Romanian Furrow: 'Touches the Very Soul of Rural Romania'

An interesting book about an Englander's working journey through pre-WWII Romania. It's definitely written in the Romantic style, with overly flowery language at times, but it is heartfelt and a close-to-the-earth view.

First published in 1933 Donald Hall was travelling through Romania shortly before Patrick Leigh Fermour. Whilst the latter was principally moving from one landed gentry in his mansion to another, Hall travelled from one peasant village to another. Thanks to Hall we are therefore able to learn how the other half was living at that time. And with the passage of time Hall can now be regarded as the forerunner to William Blacker’s ‘Along the Enchanted Way’.Hall’s writing style is much more immediate and less fancy than PLF’s, but for me, his account of his travels through Romania is in no way diminished. It is detailed, but not overly so, highly interesting and thought provoking. He lays before us the never-ending hospitality of the peasants and the cyclical nature of their lives, linked intrinsically to the earth and the passing seasons. Lives full of meaning and purpose and though hard by comparison with our centrally heated, technology driven lives, they seemed completely content with their lot. How many of us can say the same?Of interest is the blend of pagan and Christian ritual that was undertaken, the former giving us perhaps a glimpse into the beliefs and customs of humans in Europe stretching back for millennia prior to the coming of Christianity.Of particular interest too is Hall’s account of his travels through Moldavia, which then was in union with Romania and of his experiences on the border with Russia, now Ukraine, at a time when the Bolsheviks were in power.My only minor criticism is that I wish there were more photographs than those on the covers.For all those with an interest in Romania in particular and travel writing in general I would class this a must read book.

I have an original of this book and when I realised it had been reprinted I thought I'd get it to read to prevent further damage to my old one. It's a really interesting book for anyone with even a slight interest in Romania. I was disappointed that the photographs in the original haven't been included in the reprint.

A most interesting account that rings true. A portrait of a vanishing world almost as enthralling as Paddy Leigh-Fermor's writings of his prewar adventures in Transylvania. Donald Hall's "Raggle-Taggle" is the only similar work with the same feel.

Looks good, but not read it yet.