Romania: Rude and Vile?
A collection of stories about travelling, politics, history, revolution, architecture, books, and people.
Why did I write this book?
I spent 17 years of my life in Romania and observed its transition from Communist tyranny to EU and NATO membership. I needed to share my observations, feelings and ideas about this intriguing and misunderstood nation. It's aimed at anyone who plans to visit Romania and wants something readable to complement their guidebook. I also want to share my (foreign) impressionss with open minded Romanians, of which there are many.
Book summary
This collection of stories shows some of my impressions from a country that is ancient, beautiful and mysterious – but also ugly, corrupt, poor and maddening. I never understood why I felt more at home there than I do in Scotland, my homeland. Now I live in the UK, I miss Romania and hope to move back there one day.
Reviews
“Rupert Wolfe Murray shows the gains and losses of the generation that moved from communism to the EU. Personal, deeply felt and properly informed. For Romanians, a look at their country through kind but unsentimental eyes; for others, a revelation about an emerging European treasure.” Arabella McIntyre Brown, Migrant, Author & Resident in Transylvania
"I went to Transylvania in 2021 to work as a teacher for a month so I found it very relevant. The writer has a very good, relaxed writing style and his stories are both amusing and profound. A great read." Yvonne Carol, on Amazon
”Rupert Wolfe Murray has been working and living, off and on, in Romania for three decades, and his comments and judgements on the country and its people are incisive and accurate. This collection of miscellaneous journalism spans quite a period of time, but has been updated slightly, with postscripts to add context, and it all hangs together well, showing just how this strange country works, and why he and so many of us have come to love it. I disagree with him a bit on the subject of Roma education, I don't think shop staff are at all rude these days (I'm writing this in Poland, where the communist surliness really is alive and well), and I'm not sure that the plague of instantly available gambling is really much worse in Romania than in many other countries, including the UK - but that's all part of what makes this such an engaging collection, there's plenty to there to make one think! His 2014 interview with former president Ion Iliescu was certainly a bit of an eye-opener. By the way, the title doesn't mean what you think it means - read on..." Tim Burford, Author of the Rough Guide to Romania and the Bradt Guide to Transylvania
Extracts
"This nation has spirit and guts!"
From the Introduction:
"I sent the manuscript to a Romanian friend called Roxana Morea and she described it thus: 'for me, as a reader, this is a story about how much you like / love Romania and its people, the meagre and unassuming ones. And how you would like to come back here and live the rest of your life, at the end of your travels, far from the madding crowd, in some remote hamlet, completely unspoiled by the modern world’s must-haves and must-dos.'
"To Romanians I offer a foreigner’s perspective on what is, I believe, one of the most interesting countries in Europe. I want to show my Romanian friends some of the stories I’ve written about their homeland, and to share my opinions with them. I offer fresh insights and a dash of wit.
"I also want to introduce outsiders to the wonders of Romania and the best way of doing this is to show the good as well as the bad. Romania is often seen negatively as, internationally, it’s often lumped together with the less developed nations of south eastern Europe. The truth is a lot of bad things do happen in Romania, as they do in every country, but lots of good things happen too, and there are many ways Romania has had a positive influence on the world. My daughter Lara, who edited the manuscript, wrote these words about the positive effect of Romanians: “Specifically Sebastian Stan’s entire existence.” For those who don’t know the superhero genre, this handsome Romanian-American actor plays Bucky Barnes in the Marvel films. He also played a young Donald Trump in the brilliant (but suppressed) film about our modern day Nero: The Apprentice."