Patricia Furstenberg, Writer of Historical Fiction, Children's Books
Travel via Stories
Dragostea mea pentru povești a început la radio.. Vă invit, cu drag, să îmi țineți companie. ***** My love for stories began on the radio. Join me. *****
Născut în România – Invitată: Patricia Furstenberg, scriitoare de origine română stabilită în Africa de Sud (un interviu in limba română ***** Born in Romania – Guest: Patricia Furstenberg, Romanian-born author based in South Africa***** (an interview in Romanian).
De Crăciun am întâlnit-o pe Chiajna. Chiajna din Casa Mușatinilor, romanul istoric scris de Simona Antonescu.
On Christmas I met Chiajna. Chiajna from the House of Mușat, a romanian historical fiction novel based on a real personality and written by Simona Antonescu (book review below and right on time for Women’s History Month).
Continue reading “Citind Chiajna din Casa Mușatinilor de Simona Antonescu, Bilingual Shelf Talk”
The great halls of Wallachia’s courts echoed with the deep voices of rulers, their boyars and foreign envoys hammering out treaties, forging alliances and, more often than not, deciding the fates of women before they were old enough to understand their worth beyond the ink of a marriage contract. In Moldavia, daughters of noble houses were bartered like fine silks, their marriages securing fragile truces with the Poles, the Hungarians, the upcoming Russians and even Sultans. In Transylvania, a land where Saxon merchants, Székelys warriors and Hungarian lords vied for influence, the Romanians or Vlachs out of the way, noblewomen walked a careful line between tradition and opportunity, sometimes inheriting estates or trading privileges—but always within the confines set by men.
Continue reading “Daring Queens and Their Surprising Influences in Medieval Romania”
In medieval Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania, the concept of the “perfect woman”, be it a daughter, a wife or a queen, was shaped by both startling secular and religious laws that dictated nearly every aspect of her life. These laws not only defined what women could own or where they could go, but they also controlled whom they could marry and under what circumstances. The image of the ideal woman presented by these laws wasn’t necessarily based on her desires or individuality but was a reflection of society’s expectations, framed by the intertwined forces of religion and politics.
Continue reading “Medieval Women Haunted by Startling Laws in the Romanian Lands”
Exploring the status of women in medieval Romania, across Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania this Women’s History Month reveals a complex picture shaped by diverse historical sources, legal systems, religious influences and, not lastly, legends. Each region presented a distinct profile of women with gender playing a crucial role in shaping their access to knowledge, societal perceptions and, of course, power.
Continue reading “Daughters, Wives, and Queens: Medieval Women in Romania’s History”
A Gift for Maisie Bloom by Jessie Cahalin is out today! Jessie, one of my oldest friends on Twitter/X, is a joy to know and support throughout her writing journey. Read my book review.
Continue reading “A Gift for Maisie Bloom by Jessie Cahalin, Out Now @RNAtweets @BooksInHandbag”