Romania Opening All of the Doors: A Travelogue of the Transition

Rating:
Summary: A personalized look at life after communism
Review: "Opening All of the Doors" works on two or three levels. I thought the most interesting part was the sense of getting to know people that the author met in Romania; not just the important and powerful people, but also the common every day people.

It was interesting to find out what they think -- and sometimes HOW they think.

Some of the stories about life under an insane communist dictator are chilling, especially when they pop up unexpectedly among the normal daily events. I think a reader would be surprised at the hospitality extended to an American scholar and his wife by the Romanian people.

The biggest thing I got from this book, however, is an awareness of how communism warped the values and the mindset of the people. Imagine every business, every office and every classroom run with the efficiency and courtesy of the DMV. While people adapted to and survived it, you get the impression that some scars are buried deep inside the national psyche.

It's a pretty interesting read, bouncing back and forth between travelogue, and political / business / social observer.