In Search of Romania

‘Deletant approaches his decades-long relationship with the country with the precision of a scholar… ‘In Search of Romania’ is a tribute to the individuals who were brave enough to stand up to the communist regime.’ – Times Literary Supplement‘In Search of Romania invites readers to ponder life under Ceaușescu’s dictatorship, with all the challenges individuals had to face, the role of oppressive institutions like the political police Securitate, and the legacy of that era in the country’s transition to democracy.’ – Romania Insider‘The book contains wonderful recollections … a very important book.’ – Journal of Modern History‘Deletant has been perhaps the leading academic expert on Romania since the dark days of Nicolae Ceaușescu, when he showed remarkable courage in standing up against the dictatorship. He has watched with affection and deep insight as the country has changed and developed since. His relationship with Romania is fascinating, and this book is essential reading for everyone who wants to understand it.’ – John Simpson CBE, World Affairs Editor, BBC News‘No foreign academic in recent decades has pursued the horrors and riches of twentieth-century Romanian history to the degree of Deletant. Romania is truly his subject, one that he has researched with great exactitude.’ – Robert D. Kaplan, author of In Europe’s Shadow: Two Cold Wars and a Thirty-Year Journey Through Romania and Beyond‘With the mastery of a storyteller and a historian’s sense for precision, Deletant gives an enthralling account of communist and post-communist Romania. By evoking dissidents, writers, communist leaders and their opponents, the book reminds us of the moral obligation to condemn totalitarianism and defend freedom and democracy–for it is hard to heal the scars of a repressive regime.’ – Professor Andrei Muraru, historian, and Ambassador of Romania to the United States of America‘Deletant has long been recognised as a leading authority on the history of Romania, decorated by both the British and Romanian governments. This long-awaited memoir does not disappoint, covering a lifetime of engagement with this fascinating country, from run-ins with the Securitate to his work in helping to realise the moving Sighet memorial to the victims of Communism. An informative and delightful read.’ – Paul Brummell, British Ambassador to Romania 2014–2018‘An extraordinary book by an outstanding historian who understands Romania better than many Romanians. Analytical yet never dry, rich with captivating autobiographical details and humorous in tone, this will undoubtedly captivate readers.’ – Radu Ioanid, Ambassador of Romania to Israel; Holocaust historian, and former director, US Holocaust Museum

Dennis Deletant OBE is Emeritus Professor at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London. He was formerly the Visiting Ion Raiu Professor of Romanian Studies at Georgetown University. His previous books include Ceauescu and the Securitate and Communist Terror in Romania, both published by Hurst.