Five Books

Ana Blandiana is a renowned Romanian poet who has become a symbol of ethical consciousness and resistance against totalitarian governments. Her poetry combines protest, love, and reflection on universal issues, exploring themes of history, terror, vulnerability, and forgiveness. She has written two collections of love poems that rank among the most beautiful in contemporary Romanian poetry.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 11 November 2021
Publisher: Bloodaxe Books Ltd

Ana Blandiana, a prominent figure in Romanian poetry, emerges as a prominent dissident prior to the collapse of Communism. Her poetic journey, spanning several decades, becomes synonymous with an unwavering ethical consciousness that refuses to be muffled by oppressive totalitarian regimes. This groundbreaking translation brings together five of her collections, commencing with three powerful protest poems from the 1980s, seamlessly transitioning into her two collections of love poetry. The poems of Predator Star (1985) and The Architecture of Waves (1990) intricately weave a convoluted history, raising profound questions about confronting the terror of history. Clock without Hours (2014) reintroduces rhyme, as Blandiana embarks on a courageous endeavor to revitalize traditional verse forms. Her unwavering militant voice, instrumental in pioneering the postmodern idiom in Romanian poetry in 1984, has evolved over time into a new tone characterized by forgiveness and renunciation, expressed through meditations on the fragility and vulnerability of existence. In addition to her poetic prowess, Blandiana has also crafted two collections of love poems that stand as some of the most exquisite works in contemporary Romanian poetry. October, November, December (1972) and Variations on a Given Theme (2018), the latter composed after the passing of her husband, Romulus Rusan, in 2016, showcase her remarkable poetic craftsmanship. A prolific and expansive poet, Blandiana continually reinvents herself, her work ultimately delving into universal themes and exploring the essence of human existence in our 21st-century consumer society.

Weight: 550g
Dimension: 139 x 216 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781780375380