The novel "Two Queens and a Chronicler" by Romanian-American writer Alta Ifland, which offers a "reinterpretation" of two emblematic figures from the history of the Romanian monarchy - Queens Elisabeth and Marie - will be launched on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Wembley Library in Brent, London.
According to a press release issued by the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) on Wednesday, the event - organised by ICR London - will feature the author in conversation about the creative process behind the book and the ways in which she has chosen to reinterpret two of the most iconic female figures in Romania's history: Queen Elisabeth, also known under her literary pseudonym Carmen Sylva, and Queen Marie, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain.
The evening will include readings from the novel, an open conversation with the author, and a Q&A session with the audience, delving into the relationship between history, fiction, and female identity.
"Two Queens and a Chronicler" explores, in an original and modern key, the connection between the two monarchs and a contemporary narrative voice - "the chronicler", represented by the author herself - who rediscovers their stories from a new perspective, at the crossroads between reality and imagination.
The book thus becomes a meditation on the role of women in history, staging a dialogue between past and present around themes such as politics, the two world wars, love, art, beauty, life, death, and monarchy.
Through this event, ICR London continues its series dedicated to promoting contemporary Romanian literature and fostering cultural dialogue between Romania and the United Kingdom. Brent, one of London's most diverse boroughs, hosts the largest Romanian community in the UK and provides a welcoming space for cultural exchange.
The event is organised in collaboration with Brent Council and Wembley Library.
Alta Ifland was born in communist Romania and emigrated to the United States in 1991, where she obtained a PhD in French language and literature from the University of Florida.
She taught for a short period in academia, most recently at Arizona State University, before focusing on literary translation projects.
Her works include two volumes of prose poems - Voix de glace / Voice of Ice (2008, Louis Guillaume Prize) and The Snail's Song - and two collections of short stories - Elegy for a Fabulous World (finalist, Northern California Book Award 2010) and Death-in-a-Box (Subito Press Prize, 2010).
Her novels The Wife Who Wasn't (2021) and Speaking to No. 4 (2022) were published by New Europe Books.
Alta Ifland has translated authors such as Raymond Queneau, Marguerite Duras, W. S. Merwin, Norman Manea, and Mariana Marin into and from French, English, and Romanian.
After three decades of living in the United States, she now resides in France.
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