10:57:52 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Sep 17 19:04:55 -0700 2009 Thu Sep 17 19:04:55 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Aug 31 19:49:40 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 31 19:49:40 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Aug 20 10:17:47 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 20 10:17:51 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=373745