Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Radu Guiasu

  • THE FARAWAY MOUNTAINS by Radu Guiaşu – Historical Fiction, Communist Romania, Social Issues

     

    The Faraway Mountains by Radu Guiaşu is a fascinating blend of fiction and autobiography that brings to light the restrictive nature of the Communist Era in Romania and throughout the Eastern European Bloc. Experienced through the eyes of a group of friends, their persistence to find their friend perfectly illustrates the importance of human connection, even within the cold confines of a communist country.

    Guiaşu begins his story as a chronicle of the entwined lives of childhood friends Victor, Dan, and Alex—who embark on a quest to find their lost comrade, Gabriel. Along their journey, they debate the important issues of their day.

    Their discussions reveal the intricacies of daily life from the broad, to the particular. Topics like the oppressive regime in the country, the egregious ineptitude of some high-ranking officials, the deterioration of living conditions, and the recent and shameful destruction of numerous architectural gems are discussed right alongside the possibility of the national football championship game being another sham, the rising cost of foreign blue jeans on the black market, and the record heat wave they left behind in the capital.

    This work pays homage to those exceptional individuals who, in spite of the harsh conditions their government forced on them, retained their moral rectitude, bravery, and irreverent sense of humor. It is also a condemnation of everyone who worked in tandem with these oppressive systems.

    In the second part of the book, Guiaşu depicts the mutual desire of two close friends to explore the bright promise of the West.

    He goes into great detail about the complexities of obtaining permission to leave the repressive country of his origin. During his quest to weave his way through the red tape, he demonstrates the various ways in which officials took advantage of the situation to preach to the populace about the superiority of communist society and the inevitable, rapid collapse of the West.

    As the story portrays, citizens were forced to stand up for a corrupt system where those in power took unjust privileges at the expense of those below them. Through the characters’ conversations we come to understand how the elite’s hatred for the less advantaged populous was fueled by the knowledge that many escaped their control to a less restrictive and more comfortable part of the world.

    This novel goes deep into the subject of communism to present a realistic picture of what it is like to live under such an authoritarian form of government.

    Guiaşu conveys the catalyst and motivation behind the regime’s blatant deceptions, indoctrination, repeated defeats, and continuous repression by deftly blending his personal experiences with fiction. He expands the story beyond the direct scope of a single person.

    This work offers a fresh perspective on the value of freedom and independence while showing the brutal grip of a power that seeks to crush the characters’ last hopes of escaping.

    Guiasu’s The Faraway Mountains is a novel that masterfully balances intellectual depth, emotional relevance, and creative perfection during brutally oppressive times.

    Readers are fully drawn into the book as its vivid imagery and rhythmic language demystifies complex communist concepts and issues. Clever depictions of the many characters and their variety of reactions show how people deal with ambiguity and look for purpose when faced with hardship.

     

  • A GOOD DAY And OTHER MOSTLY HUMOROUS STORIES And LISTS by Radu Guiasu – Humor & Satire, Short Story Collections, Contemporary Fiction

     

    Through the thirty-six diverse writing efforts of A Good Day and Other Mostly Humorous Stories and Lists, Radu Guiasu masterfully combines wit, whimsy, satire, and personal contemplation.

    These vignettes cover a wide range of topics, styles, and techniques. While they often seem to be typical “slice-of-life” moments, Guiasu clearly has a knack for finding humor in even the most absurd situations.

    As a native Romanian now residing and teaching in Canada, Guiasu writes from his own knowledge and experience. He often broaches serious and meaningful topics, such as the world of academia, growing up under a dictatorship, and a love of nature.

    The book’s title story, written while the author was a graduate student, follows a central character who cheerfully muses on fellow graduates not pursuing careers connected to their degree. Choosing not to sell out, he furthers his education and teaches high school to troubled students rather than drive a cab. Ultimately, he loses both his job and his girlfriend, thus deciding to celebrate his newfound freedom by writing about it.

    In “My Mao Experience”, a 7th grade class is chosen to offer expressions of grief when Chairman Mao dies, as part of the national day of mourning in Romania.

    “The Day The Bear Came” focuses on two friends who are forced to overcome their differences when a wild carnivore confronts them on a camping trip.

    Guiasu incorporates a variety of writing forms into this anthology—from short story prose and primary dialogue pieces to creative rejection letters, invented submission guidelines, and thoughtful lists.

    After reading Guiasu’s work, and in particular his “lists”, readers will undoubtedly come away wondering why this quick-witted writer doesn’t consider a second career as a stand-up comedian. It’s easy to picture him on stage in front of a live audience extolling the virtues of “Life Lessons You Probably Won’t Find in Self-Help Books”; “Reasons for Giving an Amazon Book a Poor Review”; or “Clues That a Lion Tamer Job Is Not For You.”

    Guiasu’s underlying style is clear and concise. The stories do not need to be read in any particular order, and a shared thread of humor and satiric sentiment unites their many distinct ideas.

    A bevy of interesting characters fill this collection, including a young writer who is told by an elderly gentleman that he needs more life experiences before he can write; a masters student who works in the basement of a museum; a man quarantined until a SWAT team can capture the rabid squirrel that attacked a German Shepherd; and an individual trying to figure out which neighbor turned him in for leaving his home more than one day during the COVID pandemic.

    This compilation clearly demonstrates Guiasu’s remarkable talent and lighthearted, clever tongue.

    He turns simple observations into relatable tales using humor, irony, and exaggeration—simultaneously exposing flaws in modern society. An artful display of storytelling that will engage even the most stoic reader until they can’t resist a smile.