Children of the Night: The Strange and Epic Story of Modern Romania

by Paul Kenyon Narrated by Paul Kenyon

Overview

A vivid, brilliant, darkly humorous and horrifying history of some of the strangest dictators that Europe has ever seen.
'A witty and page-turning narrative full of grotesque characters' Misha Glenny

'Kenyon relates all this with verve [and] humour ... He patiently untangles the complicated webs of loyalty and enmity' Literary Review

'Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in Romania past and present' John Simpson

Balanced precariously on the shifting fault line between East and West, Romania's schizophrenic, often violent past is one of the great untold stories of modern Europe.

The country that gave us Vlad Dracula, and whose citizens consider themselves descendants of ancient Rome, has traditionally preferred the status of enigmatic outsider. But this beautiful and unexplored land has experienced some of the most disastrous leaderships of the last century.

After a relatively benign period led by a dutiful King and his vivacious British-born Queen, the country oscillated wildly. Its interwar rulers form a gallery of bizarre characters and extreme movements: the corrupt and mentally unbalanced King Carol; the fascist death cult led by Corneliu Codreanu; the vain General Ion Antonescu, who seized power in 1940 and led the country into a catastrophic alliance with Nazi Germany. After 1945 power was handed to Romania's tiny communist party, under which it experienced severe repression, purges and collectivisation.

Then in 1965, Nicolae Ceau?escu came to power. And thus began the strangest dictatorship of all.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Kenyon relates all this with verve [and] humour... He patiently untangles the complicated webs of loyalty and enmity, that crisscrossed the royal court, the military camarilla and the politburo alike'” —Literary Review

“A witty and page-turning narrative full of grotesque characters” —Misha Glenny

“Paul Kenyon sweeps away the myths of romance and horror that cling to this fascinating and mysterious country” —Allan Little

“Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in Romania past and present” —John Simpson

“This is a book that will leave you astonished, exhausted and curious... An unapologetic page turner'” —Spectator

“Witty and fluid, Kenyon's prose is readable without being superficial. His book is an engaging introduction to the rich history of a country that is often stereotyped and misunderstood” —New Statesman

“Paul Kenyon's book delves into this history, bringing to life a rogues' gallery of characters” —BBC History Magazine

“This is an extraordinary book... It is deeply researched and richly documented... Thanks to this book [Romania] is infinitely better understood'” —The Critic

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178787182
Publisher:	Clipper Audiobooks
Publication date:	01/14/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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