Nostalgia (novel)

Nostalgia is the title of a novel by Mircea Cărtărescu, first published in Romania in 1993. It is often considered one of Cărtărescu's major works and a significant contribution to Romanian literature.

The novel is structured as a collection of five interconnected novellas: "The Roulette Player," "The Architect," "Mendebil," "The Twins," and "REM." Each novella explores themes of memory, the past, identity, and the nature of reality, often blending realistic settings with surreal and dreamlike elements.

Cărtărescu's "Nostalgia" is known for its experimental narrative style, its intricate prose, and its exploration of philosophical and psychological themes. The novel delves into the power of imagination and the subjective experience of time, examining how individual and collective memories shape our perception of the world.

The work often evokes a sense of melancholy and longing for a past that is both real and imagined. It engages with the social and political context of Romania under and after the communist regime, though its focus remains on the internal lives and experiences of its characters. The title itself reflects this pervasive sense of yearning and the exploration of the past as a source of both comfort and unease.