Reviews of A Luminous Future

“A Luminous Future” is a memoir that starts out in Transylvania (1950s) where the author's father is taken away in the middle of the night by the secret police. Once the father is labelled an “enemy of the people”, the author's life as a young boy is turned upside down and inside out. I enjoyed reading this book because it provided the human side of history, and especially under an oppressive regime, this is a story we do not always hear. It would be very easy to see how people growing up in such situations are trampled under by the everyday horrors of life, but in this story the hard work and strong values show how family and personal decisions are what really makes the person who they are. I wish I had this vivid story from my grandparents so I would know more about what they had to deal with immigrating to the US from Europe.

I received this book as an ebook free from the author through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. This is the most incredible book that I’ve read related to this time period of Communism in Russia and the European countries that are part of the Russian Empire. I find Communism a very interesting economic system of government compared to our system of government in the USA. I am so thankful that I live in the USA, “The land of the free.” Teodor was very fortunate that he had such a caring, loving, and supportive family while being viciously and cruelly mistreated in the name of Communism to achieve “a luminous future.” There is a very sad, serious, and scary aspect to this book but the author also lets us see some lighthearted and funny moments in his life. Despite all of the injustice he endured Teodor’s life is a success story. The pictures of Teodor and his family at the end were wonderful. This book really made me think and I was very impressed by Teodor’s insight, grit, and stamina. Let us not take our freedoms for granted and let us never forget the brutal injustices that many others have suffered.

(no rating)
Yes, this book was really worth reading. It gives us a insight into the live behind the Iron curtain which we all knew nothing about.

This would be a great book to have read in college or even high school as it really humanizes the effects of communism, not just tells about it in a matter of fact way. Textbooks talk about “farmers” and “peasants” and “workers”, but we never really connect with them as “people” – people like us. That is what struck me most about this book, was that Teodor, his mother and father, his grandparents, his friends, neighbors, etc…any one of them was just like us. Like me. Like you. From the mischievous actions of a school boy, to the first loves, to the stress and strain of a family under constant scrutiny— so many things that we can all relate to, yet so many extraordinary things that most of us will never have to face. The endurance and struggles the family goes through was so beautifully written I admit I had tears in my eyes more than once. And I was sad to see the end, but loved looking at the lovely faces from the past, ones I’d forged a connection with. I cannot recommend this book enough, I’ll be singing its praises to whomever will listen. Thank you so much for writing this amazing book!

An exceptional story...
Earlier today, I was making plans for our annual Fourth of July BBQ party. Tonight, I am writing down my impressions of the incredibly moving, “A Luminous Future” by Dr. Teodor Flonta. How are these two related? Well, I think so many people in my position take our freedoms for granted, even if we think we don’t. As I prepare to celebrate my country’s Independence Day, I am struck by the fact that not only are many others denied the same freedoms we enjoy, but that they can be so viciously and cruelly mistreated in the name of a political faction. If I was being honest with myself, would I have had the strength and courage as Teodor Flonta and his family if I was in their shoes? I honestly don’t know. And that is why I was so impressed with this book and so moved by their actions. I have a feeling this story will stay with me for a long time, and I’ve already given it to my oldest daughter to read (she’s in college). Thank you for sharing this marvelous story with the world, and God Bless you and your lovely family!

This book was incredible!
"A Luminous Future" by Teodor Flonta is a narrative autobiography/memoir that recants his early life in Transylvania. I admit that a book such as this is outside my normal “comfort zone” for reading, and I wasn’t entirely convinced that I would be all that interested in it. I decided to try 1 or 2 chapters, just so I could say I tried it. Well, am I glad I did! Not only did I absolutely LOVE it, I think this is the best book I’ve read all year! The problem I always have when trying to learn about history or other cultures is that is seems really dry, or presented in a way that I can’t connect to. In this book I immediately felt like I was not only a part of the story, but a part of this wonderful family. I felt like I was Teodor, and was really experiencing life the way he did. I can’t believe how amazing this book was, and I read it in two nights (a record for me). It was PERFECTLY edited, something that is really rare in self-published books. So I give the author much credit for the professionalism in which he displayed in the publication of this novel. In my opinion it was well worth every cent and I highly recommend it to others, even if it’s not your typical read. Try it, you might be surprised. And you might learn something.

"A Luminous Future” starts off in a small village named Lupoaia with the Securitate (police) coming to take Flonta Pavel away as his young son and wife watch helplessly. The mom unfortunately suffers a miscarriage, and it is noted that the phrase “you are coming with us” will become a recurring theme in this book. As it was, and the father is deemed a CHIABUR, an “enemy of the people”. No, he wasn’t killing people or even hurting them…under the communist regime he was considered an enemy because he was “rich” (rich being used very loosely here). He had 2 people that worked for him a few months of the year, therefore in the eyes of the communist government he was some sort of tycoon. Crazy! So many times while reading this book I found myself shaking my head in disbelief or lifting my jaw up off the floor because it was so incredible. But there were also times that I laughed and smiled and genuinely felt the emotions of the characters. I think the grandpa Toderea was my favorite, but they were all amazing and wonderfully drawn. I am very pleased that their story was told and I hope others read and find enjoyment in it like I have.

This memoir “A Luminous Future” starts off with a bang, and instantly we are thrust into a world in the past where a young boy watches helpless as his father is dragged off into the night. The next chapter is dated over fifty years later, as that same young man is now celebrating the birth of his own grandson. The magic in this story lies in what happened during those fifty years, and how one young boy grew up in the shadows of communism and how that shaped his existence. In a way, this biography serves to pull back the iron curtain a bit, so as to experience the life under Stalin’s regime. It is strangely at odds with itself on many levels, and that in of itself is the paradox of communism. For example, the government gets mad and harasses people who work hard, saying that they are “exploiting” others, yet that is what they themselves are doing. They set these impossible goals for the workers to reach, and when they can’t they are punished even more. It’s frightening to read how a tyrannical government can influence the lives of its most vulnerable citizens, but despite it all, Teodor Flonta is such a success story on many levels. It’s almost like he singlehandedly defeated Stalin and his comrades, only because he never allowed them to beat him, and lived to tell this glorious tale. This is definitely one of those “don’t miss” books that belongs on every shelf.

Now that I have finished reading “A Luminous Future” by Teodor Flonta, I’m wondering what took me so long to read it in the first place! It came highly recommended to me by a trusted friend of mine, but even so I kept reading other books in its place. Finally, one night I clicked on the opening chapters intending to only read a few pages that evening. Imagine my surprise when the next thing I knew I was almost 60% of the way done, and no intention of stopping until I had reached the end! I felt almost physically pulled into this strange, yet familiar world, and refused to leave until I saw and heard all there was to experience. Sometimes this story was scary, sometimes sad. Sometimes profound, sometimes lighthearted and funny. I loved every page and cannot recommend it higher. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it, but am glad I finally did. It was a brilliantly written and moving tale, one I won’t likely soon forget.

I can’t remember a time in recent history where I’ve literally wanted to ((((hug)))) the characters in a book I’m reading, but that is what “A Luminous Future” did to me! (Weird, I know). I want to give Teodor’s mother and father hugs for being so brave and having so much courage and sticking by their convictions. I want to give schoolboy Teodor a hug for the times he was discriminated against simply because his father had been given a bad rap. I won’t recap the whole plot, but the storyline revolves around Teodor’s life growing up in a small town in Transylvania after the end of WW II but where communism is still alive and well and dictators still control the lives of people. It’s terrifying and enlightening to read how the government can exert so much control over its people’s lives, and the people have no choice but to do what they are told. I don’t love the politicians here in USA, but I’m not afraid that they are going to bang down my door in the middle of the night and take my father away. Or continually arrest him because he is a hard worker. I know the world has come a long way and we tend to forget our history, it seems, once it has passes. This book is great to remind us of the past and be aware of what is out there so that it doesn’t happen again.