Sorin Stoica is one of the most important, original and strong voices in today's Romanian literature, not as popular as he should have been, but very appreciated by critics and some readers, who are interested in new literature. Or rather he was. For this huge writer, born in 1978, died shortly before turning 28, but left behind an impressive list of titles, a great number of magazine and newspaper articles, as well as an interesting diary.
Sorin Stoica was born on July 27th 1978 in Banesti, a small village in Prahova, where he would spent most of his teenage years, before moving to Bucharest to enroll at the University. It was a fascinating, interesting and very "real" time for the future writer, very inspiring, for today's Romanian village is ages away from the classical novels of Rebreanu or even the 20th century representations of Marin Preda. A mix of city and village, of violence and work, of parties and distorted traditions, a world in which an impressive gallery of characters wanders about. A world that inspired many of his books.
The writer later enrolled at the Journalism Faculty in Bucharest, at the University, then continued his studies with a Mastership in anthropology, he would work as an assistant professor at the SNSPA and also as a researcher at the Romanian Peasant's Museum. But all these, although fascinating and time consuming, didn't - just for one bit - make him abandon his writing. He continued to write, page after page, with a strong autobiographical note, and in a short while he was rather popular as a journalist. He published stories, proses, notes and small articles in Vatra, Dilema Veche, Formula As, Cultura, Suplimentul de cultura and many other titles. All of these - which are awaiting a selection and published collection - had something special, an original and striking style which combined deep irony with a keen sense of observation.
In the year 2000 Sorin Stoica also published his first ever fiction title, "Povestiri cu injuraturi" (Stories With Cursewords) at the Paralela 45 Publishing House, followed in 2002 by "Dincolo de frontiere" (Beyond the Frontiers), also at Paralela 45. These two books are todays impressive by all means, as they prove that Stoica had a great talent and style, although they were largely ignored by readers and many critics. The third fiction title, a novel this time, was published in 2005 at Polirom, was titled "O limba comuna" (A Common Language), and despite not being a best-seller, it was very appreciated by critics and readers. He would also contribute to another two collective volumes and together with Zoltan Rostas, elaborated and published several volumes of oral history, collections of interviews and stories from various places and social groups.
Unfrotunatelly, not many new that the young writer, although full of energy and devotion for his art, was at the same time battling a terrible and destructful disease, that made him go in and out of hospitals, especially in the last years of his short life. As a matter of fact, "O limba comuna" was a novel largely inspired by this experience. His last "book" was a diary, which Sorin Stoica wrote in a very modern style, by e-mail. Almost everyday he would send some of his friends small or extensive messages, with a bright humous, careful and funny observations, or articles which were to be published in magazines.
Despite his struggle, the writer passed away before he was 28 years old. He was leaving behind a large number of published works, unfortunatelly not too many manuscripts, and a great deal of sorrow for those who had known him. His "Diary" was published after his death by Polirom, and it was a succes. Some other posthumous volumes are bound for publication. His death is a great loss for Romanian literature and culture.
2008-06-23
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