Hello and welcome to the third month of our #OLSBookClub!
Last month, I invited you to read Maitreyi, by Mircea Eliade, and The Why Café, by John Strelecky. Let's start with the first one, a beloved book in Romanian literature!
Maitreyi takes us back to 1930s India, and it’s all about this passionate, tumultuous love story between Allan, a young European, and Maitreyi, the daughter of a well-respected Indian scholar.
What I found captivating when reading the book was how Eliade manages to capture the different cultures, as a central theme that affects everything. Allan’s romanticized view of India and his intense love for Maitreyi, you can almost feel the emotions through the pages.
What makes the book special is the autobiographical element. Knowing that Eliade himself lived through a similar experience when he was in India adds to this layer of authenticity and depth. It’s not just a story; it’s someone’s life, their emotions, and their heartbreak.
The Why Café by John Strelecky is a little gem (and probably my favorite book). It's one of those books that seems simple on the surface but really makes you think deeply. The story begins when John gets lost and stumbles upon a mysterious café in the middle of nowhere: a place where you find yourself answering some of life’s big questions, such as "Why are you here?" and "Do you fear death?"What I loved about the book is how it’s written in such an easy-to-digest way, yet it tackles these heavy, philosophical questions about life. The book has this subtle way of making you think about what really matters to you. It doesn’t give you the answers but rather encourages you to start asking the right questions about your own life.
What questions would you ask if you stumbled upon The Why Café?
BOOKS FOR APRIL
- Orașe de Silabe (Cities of Syllables) by Ana Blandiana
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - another very short but powerful book!
Happy reading!
Roxana, OLS Community Manager - Romanian
Psst - I'd love to have the feeling of a real book club, so let's hear your thoughts in the comments! :)
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