aurora liiceanu

Auora Liiceanu (68 years old) has a PhD in psychology, is an expert in anthropology and social psychology and has recently published a book "Prin Perdea" ("Through the Curtain"), where she describes some of the most delicate and unknown episodes of her life. Even though she says that she regrets a little bit having written and published it now, I cannot wait to go back home and buy and read her autobiographical book! It's not about wanting to hear wild confessions or someone serve their inner self on a plate. This is actually what she avoided doing with her book. In fact, I believe, it may be a very good way of educating younger generations by means of illustration and commentary.

Prominent figure of Romanian intellecualism, ex-wife of Gabriel Liiceanu (she divorced him right before giving birth to their child), Aurora Liiceanu lost her position as a researcher at the psychology institute, after the "transcedental meditation"-scandal during communist times in 1982. She became a cleaning lady at the "Suveica" factory and has sewn dresses, in order to be able to buy her son (Stefan, he now lives in Japan) a computer. She always had a "plan B" and has never victimized herself.

After reading Gabriel Liiceanu's book "Scrisori Catre Fiul Meu" ("Letters to My Son"), Aurora's Liiceanu's book will probably give a different perspective on raising her son and I find it quite interesting, how this person (even though he pursued a totally different career than his parents and moved to Japan) is represented in contemporary Romanian essays and writings, as he is portrayed and mentioned by his parents.

I have recently read two interviews on her that I highly recommend (in Romanian): Evenimentul Zilei & Capital; picture source

"We are all looking for mental balance, because after all, everything that matters is whether one is comfortable with oneself, whether one recognizes oneself in who one is or believes to be."