Book of the Week

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In his great new novel, Catalin Dorian Florescu tells the story of Zaira, the celebrated Romanian puppeteer of the 1960s.

The novel is set in such diverse places as Eastern Europe and the United States, stretching from the time of Cold War to the present day.

It is also the story of an impossible love affair that lasted for decades.

With great narrative esprit, the author reveals an epoch full of dramatic conflicts. Well-paced and passionately narrated, ZAIRA tells the story of a woman who, in an age of war and terror and against all obstacles, follows what she loves and what she knows is right – even if that means that she ultimately pays a price for deceiving herself.

A magnificent achievement.

The press says:

"An adventurous, exciting story that grips you to the end. Zaira is an outstanding and beautiful account of the literary landscape that is Central Europe.’ - Die Presse

"Florescu has written a proud, exciting novel, richly bedecked with memories." - Die Welt

Catalin Dorian Florescu was born in Timisoara, Romania, in 1967, where he spent his childhood and youth. In 1976 his father took him to Italy and the USA, but they returned home after eight months abroad.

Six years later, he and his parents managed to escape from Romania to permanent emigration in Switzerland – he is now a Swiss citizen.

He studied Psychology and Gestalt Therapy and worked for several years as a psychotherapist in drug rehabilitation clinics. Following the publication of his first novel in 2001, he became a full-time writer. He lives in Zurich.

Link: www.florescu.ch

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