Forest of the Hanged

During World War I, a Romanian from Transylvania enrolls in the Austrian-Hungarian army to impress the woman he loves. As Romania enters the war on the opposing side, his conscience is tormented by the prospect of fighting against his ethnic kin. Forest of the Hanged (original title in Romanian, Padurea Spânzura¿ilor) is one of the best Romanian novels ever published, a world-class psychological novel of a caliber equal to the works of Remarque and Hemingway. It has 4 stars on goodreads.com, and was made into a critically acclaimed movie (award for Best Director at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival).

During World War I, a Romanian from Transylvania enrolls in the Austrian-Hungarian army to impress the woman he loves. As Romania enters the war on the opposing side, his conscience is tormented by the prospect of fighting against his ethnic kin. Forest of the Hanged (original title in Romanian, Padurea Spânzura¿ilor) is one of the best Romanian novels ever published, a world-class psychological novel of a caliber equal to the works of Remarque and Hemingway. It has 4 stars on goodreads.com, and was made into a critically acclaimed movie (award for Best Director at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival).

This classic Romanian novel lends valuable psychological insight into the tragic situation confronting minorities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. It is the story of Apostol Bologa, a middle-class Romanian officer serving in the Austro-Hungarian army who undergoes a transformation as his sense of national consciousness awakens, leading him to make a critical choice that many faced during this era. The novel is based on the life of the author’s brother, Emil Rebreanu, a Romanian officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, to whom he dedicated The Forest of the Hanged . The novel’s protagonist, Bologa undergoes an evolution whereby begins to see beyond class distinction and the veneer of the civilized world. As the hero states, “The soul is the same in the peasant girl as in the countess, at all events in its bare essentials. Only the shape has been changed by civilization.” The inner struggles confronted by Bologa as he confronts the savagery and injustice of war are emotionally portrayed by the author. The Forest of the Hanged is rightfully considered one of the greatest novels in Romanian literature. Liviu Rebeanu (1885-1944) was one of Romania’s most distinguished literary figures. His novel Ion is considered the first modern Romanian novel. This edition of Rebreanu’s famous novel, illustrated by talented young artist Phoebe Cho, includes an introduction by A.K. Brackob.

This classic Romanian novel lends valuable psychological insight into the tragic situation confronting minorities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. It is the story of Apostol Bologa, a middle-class Romanian officer serving in the Austro-Hungarian army who undergoes a transformation as his sense of national consciousness awakens, leading him to make a critical choice that many faced during this era. The novel is based on the life of the author’s brother, Emil Rebreanu, a Romanian officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, to whom he dedicated The Forest of the Hanged . The novel’s protagonist, Bologa undergoes an evolution whereby begins to see beyond class distinction and the veneer of the civilized world. As the hero states, “The soul is the same in the peasant girl as in the countess, at all events in its bare essentials. Only the shape has been changed by civilization.” The inner struggles confronted by Bologa as he confronts the savagery and injustice of war are emotionally portrayed by the author. The Forest of the Hanged is rightfully considered one of the greatest novels in Romanian literature. Liviu Rebeanu (1885-1944) was one of Romania’s most distinguished literary figures. His novel Ion is considered the first modern Romanian novel. This edition of Rebreanu’s famous novel, illustrated by talented young artist Phoebe Cho, includes an introduction by A.K. Brackob.

This classic Romanian novel lends valuable psychological insight into the tragic situation confronting minorities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. It is the story of Apostol Bologa, a middle-class Romanian officer serving in the Austro-Hungarian army who undergoes a transformation as his sense of national consciousness awakens, leading him to make a critical choice that many faced during this era. The novel is based on the life of the author’s brother, Emil Rebreanu, a Romanian officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, to whom he dedicated The Forest of the Hanged . The novel’s protagonist, Bologa undergoes an evolution whereby begins to see beyond class distinction and the veneer of the civilized world. As the hero states, “The soul is the same in the peasant girl as in the countess, at all events in its bare essentials. Only the shape has been changed by civilization.” The inner struggles confronted by Bologa as he confronts the savagery and injustice of war are emotionally portrayed by the author. The Forest of the Hanged is rightfully considered one of the greatest novels in Romanian literature. Liviu Rebeanu (1885-1944) was one of Romania’s most distinguished literary figures. His novel Ion is considered the first modern Romanian novel. This edition of Rebreanu’s famous novel, illustrated by talented young artist Phoebe Cho, includes an introduction by A.K. Brackob.

This classic Romanian novel lends valuable psychological insight into the tragic situation confronting minorities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I. It is the story of Apostol Bologa, a middle-class Romanian officer serving in the Austro-Hungarian army who undergoes a transformation as his sense of national consciousness awakens, leading him to make a critical choice that many faced during this era. The novel is based on the life of the author’s brother, Emil Rebreanu, a Romanian officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, to whom he dedicated The Forest of the Hanged . The novel’s protagonist, Bologa undergoes an evolution whereby begins to see beyond class distinction and the veneer of the civilized world. As the hero states, “The soul is the same in the peasant girl as in the countess, at all events in its bare essentials. Only the shape has been changed by civilization.” The inner struggles confronted by Bologa as he confronts the savagery and injustice of war are emotionally portrayed by the author. The Forest of the Hanged is rightfully considered one of the greatest novels in Romanian literature. Liviu Rebeanu (1885-1944) was one of Romania’s most distinguished literary figures. His novel Ion is considered the first modern Romanian novel. This edition of Rebreanu’s famous novel, illustrated by talented young artist Phoebe Cho, includes an introduction by A.K. Brackob.