Compulsory Happiness
Norman Manea • Yale University Press • ISBN-13 978‑0300188639
Compulsory Happiness
Norman Manea • Yale University Press
ISBN-10: 0300188633 · ISBN-13: 978‑0300188639
Live offer for this book: 9 live copies of this book from $7.24 (as of 2026-09-09).
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Completeness 48
Cover quality: good
2manybooks editorial
In this collection of short stories, Norman Manea examines the corrosive effects of life under the Ceaușescu regime in Romania. Through a series of interconnected narratives, the author explores the psychological erosion caused by constant surveillance, state-mandated optimism, and the pervasive fear that defines existence within a totalitarian system. Manea’s precise, detached prose captures the absurdity and existential dread of citizens navigating a landscape where private thought is a liability.
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9 live copies of this book from $7.24 (as of 2026-09-09).
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