On Monday, May 23, the Romanian Academy Library hosted a special anniversary marking, in advance, the 80th birthday of Norman Manea, one of the most celebrated Romanian contemporary writers, who is also a Fulbright alumnus.

The event, titled “Norman Manea – A Life”, brought together prominent cultural figures, from Romania and elsewhere, the likes of Gabriela Adameșteanu, Nora Iuga, Mircea Martin or Antonio Muñoz Molina, to name just a few, all coming together to celebrate the life and work of a world-acclaimed novelist and essayist.  

Living in the U.S. since 1986, Norman Manea is currently the Francis Flournoy Professor of European Culture and writer in residence at Bard College. He won several international honors and distinctions, including the MacArthur Fellows Award (1992), the International Nonino Prize (2002) and the Nelly Sachs Prize (2011), as well the title of “Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” awarded by the French Government (2011).