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The only difference between a caprice and a lifelong passion is that the caprice lasts a little longerOscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray
Nora Iuga created her title from this half-remembered quotation.Already at the age of 67 when Iuga brought out this collection, her typical subject-matter of love and sensuality and relationships had extended to include leave-taking and death - as well as language itself. Writing has a redemptive effect, and is sometimes the only way out of despair: her 'ballpoint pen is equal to god'. This collection encompasses elements of surreality, captivating the reader with unexpected imagery. There is wistfulness, too, but Iuga is never bitter, and an undertone of irony is ever-present.
About the author
One of the most important, productive, and original Romanian writers and translators, Nora Iuga (born 4 January 1931) has had a career that spans more than five decades. She made her editorial debut in 1968 with the collection of poems It's not My Fault ("Vina nu e a mea"). Under the accusation that her work disseminated "morbid eroticism" and would have a bad influence on the young generation, Iuga was banned by the communist censors from publishing fiction and poetry from 1971 to 1978, while her books were withdrawn from public libraries and book stores. Since then, she has published twenty collections of poems, and twice been awarded the Romanian Writers' Union Prize for Best Poetry Collection of the Year.
