{"product_id":"9781905005185-secondhand-the-romanian","title":"The Romanian","description":"'History follows a trail of sputtering desire, often calling upon the delusions of lovers to generate the sparks. If it weren't for us, the world would suffer from a dismal lack of stories.' In this brutally candid memoir, writer, translator and journalist Bruce Benderson recounts his unrequited love for an impoverished Romanian whom he meets while on a journalism assignment in Eastern Europe. Rather than retreat, Benderson absorbs everything he can about Romania, its culture and its history and discovers a mirror in it for his own turmoil: the wild affairs of its last king, Carol II. Free of bitterness, nastiness, or any desire to protect himself, he is sustained throughout by little white codeine pills, a poetic self-awareness, a sense of humor, and an unwavering belief in the perfect romance, even as wild dogs chase him down Romanian streets.","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48755582828763,"sku":"9781905005185-SECONDHAND","price":10.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/64bc65b6-c001-40d9-aac9-44911bb797a7.jpg?v=1778222664","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/9781905005185-secondhand-the-romanian","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}